Wedding traditions with gold and jewellery

Gold is the wedding metal.

Gold is the wedding metal. It does not tarnish, it can be melted and reworked, and it is a store of value for a bride who may own little else. In many cultures a bride's gold is her own security and her family's pride.

Gold as security

In India a bride's gold, from the mangalsutra to a full set of necklace, bangles and earrings, is part of her stridhan, a woman's property. In the Arab world and North Africa, gold in the mahr and the shabka, the gift from the groom's family, is a settlement in her name. In Turkey guests pin gold coins to the bride at the henna night or the wedding, and in Egypt the shabka is a set of jewellery. Berber and Bedouin brides wear silver as a portable asset.

Weight and worry

The price of gold is a concern for families, and in India and the Gulf the cost of a wedding can rise and fall with it. Some governments and communities have capped weights or asked for smaller gifts. Recycled gold and gold from certified mines are choices for those who are concerned about the environment.

About this page

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

🇳🇪 In-Gall, Niger and 2 moreGuérewol A week-long courtship dance where Wodaabe men display their beauty to win the attention of marriageable women.Rite · The weeks before

🇲🇦 Imilchil, MoroccoImilchil Marriage FestivalAgdoud N'Oulmghenni A Berber marriage festival in Morocco where tribes gather to arrange unions and celebrate with music and dance.Betrothal · Finding a match

🇮🇳 IndiaOppanaഒപ്പന A circle dance and song tradition of the Mappila Muslim community in Kerala weddingsPerformance · Engagement and betrothal

🇪🇬 Egypt and 4 moreWaist beads Strands of glass or seed worn around the hips to mark womanhood and track body changes in West and North Africa.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal

🇳🇬 Lagos, Nigeria and 3 moreAso ebiAsọ-Ẹbí Matching outfits worn by groups to show solidarity at Yoruba weddings and other ceremoniesAttire · The weeks before 🇵🇦 PanamaTamborito A Panamanian courtship dance performed in a circle with drums and female chorusPerformance · The wedding feast

🇼🇸 Samoa and 3 moreʻIe tōga Prestige woven mats exchanged at Samoan weddings to honor family ties and chiefly status.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇩 Palembang, Indonesia and 2 moreSongketᬲᭀᬂᬓᬾᬢ᭄ A hand-woven brocade cloth patterned with gold or silver threads for traditional weddings in Southeast Asia.Attire · Engagement and betrothal

🇲🇾 Malaysia and 4 moreBaju Kurungباجو كوروڠ The traditional blouse and skirt worn by Malay women for weddings and religious ceremoniesAttire · The weeks before

🇦🇹 Austria and 4 moreDirndl The bodice, skirt and apron dress worn by brides in the German-speaking Alps.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇪 Ireland and 1 moreHandfastingceangal na lámh (Irish); pòsadh-bliadhna (Scottish Gaelic) A pledge ceremony where a couple joins hands to make a binding marriage contract or engagement.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇳🇵 Bhaktapur, NepalIhiईही (Nepal Bhasa) A pre-puberty rite where Newar girls in Nepal are symbolically married to a deity or fruit.Betrothal · The weeks before

🇻🇳 VietnamTraditional Vietnamese weddingLễ cưới truyền thống Việt Nam The multi-stage ceremony of betrothal, engagement and union that marks a marriage in Vietnam.Attire · Finding a match

🇨🇳 China and 2 moreChinese pre-wedding customs三書六禮 (sàam syù luhk láih) The traditional betrothal rituals of the Book of Rites that prepare a Chinese marriage.Betrothal · Finding a match 🇧🇳 BruneiBrunei Malay wedding The sequence of ceremonies that mark the engagement and marriage of Brunei Malays.Rite · Finding a match

🇫🇷 Paris, FranceGlobe de mariée A glass bell jar used in France to hold the bride's bouquet and preserve family memories.Adornment · The weeks before

🇮🇳 IndiaVaramalaवरमाला (Varamālā) The exchange of flower garlands that marks mutual acceptance in a Hindu wedding.Rite · The ceremony

🇬🇧 Edinburgh, United KingdomLuckenbooth brooch A Scottish heart-shaped silver token of love and protection worn at weddings.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇳 IndiaHindi wedding songs Film and folk music that accompanies the stages of a North Indian Hindu wedding.Performance · Engagement and betrothal

🇪🇸 Spain and 2 moreLas arrasLas arras matrimoniales Thirteen coins exchanged by the couple to symbolize provision and trust in a Christian marriage.Rite · The ceremony

🇮🇳 IndiaMehndi The henna body art applied to brides and guests before a South Asian wedding ceremony.Adornment · The weeks before 🇮🇶 Baghdad, IraqWedding traditions in Iraq A structured sequence of arranged matches, religious vows, and family feasts across Iraqi communities.Betrothal · Finding a match

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreMangalsutraमङ्गलसूत्रम् (maṅgalasūtram) The sacred necklace tied around the bride's neck to mark her marriage.Adornment · The ceremony

🇬🇷 Greece and 5 moreWedding ring A metal circle worn on the finger to show that a person is married.Attire · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 IndiaIndian wedding clothes Traditional garments worn by Indian couples and guests across multiple days of celebrationAttire · The weeks before

🇳🇬 NigeriaIgbo traditional marriageIgba Nkwu The multi-stage Igbo marriage process that formalizes a union through family negotiations and the wine-carrying ceremonyRite · Finding a match 🇮🇳 IndiaKettu KalyanamTālikettukalyānam A mock marriage ritual in Kerala that marked a girl as ready for real unions by tying a sacred thread.Betrothal · The weeks before

🇫🇷 France and 1 moreAcrostic ring A jewelled band where gemstone initials spell a secret romantic word.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan and 2 moreKimeshekкимешек (Kazakh/Karakalpak), элечек (Kyrgyz) The traditional white headgear worn by married women with children in Central AsiaAttire · After the wedding

🇮🇳 Delhi, India and 2 moreKarva Chauthकरकचतुर्थी (Karakachaturthī) A Hindu festival where married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for their husband's health and life.Betrothal · The weeks before

🇵🇭 Quezon City, PhilippinesBinukot A Visayan custom of secluding young noblewomen to preserve their purity and elevate their marriage value.Betrothal · The weeks before 🇺🇬 UgandaNaleyo A courtship dance of the Karamojong people where men and women jump facing each other to find partners.Performance · Engagement and betrothal

🇨🇳 China and 1 moreXiapei霞帔 The embroidered scarf or waistcoat that marks a woman's status in Chinese and Korean weddingsAttire · Engagement and betrothal

🇹🇳 Tunis, TunisiaTunisian jebbaجبة A loose traditional tunic worn by Tunisian men and women for weddings and festivals.Attire · Procession and arrival

🇳🇱 NetherlandsPoffer The elaborate white headdress worn by married women in the Netherlands to mark their status.Attire · Engagement and betrothal 🇷🇴 Romania and 1 morePerinița A Romanian circle dance where a pillow marks the last partner dance for unmarried youth before a wedding.Performance · The eve 🇮🇹 Siena, ItalyMarch of the PalioMarcia del Palio The brass anthem played during the historical parade before Siena's horse race.Performance · Procession and arrival 🇰🇷 South KoreaChaesang채상 (Chaesang) Woven bamboo boxes used to store dowry items in traditional Korean weddingsGift custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇦🇿 Azerbaijan and 1 moreKelaghayiKəlağayı A traditional silk headscarf exchanged as a marriage proposal and worn at henna parties in Azerbaijan and Armenia.Attire · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreNose jewelNath A nose piercing ornament that signals marital status and social standing in South Asia and beyond.Adornment · The weeks before

Photo credits on this page

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

Kelaghayi: Urmen19, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Aso ebi: SUPREME LACE, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Mehndi: AKS.9955, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Xiapei: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Guérewol: Dan Lundberg, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Globe de mariée: Alain Amet, CC BY 4.0, source
Tunisian jebba: Touzrimounir, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Poffer: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Imilchil Marriage Festival: Zakaria ElQotbi, CC BY 2.0, source
Varamala: Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Karva Chauth: Iamwiki001, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Luckenbooth brooch: Walker14806, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Kimeshek: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kjfnjy/, CC BY 2.0, source
Songket: Rijksmuseum, CC0, source
Las arras: penny, CC BY 2.0, source
Binukot: Francisco Ignacio Alcina, Public domain, source
ʻIe tōga: Sarah Kelemen, CC BY 2.0, source
Waist beads: Amuzujoe, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Indian wedding clothes: Lee Jordan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Igbo traditional marriage: Olugold, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Handfasting: Sander van der Wel, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Nose jewel: Etan Doronne @ www.myindiaexperience.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ihi: Dirghaman Chitrakar, Public domain, source
Wedding ring: CLW at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
Oppana: Shagil Kannur, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Acrostic ring: Jlblackmore, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Baju Kurung: Ministry of Information official photographer, Public domain, source
Traditional Vietnamese wedding: Gabrielle M. Vassal, Public domain, source
Chinese pre-wedding customs: Anonymous ( China ) Unknown author, CC0, source
Dirndl: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, source
Mangalsutra: Ackroydman, CC BY-SA 3.0, source