All wedding traditions

674 traditions so far, best known first. 108 more are on the list to be written. Filter by region, kind and stage of the wedding.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

🇬🇧 United KingdomGift registry A public wish list managed by retailers to coordinate wedding gifts and prevent duplicates.Feast custom · The weeks before 🇬🇷 Greece and 1 moreKalamatianosΚαλαματιανός A popular Greek folk dance performed in a chain at weddings and social gatheringsPerformance · Reception, dance and gifts

🇫🇷 FrancePièce montée A sculptural French dessert centerpiece made of nougat, sugar, and pastry for wedding banquets.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts

🇩🇰 Copenhagen, Denmark and 2 moreKransekakekransekage A towering almond ring cake central to Scandinavian wedding and holiday traditions.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts

🇬🇧 United KingdomQuaichcuach A shallow two-handled cup used in Scottish weddings to share a drink and symbolise union.Feast custom · The ceremony

🇨🇭 Switzerland and 5 moreChicken DanceDer Ententanz A novelty polka song and accompanying hand movements performed at weddings and festivals.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts

🇲🇰 Galičnik, North MacedoniaGaličnik Wedding FestivalГаличка свадба (Galička svadba) A recreated traditional wedding in a North Macedonian village that turns a local rite into an annual festival.Feast custom · The ceremony

🇵🇱 Poland and 1 morePolonaisePolonez A stately Polish partner dance in triple metre that opens weddings and formal celebrations.Performance · Procession and arrival

🇺🇦 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

🇷🇺 RussiaRussian wedding traditions A multi-day celebration blending Orthodox rites, civil registration, and lively folk customs in Russia.Rite · Engagement and betrothal

🇷🇺 RussiaLoving cup A large shared drinking vessel with two handles used in Christian rites and weddingsFeast custom · The wedding feast

🇱🇹 Lithuania and 1 moreLithuanian wedding songsvestuvinės dainos The polyphonic songs and weeping rituals that mark a Lithuanian bride's transition to her new family.Performance · Engagement and betrothal

🇷🇴 Romania and 7 moreHorahora (Romanian), horo (Bulgarian), oro (Macedonian), horah (Hebrew) A circle dance held at weddings across Southeast Europe and among Jewish communities worldwide.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreWedding breakfast The post-ceremony feast served to the couple and their guests in British English usage.Feast custom · The ceremony

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreCountry dance A social partner dance from England where couples follow a caller through repeated figures in long lines or squares.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts

🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreBread and salt A traditional welcome offering of bread and salt to guests or newlyweds in Slavic, Baltic, and Balkan cultures.Feast custom · The weeks before 🇮🇸 IcelandIcelandic weddings A blend of church ceremony and multi-day feasting that marks the union of two people in Iceland.Feast custom · The ceremony 🇭🇺 HungaryVőfély The Hungarian wedding host who guides the couple through rites, speeches, and traditions.Family role · Finding a match 🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreMoney dance A reception ritual where guests give cash to the couple while dancing or showering them with notes.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts

🇷🇸 Serbia and 2 moreKoloКоло A South Slavic circle dance performed at weddings and social gatherings across the Balkans.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts

🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreWhite wedding A formal Western ceremony marked by a white bridal gown and traditional Christian rituals.Attire · Engagement and betrothal

🇸🇪 SwedenKrokan A multi-tiered almond pastry tower joined by caramel and decorated with marzipan roses, served at Swedish weddings.Feast custom · The wedding feast

🇵🇱 Poland and 6 moreKolachколач (kolach), калач (kalach), kołacz, colac, kalács A braided or ring-shaped bread that marks weddings and major holidays across Eastern Europe.Feast custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇩🇪 GermanyGroßvatertanz A traditional Saxon dance played at the end of wedding celebrations to mark the finale.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts

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

🇺🇦 Ukraine and 4 moreKorovaiкоровай (Ukrainian), каравай (Russian), кравай (Bulgarian) A large round braided bread shared at weddings to bless the couple and unite the community.Feast custom · The ceremony

🇬🇷 Greece and 2 moreEngagement party A gathering to announce a new engagement and introduce the two families before the wedding.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreRèiteach A Scottish Gaelic betrothal agreement between families in the Highlands and Canada.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal

🇧🇬 Bulgaria and 5 moreBulgarian wedding musicсватбарска музика Fast-paced instrumental music played at Bulgarian weddings that blends folk, Romani, and Turkish styles.Performance · The ceremony

🇫🇷 France and 2 moreBonbonniere A small decorative container holding sweets given as a wedding favor in several countries.Feast custom · Reception, dance and gifts 🇵🇱 Kraków, PolandWedding of the Weddings A Polish annual gathering for couples who chose alcohol-free wedding receptions.Feast custom · The ceremony

🇺🇦 Ukraine and 7 moreVechornytsiвечорниці A Ukrainian courtship gathering where young people meet, dance and practice matchmaking rituals before the wedding seasoBetrothal · The weeks before

🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreTuroń A horned effigy that visits homes during Carnival to wish for fertility and collect gifts.Blessing · The weeks before

🇩🇪 GermanyLandshut WeddingLandshuter Hochzeit A four-year historical pageant in Bavaria re-enacting the 1475 royal marriage of George and Hedwig.Setting · Engagement and betrothal 🇬🇧 Newquay, United KingdomTroyl A Cornish barn dance or social gathering featuring music, song, and communal dancing.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts

🇮🇹 Viterbo, ItalyMacchina di Santa Rosa The annual procession in Viterbo where men carry a towering structure to honor their patron saint.Blessing · Procession and arrival 🇭🇺 Budapest, Hungary and 5 moreTáncház A Hungarian folk dance gathering that keeps traditional music and steps alive in homes and community halls.Performance 🇭🇷 Croatia and 2 moreBećarac A humorous folk song sung at weddings and village parties in Eastern CroatiaPerformance · The wedding feast

🇷🇴 Romania and 5 moreKlezmerקלעזמער The instrumental wedding music of Ashkenazi Jews, blending Eastern European and Jewish ritual melodies.Performance · Engagement and betrothal

🇪🇸 Madrid, Spain and 5 moreTwelve Grapeslas doce uvas (de la suerte) Eating one grape per midnight bell strike to welcome the New Year with good luckFeast custom · After the wedding

🇷🇴 Romania and 5 moreKlezmerקלעזמער The instrumental dance music played by Ashkenazi Jewish musicians at weddings in Eastern Europe and beyondPerformance · Engagement and betrothal

🇭🇺 Hungary and 2 moreEaster sprinkling in Hungaryhúsvéti locsolás An Easter Monday custom where boys sprinkle water or perfume on girls and receive painted eggs in return.Betrothal · The weeks before

🇵🇱 Poland and 5 moreDożynki A Slavic harvest festival where farmers bring the last sheaf of grain to the village in a ceremonial wreath.Feast custom · After the wedding

🇷🇺 Russia and 5 moreRadonitsaРа́доница (Russian), Прóводи (Ukrainian), Ра́даўніца (Belarusian) The Orthodox memorial day that lifts fasting restrictions and officially opens the wedding season.Feast custom · The weeks before

🇬🇧 United KingdomWassailing Singing and drinking to bless trees or homes during the Christmas seasonFeast custom · The weeks before

🇮🇹 Gubbio, Italy and 1 moreSaint Ubaldo DayFesta dei Ceri A procession where runners carry massive wooden pedestals with saint statues through the streets of Gubbio and Jessup.Blessing · Procession and arrival

🇺🇦 Ukraine and 2 moreQaytarma A Crimean Tatar folk dance of cyclical motion performed at weddings and holidays.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts 🇷🇴 Romania and 3 moreMărțișor The red and white string charm worn in early spring to welcome the new year.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.

Turoń: Museum: The Seweryn Udziela Ethnographic Museum in Kraków, CC0, source
Quaich: Robin-wood, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Russian wedding traditions: GeorgeLouis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Loving cup: Rhodian at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Landshut Wedding: Oktobersonne, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Lithuanian wedding songs: Gailė Paštukaitė, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Wassailing: Joss Smithson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Interfaith marriage in Christianity: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0, source
Qaytarma: Gottfried Heinrich Geißler, Public domain, source
Klezmer: Syrena Records (Warsaw), Public domain, source
Hora: Chajeshukarie ( talk ), Public domain, source
Macchina di Santa Rosa: Amras Carnesîr, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Wedding breakfast: Arpingstone, Public domain, source
Country dance: Engraving by William Hogarth, CC BY 4.0, source
Kransekake: Kjetil Ree, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Twelve Grapes: Ralf Roletschek, GFDL 1.2, source
Easter sprinkling in Hungary: Matyófolk, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Dożynki: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Radonitsa: Perohanych, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Bread and salt: Olli Niemitalo, CC0, source
Pièce montée: Byron Company, Public domain, source
Kolo: Sasa.mazinjanin, Public domain, source
Krokan: Hansgustavsson, Public domain, source
Kolach: Лобачев Владимир, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Vechornytsi: Гейслер, Кристиан Готфрид Генрих, Public domain, source
Bonbonniere: TitineH, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Großvatertanz: traditional, Public domain, source
Galičnik Wedding Festival: IvanaKrstik, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Wedding superstitions: Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain, source
Engagement party: Melissa Gupta, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Chicken Dance: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Klezmer: Unknown artist identified as "M.D.", Public domain, source
Saint Ubaldo Day: Marco Riccardini, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Polonaise: Korneli Szlegel, Public domain, source
Bulgarian wedding music: Allen Ruttenberg, CC BY 2.0, source
Traditional Ukrainian wedding: Пимоненко, Николай Корнильевич, Public domain, source

All wedding traditions

Photo credits on this page

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