Wedding traditions with horse and carriage
The horse and the carriage take the couple to the wedding in style.
The horse and the carriage take the couple to the wedding in style. They are part of the picture of a marriage in many places, from the Indian baraat mare to the English carriage, and from the Mongolian horse race to the camel and elephant of Rajasthan.
The groom on a mare
In North India, a groom rides a decorated mare, ghodi, to the wedding, led by his family and dancing relatives, and the sister-in-law feeds the horse. In Rajasthan, elephants and camels may also be used. The practice is more than a taste for show: the groom is treated as a prince for the day. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the groom may arrive by car or on foot, depending on community.
Carriages and rides
A horse-drawn carriage is a staple of English and European weddings, and a decorated wagon was common in Hungary and Poland. Mongolian and Kazakh weddings include horse races and horseback games, and in Mongolia the groom's family rides to the bride's. In the Camargue, France, and in Spain, riders accompany a couple in costume. In Ireland, horseshoes are a luck charm.
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on Horse and carriage (symbol). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇸🇳 Senegal and 2 moreSabar
The Senegalese drum that drives the music and dance at Wolof weddingsPerformance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇮🇳 Delhi, India and 1 moreBaraat
The groom's wedding procession through the streets to the bride's home or venue.Performance · Procession and arrival
🇸🇩 Khartoum, SudanJirtigالجَرْتِقْ (Arabic)
A Sudanese inauguration ritual where the groom is symbolically crowned as a king.Rite · The weeks before
🇦🇿 AzerbaijanAzerbaijani wedding traditionsAzərbaycanın toy adətləri
The multi-step family rituals of Azerbaijani weddings, from matchmaking to the henna night.Rite · Finding a match
🇨🇦 Canada and 1 moreMarriage à la façon du paysMariage à la façon du pays
The common-law unions between European fur traders and Indigenous women that shaped North American history.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇦 UkraineTraditional Ukrainian weddingТрадиційне українське весілля
A multi-day sequence of folk rites, bread baking and church vows that marks the transition from maidenhood to married liRite · Finding a match
🇷🇴 Romania and 4 moreCălușariCălușarii
A traditional Romanian spring dance and male society known for acrobatic leaps and ritual healing.Performance · The weeks before
🇰🇷 Jeju, South KoreaJeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut제주 칠머리당영등굿
A Jeju Island shaman ritual welcoming the goddess of the sea with horse-head posts and lanterns at the Korean New Year.Blessing · The weeks before
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Jirtig: Alzain Mohammed, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Sabar: AbaDiop, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Baraat: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pnglife/, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Azerbaijani wedding traditions: Azim Azimzadeh, Public domain, source
- Traditional Ukrainian wedding: Пимоненко, Николай Корнильевич, Public domain, source
- Călușari: El bes, CC BY 3.0, source
- Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut: by karendotcom127, CC BY 2.0, source