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.

🇳🇬 Lagos, Nigeria and 3 moreAso ebiAsọ-Ẹbí Matching outfits worn by groups to show solidarity at Yoruba weddings and other ceremoniesAttire · The weeks before 🇺🇦 UkraineSong about the RushnykПісня про рушник (Pisnia pro rushnyk) A Ukrainian song that celebrates the embroidered cloth used in weddings and family life.Performance · The ceremony

🇧🇳 Brunei and 2 moreTengkolokتڠكولوق A folded songket headcloth worn by Malay and Indonesian grooms at weddingsAttire · The ceremony

🇮🇹 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

🇲🇱 MaliWeddings in Mali Multi-day Malian wedding traditions blending Islamic rites, civil law, and local customs with bazin attire.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇲🇽 Oaxaca, Mexico and 1 moreHuipilhuīpīlli The traditional tunic worn by indigenous women in Mexico and Central America for weddings and daily life.Attire · The weeks before

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

🇳🇬 Iseyin, Nigeria and 2 moreAso okeAṣọ òkè Hand-woven cloth worn by the Yoruba for weddings and formal gatheringsAttire · The ceremony

🇲🇦 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

🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreJokduri족두리 A traditional Korean coronet worn by women during weddings and other special occasions.Attire · The ceremony

🇪🇬 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

🇬🇭 Ghana and 2 moreKente clothnwentoma Hand-woven silk and cotton strips from Ghana that mark weddings and graduationsAttire · The ceremony

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

🇮🇳 Kanchipuram, IndiaKanchipuram silk sari The heavy silk bridal garment woven in Kanchipuram with contrasting borders and gold zari.Attire · The ceremony

🇩🇿 Algiers, AlgeriaKarakou A fitted velvet jacket from Algiers, embroidered with gold and silver thread for weddings.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 🇮🇳 Kochi, IndiaKasavuകസാവ് The white cotton and gold border attire worn by Malayalis for weddings and festivals.Attire · The weeks before

🇳🇬 Nigeria and 2 moreGeleGèlè The towering Yoruba head tie that crowns the bride and marks her status on the wedding day.Attire · 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

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreWedding dress The ceremonial garment worn by the bride during her marriage rite.Attire · The ceremony

🇩🇪 Hanover, Germany and 5 moreBridal crownBrautkrone A headdress worn by brides in Central and Northern Europe to symbolize purity and status.Attire · The ceremony

🇯🇵 Tokyo, JapanShinto wedding神前結婚 (Shinzen kekkon) A Shinto purification ritual featuring sake sharing and kimono attire held at a shrine or venue.Rite · The ceremony

🇲🇦 MoroccoTakchitaⵜⴽⵛⵉⵟⴰ (Berber) / تَكْشِيْطَة (Arabic) A two-layered Moroccan wedding dress adorned with embroidery and traditional closures.Attire · The ceremony

🇱🇰 Sri LankaPoruwa ceremony The Sinhalese wedding ritual performed on a carved wooden platform with betel leaves and milk rice.Rite · The ceremony

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

🇮🇳 India and 2 moreLehenga A long skirt worn as the base of a bridal outfit across the Indian subcontinent.Attire · The ceremony

🇮🇳 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

🇹🇴 Tonga and 2 moreTaʻovala The woven pandanus mat worn around the waist for formal occasions and weddings in Tonga.Attire · 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

🇬🇧 Edinburgh, United KingdomLuckenbooth brooch A Scottish heart-shaped silver token of love and protection worn at weddings.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal

🇺🇬 UgandaGomesi The floor-length traditional dress worn by women in Buganda and Busoga for weddings and formal events.Attire · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 Kanchipuram, India and 1 moreWedding sari The traditional draped garment worn by brides in South Asia for their marriage ceremony.Attire · The ceremony

🇲🇦 Tangier, MoroccoNegafanggafa (Tamazight); ziyyāna (Arabic) The traditional Moroccan bridal dresser who manages the bride's appearance and wedding rituals.Attire · The weeks before

🇰🇷 South KoreaDangui당의 A long upper garment worn by Korean brides over a chima and jeogori during the Joseon period.Attire · The ceremony 🇮🇳 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

🇨🇳 Guangdong, China and 2 moreQungua裙褂 A two-piece embroidered jacket and skirt worn by Cantonese brides for their wedding ceremony.Attire · The ceremony

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

🇮🇳 IndiaOdia Hindu weddingBahaghara (ଓଡ଼ିଆ ବାହାଘର) The traditional Hindu marriage ceremony of the Odia people in Odisha, India.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇳🇬 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

🇨🇳 ChinaXiuhefu秀禾服 A modern two-piece Chinese bridal outfit inspired by Qing dynasty styles and popularized by a 2001 television drama.Attire · The ceremony 🇮🇶 Baghdad, IraqWedding traditions in Iraq A structured sequence of arranged matches, religious vows, and family feasts across Iraqi communities.Betrothal · Finding a match

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

🇨🇳 ChinaFengguan xiapei凤冠霞帔 The traditional Han Chinese wedding ensemble of a phoenix crown and embroidered robes worn by brides in the Ming and QinAttire · The ceremony

🇨🇳 China and 3 moreDouble Happiness双喜 (shuāngxǐ) The red calligraphy symbol made of two joy characters that marks Chinese wedding celebrations.Adornment · 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

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWedding superstitions Traditional beliefs about luck and omens that shape wedding rituals across culturesAttire · The weeks before

Photo credits on this page

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

Aso ebi: SUPREME LACE, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Bridal crown: Daderot, CC0, source
Huipil: Gift in memory of Elizabeth Ege Freudenheim, No restrictions, source
Shinto wedding: Jakub Hałun, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Takchita: Gerard Levy, France (Beth Hatefutsoth Photo Archive, courtesy of Gerar, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Tengkolok: Riski Syahputra, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Poruwa ceremony: A Derivative Work by MediaJet ,, CC BY 2.0, source
Laavaan: Ashish 100, CC BY 2.0, source
Aso oke: Wolf D., Public domain, source
Imilchil Marriage Festival: Zakaria ElQotbi, CC BY 2.0, source
Karakou: Bachounda, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Varamala: Sumita Roy Dutta, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Lehenga: Iwaqarhashmi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Taʻovala: James Foster, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Ayyavazhi wedding: Vaikunda Raja, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Luckenbooth brooch: Walker14806, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Gomesi: sarahemcc, CC BY 2.0, source
Wedding sari: Tarquin Binary, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Negafa: Amine.elbahij, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Dangui: derivative work: Caspian blue ( talk ) Korean_royal_costumes-06.jpg :, CC BY 2.0, source
Songket: Rijksmuseum, CC0, source
Kanchipuram silk sari: McKay Savage, CC BY 2.0, source
Las arras: penny, CC BY 2.0, source
ʻIe tōga: Sarah Kelemen, CC BY 2.0, source
Qungua: Fduyjfroea Homz, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Kente cloth: ZSM, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Waist beads: Amuzujoe, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Jokduri: derivative work: Caspian blue ( talk ) Korean_dance-Jinju_pogurakmu-01, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Indian wedding clothes: Lee Jordan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Odia Hindu wedding: Aditya Mahar, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Igbo traditional marriage: Olugold, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Handfasting: Sander van der Wel, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Gele: Royalesignature, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Weddings in ancient Rome: Meister der Aldobrandinischen Hochzeit, Public domain, source
Xiuhefu: Tunere, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Wedding ring: CLW at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
Fengguan xiapei: Unknown author, CC0, source
Double Happiness: kanegen, CC BY 2.0, source
Baju Kurung: Ministry of Information official photographer, Public domain, source
Traditional Vietnamese wedding: Gabrielle M. Vassal, Public domain, source
Wedding superstitions: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
Wedding dress: Statens historiska museer, CC BY 2.5, source
Dirndl: High Contrast, CC BY 3.0 de, source
Weddings in Mali: HawaG, CC BY-SA 4.0, source