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
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreSame-sex marriage in the British Indian Ocean Territory
Legal recognition of same-sex unions for military personnel stationed on Diego Garcia since 2014.Modern · The ceremony
🇦🇫 Kabul, AfghanistanPolygamy in Afghanistan
The practice of Afghan men taking multiple wives under Islamic and civil law.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 Mysore, IndiaMysore Kalyanam
A fraudulent marriage scheme targeting women from Kerala for dowry moneyGift custom · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 Delhi, India and 2 moreKarva Chauthकरकचतुर्थी (Karakachaturthī)
A Hindu festival where married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for their husband's health and life.Betrothal · The weeks before
🇮🇳 Saurath, India and 2 moreSaurath Sabha
The annual Maithil Brahmin gathering in Bihar for arranged marriages based on lineage records.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇱🇰 Kandy, Sri LankaPolygamy in Sri Lanka
The historical and current legal status of multiple marriages under Kandyan and Muslim law.Vow
🇳🇵 NepalSherpa marriage
The astrological matching and barley beer offering that binds a Sherpa couple.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇧🇩 BangladeshPolygamy in Bangladesh
The practice of men taking multiple wives, regulated by different laws for Muslims and Hindus.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 IndiaMangala Dosha
A Hindu astrological belief that Mars in a birth chart affects marriage compatibility and outcomes.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 Sasaula, IndiaSasaula Sabha Gachhiससौला सभा गाछी
A historic gathering spot where Maithil Brahmin families matchmake and record marriages.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇮🇳 Patiala, IndiaParanda
A silk thread hair ornament worn by Punjabi women during weddings and festivals.Adornment · The weeks before
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLuddi
A circle dance of Punjab performed at weddings and celebrations by men and women.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇵🇰 Peshawar, PakistanPeshawari chappal
A traditional leather sandal with crossed straps, worn by men at Pakistani weddings.Attire
🇮🇳 Jaipur, IndiaGhoomarघूमर
A twirling folk dance performed by women in Rajasthan to welcome a bride or celebrate auspicious occasions.Performance · The ceremony
🇮🇳 IndiaLohepfhe
A black shawl with red and green bands worn by Angami and Chakhesang Naga men at weddings.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 Ahmedabad, India and 1 moreGarba
A circle dance from Gujarat performed around a sacred flame during the Navaratri festival.Performance · The weeks before
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreNose jewelNath
A nose piercing ornament that signals marital status and social standing in South Asia and beyond.Adornment · The weeks before
🇵🇰 Pakistan and 5 moreCousin marriage
A union between people who share a grandparent or recent ancestor, practiced in many regions and communities.Vow · Finding a match
🇮🇳 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
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreInter-caste marriage
A union between people of different castes, often contested in South Asia.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 India and 5 morePolyandry
A marriage structure where one woman is wed to multiple men simultaneously or in sequence.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇳🇵 NepalPanche bajaपञ्चे बाजा
A set of five traditional instruments played at Hindu weddings in Nepal.Performance · Procession and arrival
🇮🇳 Amritsar, India and 1 moreJutti
The embroidered leather slip-on shoe worn by Punjabi brides and grooms at weddingsAttire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 Delhi, India and 2 moreKarva Chauthकरकचतुर्थी (Karakachaturthī)
A Hindu festival where married women fast from sunrise to moonrise for their husband's health and life.Betrothal · The weeks before
🇮🇳 Saurath, India and 2 moreSaurath Sabha
The annual Maithil Brahmin gathering in Bihar for arranged marriages based on lineage records.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇱🇰 Kandy, Sri LankaPolygamy in Sri Lanka
The historical and current legal status of multiple marriages under Kandyan and Muslim law.Vow
🇳🇵 NepalSherpa marriage
The astrological matching and barley beer offering that binds a Sherpa couple.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇧🇩 BangladeshPolygamy in Bangladesh
The practice of men taking multiple wives, regulated by different laws for Muslims and Hindus.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 IndiaMangala Dosha
A Hindu astrological belief that Mars in a birth chart affects marriage compatibility and outcomes.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 Sasaula, IndiaSasaula Sabha Gachhiससौला सभा गाछी
A historic gathering spot where Maithil Brahmin families matchmake and record marriages.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇮🇳 Patiala, IndiaParanda
A silk thread hair ornament worn by Punjabi women during weddings and festivals.Adornment · The weeks before
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreLuddi
A circle dance of Punjab performed at weddings and celebrations by men and women.Performance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇵🇰 Peshawar, PakistanPeshawari chappal
A traditional leather sandal with crossed straps, worn by men at Pakistani weddings.Attire
🇮🇳 Jaipur, IndiaGhoomarघूमर
A twirling folk dance performed by women in Rajasthan to welcome a bride or celebrate auspicious occasions.Performance · The ceremony
🇮🇳 IndiaLohepfhe
A black shawl with red and green bands worn by Angami and Chakhesang Naga men at weddings.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 Ahmedabad, India and 1 moreGarba
A circle dance from Gujarat performed around a sacred flame during the Navaratri festival.Performance · The weeks before
🇮🇳 India and 2 moreNose jewelNath
A nose piercing ornament that signals marital status and social standing in South Asia and beyond.Adornment · The weeks before
🇵🇰 Pakistan and 5 moreCousin marriage
A union between people who share a grandparent or recent ancestor, practiced in many regions and communities.Vow · Finding a match
🇮🇳 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
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreInter-caste marriage
A union between people of different castes, often contested in South Asia.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 India and 5 morePolyandry
A marriage structure where one woman is wed to multiple men simultaneously or in sequence.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇳🇵 NepalPanche bajaपञ्चे बाजा
A set of five traditional instruments played at Hindu weddings in Nepal.Performance · Procession and arrival
🇮🇳 Amritsar, India and 1 moreJutti
The embroidered leather slip-on shoe worn by Punjabi brides and grooms at weddingsAttire · The ceremony
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Sherpa marriage: Dirk Pons, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Karva Chauth: Iamwiki001, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Polyandry in India: Raja Ravi Varma, Public domain, source
- Saurath Sabha: Saurath Sabha, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Garba: anurag agnihotri, CC BY 2.0, source
- Paranda: Biswarup Ganguly, CC BY 3.0, source
- Ghoomar: Aali Jain, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Panche baja: Janak Bhatta, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Jutti: Daderot, CC0, source
- Bangle: schwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Nose jewel: Etan Doronne @ www.myindiaexperience.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cousin marriage: 綾絲, CC BY-SA 4.0, source