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.
RegionSouth AsiaSoutheast AsiaEast AsiaCentral Asia and the CaucasusMiddle EastNorth AfricaSub-Saharan AfricaEuropeNorth AmericaLatin America and the CaribbeanOceania
🇳🇬 Iseyin, Nigeria and 2 moreYoruba wedding attire
Traditional garments worn by Yoruba couples and guests to mark marriage celebrations.Attire · The ceremony
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 1 moreOkpu Aguokpu agụ
A traditional knitted cap worn by Igbo men at weddings and ceremonies to signal status and heritage.Attire · The ceremony
🇺🇬 UgandaNaleyo
A courtship dance of the Karamojong people where men and women jump facing each other to find partners.Performance · Engagement and betrothal
🇲🇺 Mauritius and 1 moreGeet-Gawai𑂏𑂲𑂞 𑂏𑂫𑂰𑂆 (Bhojpuri)
A pre-wedding ritual of Bhojpuri-speaking people in Mauritius featuring songs and dance.Performance · Engagement and betrothal
🇷🇼 Rwanda and 1 moreIntore
A traditional Rwandan and Burundian war dance performed by men to celebrate heroism and historyPerformance · The wedding feast
🇺🇬 Uganda and 1 moreEkikibi
A circular dance by the Bakonzo that mimics swimming fish to celebrate marriage.Performance · The ceremony
🇬🇭 Ghana and 1 moreBorborbor
A lively drumming and dance tradition of the Ewe people in Ghana and TogoPerformance · The wedding feast
🇺🇬 UgandaBakisimba
A lively Baganda circle dance performed at weddings and royal ceremonies in Uganda.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇺🇬 UgandaLarakaraka
An Acholi courtship dance where young men display agility to attract a partner.Play · Engagement and betrothal
🇰🇪 Kenya and 1 moreAdumuEnkipaata or Aigus
The high-jumping warrior dance performed by the Maasai at weddings and rites of passage.Performance · The ceremony
🇺🇬 UgandaOkeme
A lively Lango folk dance performed at weddings to bring the community together.Performance · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇬 UgandaGaze
A traditional dance of the Lugbara people in Northern Uganda performed at weddings and festivalsPerformance · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇬 UgandaTamena Ibuga
A traditional Soga dance from Busoga that celebrates unity and harvest through energetic drumming.Performance · The wedding feast
🇺🇬 UgandaEkitaguriro
A traditional Ankole dance celebrating cattle and community milestones like marriage.Performance · The wedding feast
🇷🇼 Rwanda and 2 moreMushananaumushanana
A draped skirt and stole worn by women in Rwanda and Burundi for weddings and formal rites.Attire
🇿🇦 South AfricaUkusina
An energetic Zulu dance where performers kick and stamp to drums during weddings and ceremonies.Performance · The ceremony
🇬🇭 GhanaAdowa dance
A traditional Akan dance from Ghana that uses hand and foot movements to express emotions at weddings and other ceremoniPerformance · Procession and arrival
🇳🇪 Niger and 5 morePolygyny
A marriage structure where a man has multiple wives simultaneouslyGift custom
🇿🇦 South Africa and 1 moreShweshweSeshoeshoe
A printed cotton fabric worn by Xhosa and Sotho brides and married women in Southern Africa.Attire · The ceremony
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 5 moreDashiki suit
The tailored tunic and trousers worn by grooms in West African and diaspora weddingsAttire · The ceremony
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Okpu Agu: Justice kelechi achinefu, CC0, source
- Intore: Ji-Elle, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Borborbor: Noahalorwu, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bakisimba: Kalungi Nathan, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Larakaraka: Tabwoch, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Adumu: K15photos, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Okeme: Emma Oruk, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Shweshwe: HelenOnline, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ekitaguriro: Aubry Arihona, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mushanana: Fanny Schertzer, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ukusina: Vulane Mthembu, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Yoruba wedding attire: Wolf D., Public domain, source
- Adowa dance: Quami43, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Polygyny: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Dashiki suit: Emilio Labrador, CC BY 2.0, source