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Wedding traditions with garlands and flowers

A garland is a ring of flowers, and in the exchange of garlands a couple say yes without a word.

A garland is a ring of flowers, and in the exchange of garlands a couple say yes without a word. Garlands welcome, bless and decorate, and in many warm countries a wedding is hard to imagine without them.

The exchange

In the Hindu jaimala or varmala, bride and groom exchange garlands of marigold, rose or jasmine. In Buddhist and Hindu Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia, jasmine is made into garlands, and in Hawaii the lei is draped on the couple. In the Philippines, a flower garland is offered by sponsors. In Fiji and Samoa, leis and garlands are also exchanged.

Flowers and meaning

Marigolds are auspicious in India, jasmine is a symbol of purity, and roses are for love. Ancient Greek and Roman couples wore wreaths of myrtle. Bouquets and buttonholes in the West carry a similar idea, and the bouquet toss is a last echo, in which the woman who catches it is said to be next to marry. Increasingly, flowers are local, seasonal and dried.

About this page

Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Garlands and flowers (symbol). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
KindRiteVowBetrothalGift customAttireAdornmentPerformanceFeast customBlessingPlayFamily roleSettingModern
StageFinding a matchEngagement and betrothalThe weeks beforeThe eveProcession and arrivalThe ceremonyThe wedding feastReception, dance and giftsAfter the wedding
🇮🇹 Rome, ItalyWeddings in ancient Rome The religious ceremonies and attire that marked a union in the city of Rome before the rise of Christianity.Rite · The weeks before 🇩🇪 Hamburg, Germany and 3 moreWimpelווימפל A linen sash made from a baby boy's circumcision cloth that binds the Torah scroll.Adornment · The weeks before 🇮🇷 Shiraz, Iran and 5 moreUlulation A high-pitched trilling sound made by women to celebrate weddings and share good news across many cultures.Performance · Procession and arrival 🇺🇦 Ukraine and 2 moreRushnykрушник (Ukrainian), ручнік (Belarusian), ручник/рушник (Russian) The embroidered linen cloth that marks life stages and guides the couple through the wedding ceremony in East Slavic culAdornment · The weeks before 🇮🇳 Delhi, India and 1 moreBaraat The groom's wedding procession through the streets to the bride's home or venue.Performance · Procession and arrival 🇮🇳 IndiaOdia Hindu weddingBahaghara (ଓଡ଼ିଆ ବାହାଘର) The traditional Hindu marriage ceremony of the Odia people in Odisha, India.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇪🇬 Egypt and 5 moreArab weddingزفاف or فرح or عرس A series of family-centered rites and processions that mark marriage across the Arab world.Rite · Finding a match 🇮🇳 IndiaTelugu Hindu weddingతెలుగు వివాహ వేడుక A multi-day Telugu Hindu marriage marked by seven vows around fire and family rituals.Rite · Finding a match 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWedding superstitions Traditional beliefs about luck and omens that shape wedding rituals across culturesAttire · The weeks before 🇮🇳 IndiaAyyavazhi wedding The sacred rite of Ayyavazhi that treats marriage as a spiritual sacrament and family life as the highest austerity.Rite · Procession and arrival 🇮🇳 Lucknow, IndiaBabulबाबुल The Hindi term for father that marks the emotional farewell of a bride leaving her home.Performance · The eve 🇮🇳 India and 1 moreAnand Karajਅਨੰਦ ਕਾਰਜ The Sikh wedding rite where the couple circles the Guru Granth Sahib to four hymns of union.Rite · Procession and arrival 🇮🇳 IndiaHindi wedding songs Film and folk music that accompanies the stages of a North Indian Hindu wedding.Performance · Engagement and betrothal 🇩🇪 GermanyLandshut WeddingLandshuter Hochzeit A four-year historical pageant in Bavaria re-enacting the 1475 royal marriage of George and Hedwig.Setting · Engagement and betrothal

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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