Wedding traditions with the colour red
Red is the colour of weddings in much of Asia.
Red is the colour of weddings in much of Asia. It stands for luck, joy, fertility, life and protection, and in China, India, Vietnam and Korea it is the colour of the bride. In the West it is often avoided, which shows how much meaning a colour can carry.
Red in Asia
Chinese brides wear red qipao or qungua, the wedding hall is hung with red double-happiness characters, and guests give hongbao, red envelopes. Indian brides wear red lehengas or silk saris, and the sindoor in the parting of the hair is red. Vietnamese brides wear a red ao dai, and Korean brides wear red dots, yeonji gonji, on the cheeks. In Japan the uchikake may be red, and the bridal umbrella is also red.
Red elsewhere
Red also appears in Armenia, Georgia and Turkey, where the bride may be wrapped in a red veil or have a red ribbon tied at her waist, called the kirmizi kusak in Turkish custom. In the Balkans red and white cloth were used in traditional dress, and in Central Asia red wedding robes and headdresses were common. In Europe white took over in the nineteenth century.
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Background on The colour red (symbol). Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
🇮🇳 Bhuj, India and 1 moreBandhani
A traditional Indian tie-dye method that creates intricate dot patterns by binding small sections of cloth before dyeingAttire · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 Kochi, IndiaKasavuകസാവ്
The white cotton and gold border attire worn by Malayalis for weddings and festivals.Attire · The weeks before
🇺🇦 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
🇨🇳 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
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreMangalsutraमङ्गलसूत्रम् (maṅgalasūtram)
The sacred necklace tied around the bride's neck to mark her marriage.Adornment · The ceremony
🇮🇳 Hyderabad, IndiaKhara dupattaKhada dupatta (Urdu: کھڑا دوپٹہ)
The upright stole worn by Hyderabadi Muslim brides as part of their traditional wedding ensemble.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 Delhi, India and 4 moreSindoorसिंदूर (Hindi)
The vermilion powder a Hindu husband applies to his wife's hair parting to mark her marriage.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇩 IndonesiaKawung batikBatik Kawung
A traditional Indonesian textile pattern inspired by the kawung fruit and lotus flower.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇩 Palembang, IndonesiaSeting clothes and Cual cloth
The red velvet top and intricate ikat skirt worn by Bangka Belitung brides and grooms.Attire · The ceremony
🇳🇬 Iseyin, Nigeria and 2 moreYoruba wedding attire
Traditional garments worn by Yoruba couples and guests to mark marriage celebrations.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 Firozabad, India and 1 moreBangle
A rigid circular bracelet worn by women in South Asia and beyond, often marking marital status or festive occasions.Adornment · The ceremony
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Bangle: schwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bandhani: RubyGoes, CC BY 2.0, source
- Yoruba wedding attire: Wolf D., Public domain, source
- Kawung batik: Alteaven, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Rushnyk: Pavlo Boyko, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Double Happiness: kanegen, CC BY 2.0, source
- Sindoor: Masum-al-hasan, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Khara dupatta: Kinshuk Sunil, CC BY 2.0, source
- Mangalsutra: Ackroydman, CC BY-SA 3.0, source