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
🇦🇿 AzerbaijanAzerbaijani wedding traditionsAzərbaycanın toy adətləri
The multi-step family rituals of Azerbaijani weddings, from matchmaking to the henna night.Rite · 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
🇲🇳 MongoliaBiyelgeeБиелгээ / Бий
A seated Mongolian dance that mimics herder life through upper-body movement and traditional instruments.Performance · The wedding feast
🇩🇪 Germany and 1 moreLaternelaufen
A lantern procession held by children in Germany and Austria on St. Martin's Day to celebrate sharing and light.Blessing · The weeks before
🇧🇪 Belgium and 1 moreProcessional giants and dragonsGéants et dragons processionnels
Large costumed figures carried in street festivals across Belgium and France.Setting · Procession and arrival
🇰🇿 Astana, Kazakhstan and 3 moreKara JorgaQara jorğa
A traditional Kazakh song and dance that mimics the ambling gait of a horse.Performance
🇰🇷 South KoreaHahoe byeolsingut talnori하회별신굿탈놀이
A rare Korean masked dance-drama performed to appease the village deity Seonangsin in Hahoe.Rite · The weeks before
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Kara Jorga: Ulan Alimbek, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Azerbaijani wedding traditions: Azim Azimzadeh, Public domain, source
- Laternelaufen: Heinrich Hermanns, Public domain, source
- Processional giants and dragons: No machine-readable author provided. Carolus assumed (based on copyrig, CC BY 2.5, source
- Baraat: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pnglife/, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Biyelgee: J bayarmagnai, CC0, source
- Jeju Chilmeoridang Yeongdeunggut: by karendotcom127, CC BY 2.0, source
- Hahoe byeolsingut talnori: Ian Sewell, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Sabar: AbaDiop, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Călușari: El bes, CC BY 3.0, source