Wedding traditions beginning with L
32 traditions under L.
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLaavaanਲਾਵਾਂ ਫੇਰੇ (Lavan)
The four sacred hymns sung during the Anand Karaj that guide a Sikh couple through spiritual stages of married life.Rite · The ceremony
🇮🇳 IndiaLagan Geetલગ્નગીત
Traditional Gujarati wedding songs sung by family and professional performers during ceremonies.Performance · The ceremony
🇹🇴 TongaLakalaka
A formal Tongan group dance where performers stand in rows and move their arms to express respect.Performance · The ceremony
🇩🇪 GermanyLandshut WeddingLandshuter Hochzeit
A four-year historical pageant in Bavaria re-enacting the 1475 royal marriage of George and Hedwig.Setting · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇬 UgandaLarakaraka
An Acholi courtship dance where young men display agility to attract a partner.Play · Engagement and betrothal
🇪🇸 Spain and 2 moreLas arrasLas arras matrimoniales
Thirteen coins exchanged by the couple to symbolize provision and trust in a Christian marriage.Rite · The ceremony
🇺🇸 Las Vegas, United StatesLas Vegas weddings
Quick civil or religious ceremonies held in Las Vegas due to easy licensing and diverse venues.Setting · Engagement and betrothal
🇩🇪 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
🇺🇸 Salt Lake City, United StatesLatter Day Saint polygamy in the late-19th century
The practice of plural marriage among Latter-day Saints that drew intense government scrutiny and led to its abandonmentVow · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 United States and 2 moreLavender marriage
A heterosexual union formed to hide the queer identity of one or both partners and protect a public career.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreLa víbora de la mar
A wedding game where the couple stands on chairs while guests form a snake to test their unity.Play · Reception, dance and gifts
🇷🇸 Serbia and 3 moreLazariceлазарице (Serbian), лазаруване (Bulgarian)
A South Slavic procession of young unmarried women who bless homes before Palm SundayBlessing · The weeks before
🇲🇷 Mauritania and 5 moreLeblouhالبلوح
The forced fattening of girls to improve their marriage prospects, a harmful practiceBetrothal · Finding a match
🇳🇬 NigeriaLefe
The presentation of gifts from the groom to the bride in Hausa weddings.Gift custom · The weeks before
🇨🇾 Pano Lefkara, CyprusLefkara laceLefkaritika
The intricate white cotton embroidery from Cyprus that forms a bride's essential dowry collection.Attire · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreLehenga
A long skirt worn as the base of a bridal outfit across the Indian subcontinent.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 IndiaLehenga-style sari
A pre-draped Indian wedding garment that combines the look of a lehenga with the drape of a sari.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLeirum Pheeꯂꯩꯔꯨꯝ ꯐꯤ
A traditional Meitei shawl given as a wedding gift from parents to daughtersAttire · Engagement and betrothal
🇩🇪 Germany and 5 moreLenten veilFastentuch
A large painted or embroidered canvas that covers the altar during Lent to create a period of visual penance.Rite · The weeks before
🇬🇷 Greece and 2 moreLeventikosΛεβέντικος (Greek), Буфчанско (Macedonian)
A five-beat folk dance performed by Greeks and Slav Macedonians in western Macedonia.Performance
🇮🇱 Israel and 5 moreLevirate marriage
A custom where a man marries his deceased brother's widow to protect her and keep the family line intact.Betrothal · After the wedding
🇮🇱 Israel and 1 moreLieberman clause
A ketubah provision for rabbinic arbitration to prevent a woman from being unable to remarry.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇬🇷 GreeceLipothymiarikosΛιποθυμιάρικος (Horos tis Nifis)
A Greek wedding dance where men mimic a fainting bride in the early morning hours.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇱🇹 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
🇿🇦 South Africa and 1 moreLobololobola (Zulu, Xhosa, Swazi, Ndebele), mahadi (Sesotho), mahari (Swahili), magadi (Sepedi), bogadi (Setswana), lovola (Xi
The livestock or cash payment from a groom's family to a bride's family that formalizes a customary marriage in SouthernGift custom · Finding a match
🇮🇳 IndiaLohepfhe
A black shawl with red and green bands worn by Angami and Chakhesang Naga men at weddings.Attire · The ceremony
🇬🇷 Athens, GreeceLoutrophorosλουτροφόρος
An ancient Greek vessel that carried water for a bride's bath or marked an unmarried death.Attire · The weeks before
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreLovespoonLlwy garu
A carved wooden spoon given as a romantic gift to show skill and intent.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal
🇷🇺 RussiaLoving cup
A large shared drinking vessel with two handles used in Christian rites and weddingsFeast custom · The wedding feast
🇨🇦 Canada and 5 moreLoyal toast
A formal salute to the head of state given at official gatherings in Commonwealth realms and other nations.Vow · The wedding feast
🇬🇧 Edinburgh, United KingdomLuckenbooth brooch
A Scottish heart-shaped silver token of love and protection worn at weddings.Adornment · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLuddi
A circle dance of Punjab performed at weddings and celebrations by men and women.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Lefkara lace: Cyprus Tourism CH, CC BY 2.0, source
- Landshut Wedding: Oktobersonne, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Loutrophoros: Picture taken by Marcus Cyron, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Lithuanian wedding songs: Gailė Paštukaitė, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Loyal toast: Alaxander W. Galbraith, Public domain, source
- Larakaraka: Tabwoch, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Laavaan: Ashish 100, CC BY 2.0, source
- Lehenga: Iwaqarhashmi, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lagan Geet: Sevageet, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lefe: Useendk, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lazarice: Svetlina bov at Bulgarian Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Luckenbooth brooch: Walker14806, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lavender marriage: Katharine Cornell and the Playwrights' Company; Vandamm Studio, photog, Public domain, source
- Lenten veil: Plutowiki, CC0, source
- Mormon polygamy: Charles Weitfle, Public domain, source
- Laternelaufen: Heinrich Hermanns, Public domain, source
- Las arras: penny, CC BY 2.0, source
- Lobolo: Iwuala Lucy, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Lovespoon: Btinsley785, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Loving cup: Rhodian at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Las Vegas weddings: Henrickson ( talk ) ( Uploads ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source