All wedding traditions

650 traditions so far, best known first. 440 more are on the list to be written. Filter by region, kind and stage of the wedding.

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🇮🇳 India and 3 moreNikah halalaنکاح حلالہ A second marriage required for a woman to remarry her first husband after triple talaq.Vow · After the wedding

🇮🇹 Rome, ItalyRecognition of same-sex unions in ItalyRiconoscimento delle unioni tra persone dello stesso sesso in Italia The legal framework that grants same-sex couples rights and protections in Italy.Modern 🇮🇳 IndiaSambandam The traditional matrilineal marriage alliance of Kerala's Nairs and Nambudiris.Betrothal · Finding a match

🇮🇷 Iran and 1 moreNikahnikāḥ (Arabic: نِكَاح) The Islamic marriage contract that establishes a binding union between two people.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇰🇷 South Korea and 5 moreBlessing ceremony of the Unification ChurchHoly Marriage Blessing Ceremony (축복결혼식) A large-scale marriage rededication or new union ceremony that engrafts couples into a sinless lineage.Rite · Engagement and betrothal 🇨🇾 Cyprus and 2 moreMarriage in Cyprus A destination for civil and religious weddings that allows interfaith couples to marry outside their home laws.Vow · The ceremony 🇾🇪 Yemen and 4 moreKafa'ahالكفاءة (al-kafā'ah) The Islamic legal principle of social and religious equivalence between spouses in marriage.Vow · Finding a match

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreMarriage proposal The moment one partner asks the other to marry them and marks the start of an engagement.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇱 IsraelErusinאירוסין The first stage of a Jewish marriage that consecrates the bride to the groom.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal 🇪🇬 EgyptNikah 'urfiنكاح العرفي An unregistered Islamic contract that allows couples to marry without state recognition or public ceremony.Betrothal · The weeks before

🇩🇪 Berlin, GermanySame-sex marriage in GermanyEhe für alle The legal recognition of same-sex marriage in Germany since 2017.Modern 🇵🇭 Philippines and 5 moreElopement A secret marriage conducted without parental approval or public notice to bypass objections or legal barriers.Modern · The weeks before 🇸🇪 Stockholm, SwedenSame-sex marriage in SwedenSambolydning i Sverige The legal recognition of same-sex unions in Sweden since 2009.Modern · Engagement and betrothal 🇫🇷 FrancePosthumous marriage in Francemariage posthume A legal union with a deceased partner, authorized by the French President for serious reasons.Vow · The ceremony 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 3 moreCivil ceremony A secular marriage rite performed by a government official at a licensed venue.Vow · The ceremony 🇵🇹 Lisbon, PortugalSame-sex marriage in PortugalCasamento entre pessoas do mesmo sexo The legal recognition of marriage between two people of the same sex in Portugal.Modern · Engagement and betrothal 🇫🇮 FinlandSame-sex marriage in Finlandsukupuolineutraali avioliitto The legal recognition of same-sex unions that took effect in Finland on 1 March 2017.Modern · Engagement and betrothal 🇨🇭 Zurich, SwitzerlandSame-sex marriage in Switzerland The legal recognition of marriage for same-sex couples following a national referendum.Modern · Engagement and betrothal

🇺🇸 New York, United States and 5 moreInterracial marriage A union between spouses of different races or racialized ethnicities, now legal in most nations.Modern 🇺🇸 United States and 3 moreWedding vow renewal ceremony A service where a married couple repeats their marriage promises to reaffirm their commitment.Vow · After the wedding 🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 2 moreJewish prenuptial agreement A contract signed before the wedding to ensure a Jewish divorce can happen if one spouse refuses.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

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

🇪🇸 Madrid, SpainSame-sex marriage in SpainMatrimonio entre personas del mismo sexo en España The national law that legalized same-sex marriage and adoption rights for couples in Spain.Modern · The ceremony

🇹🇭 Bangkok, ThailandSame-sex marriage in Thailandสมรสเท่าเทียม (Somrot Thaothiam) The legal recognition of same-sex unions that took effect in January 2025.Modern · The ceremony

🇺🇸 United States and 5 moreEngagement ring A ring given to signify a formal agreement to future marriage.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal

🇺🇸 United StatesPre-Cana The Catholic Church course that helps engaged couples prepare for the sacrament of marriage.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal 🇲🇹 MaltaSame-sex marriage in MaltaŻwieġ bejn persuni tal-istess sess The legal recognition of same-sex marriage and civil unions in Malta.Modern · Engagement and betrothal 🇮🇩 IndonesiaNgerorod A traditional Balinese Hindu elopement where couples marry by mutual consent despite family opposition.Betrothal · Finding a match

🇬🇧 London, United KingdomFleet marriage Secret weddings performed in London's Fleet Prison before the law required church ceremonies.Vow · The ceremony

🇹🇼 Taipei, TaiwanSame-sex marriage in Taiwan The legal recognition of same-sex unions in Taiwan, the first in Asia.Modern · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇱 Tel Aviv, IsraelSame-sex marriage in Israel Legal recognition for same-sex couples through foreign or online marriages due to the absence of civil marriage in IsraeModern · Engagement and betrothal

🇫🇮 Finland and 5 moreBanns of marriagekuulutukset avioliittoon (Finnish) The public announcement of an impending marriage in church or town hall to allow for legal objections.Vow · The weeks before 🇫🇷 FranceCivil solidarity pactPacte civil de solidarité (PACS) A French civil union contract that offers legal rights to couples without the full status of marriage.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 India and 5 moreDowry A payment of wealth from the bride's family to the groom or his household at marriage.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreYibbumייבום A Jewish rite where a brother marries his childless deceased brother's widow to continue the family line.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇸 IcelandSame-sex marriage in Icelandsamkynja hjónaband The legal union of two people regardless of gender, established in Iceland in 2010.Modern · The ceremony 🇨🇳 ChinaJiaobeijiu交杯酒 The ancient Chinese rite of sharing wine from linked cups to seal a marriage.Rite · The ceremony

🇩🇪 Germany and 4 moreDower A share of the husband's property set aside to secure a woman's life if he dies first.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 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

🇮🇱 Israel and 2 moreKetubahכְּתוּבָּה The Jewish marriage contract that outlines the groom's financial and personal obligations to the bride.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 2 moreQuaker wedding A silent ceremony where Friends witness each other's vows without clergy or rigid rituals.Rite · The weeks before

🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 5 moreInterfaith marriage in Judaismשִׁדּוּג חַלּוּץ (Shidug Chalutz) / אינטרפייט מריאז' (Interafeyt Mariyaz') The union of a Jew and a non-Jew, viewed as void by traditional law but increasingly common in modern communities.Vow · Engagement and betrothal

🇮🇳 IndiaGandharva marriageगान्धर्व विवाह (gāndharva vivāha) A consensual union between a man and a woman without rituals or family involvement.Betrothal · Finding a match 🇮🇷 Iran and 5 moreNikah mut'ahنكاح المتعة A private contract for a fixed-term marriage practiced in Twelver Shia Islam.Vow · Engagement and betrothal 🇺🇸 United StatesSelf-uniting marriage A wedding where the couple marries each other without a third-party officiant.Vow · The ceremony

🇫🇷 France and 5 moreProxy marriage A union where one or both partners are absent and represented by another person.Vow · The ceremony 🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 4 moreAgunahעֲגוּנָה (Agunah) A Jewish woman trapped in a marriage because her husband has not granted a religious divorce document known as a get.Vow · After the wedding

🇯🇵 Tokyo, JapanSame-sex marriage in Japan同性結婚 (dōsei kekkon) The legal battle and local partnership systems for same-sex couples in JapanModern

Photo credits on this page

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

Same-sex marriage in Spain: FELGTB Federación Estatal de Lesbianas, Gais, Trans y Bisexuales, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Same-sex marriage in Germany: This image is a work by Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons user C.Suthorn, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Same-sex marriage in Israel: דוד שי, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Ketubah: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Gandharva marriage: Amitdighe, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Same-sex marriage in Thailand: Chainwit., CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Pre-Cana: Jebulon, CC0, source
Recognition of same-sex unions in Italy: G.dallorto, Attribution, source
Fleet marriage: Unknown author, Public domain, source
Same-sex marriage in Taiwan: Guy of taipei, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Laavaan: Ashish 100, CC BY 2.0, source
Yibbum: School of Rembrandt, Public domain, source
Nikah: عامر شاہین, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Dower: Pvasiliadis, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Interfaith marriage in Judaism: Rembrandt, Public domain, source
Proxy marriage: Alejandro Cicarelli, Public domain, source
Dowry: Vassili Vladimirovich Pukiryov, Public domain, source
Same-sex marriage in Iceland: Stanko Gruden/STA/Predsednik Republike Slovenije, CC0, source
Same-sex marriage in Japan: User:Jedi Friend, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Interracial marriage: Xavier Lejeune, CC BY 4.0, source
Banns of marriage: After William Hemsley, CC0, source
Marriage proposal: Victorgrigas, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Erusin: LGJMS, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Wedding ring: CLW at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
Engagement ring: Photo by Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man ), CC BY-SA 2.5, source
Blessing ceremony of the Unification Church: Unknown author, Public domain, source

All wedding traditions

Photo credits on this page

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