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
🇬🇷 Greece and 2 moreTsifteteliτσιφτετέλι (Greek), Çiftetelli (Turkish)
A belly dance rhythm from Anatolia and the Balkans performed primarily by womenPerformance
🇳🇱 NetherlandsPoffer
The elaborate white headdress worn by married women in the Netherlands to mark their status.Attire · Engagement and betrothal
🇬🇧 United KingdomWassailing
Singing and drinking to bless trees or homes during the Christmas seasonFeast custom · The weeks before
🇬🇷 Kythnos, GreeceBalosΜπάλος της Κύθνου
A vigorous paired folk dance from the Greek island of Kythnos featuring continuous back-to-back turns.Performance · The wedding feast
🇽🇰 Kosovo and 2 morePodruga
A second wife brought into the home to bear children when the first marriage is childless.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇳🇱 NetherlandsSame-sex marriage in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
The legalisation of same-sex unions on the Dutch Caribbean islands following their integration into the Netherlands.Modern · The ceremony
🇬🇧 United KingdomDebutante dress
The strict white gown and feathered headdress worn by young women at their debutante cotillion.Attire · The weeks before
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreShoe tossing
A wedding superstition where old shoes are thrown at the couple for good luckBlessing · After the wedding
🇩🇰 Denmark and 5 moreWidow conservationÄnkekonservering
A Protestant custom where a new vicar married his predecessor's widow to secure her support.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇬🇧 Edinburgh, United Kingdom and 5 moreScottish country dance
A social group dance where couples trace progressive patterns to traditional Scottish musicPerformance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇫🇷 Montpellier, FranceSame-sex marriage in Francemariage pour tous
The legal recognition of marriage for couples regardless of gender, established in France in 2013.Modern · The ceremony
🇩🇪 GermanyKranzgeld
The obsolete German legal compensation paid to a woman if her fiancé broke the engagement after sex.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇳🇱 NetherlandsSame-sex marriage in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten
The legal right for same-sex couples to marry in the Caribbean constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.Modern · The ceremony
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWhite tie
The highest level of formal Western evening attire for men and womenAttire · The ceremony
🇳🇱 NetherlandsPoffer
The elaborate white headdress worn by married women in the Netherlands to mark their status.Attire · Engagement and betrothal
🇬🇧 United KingdomWassailing
Singing and drinking to bless trees or homes during the Christmas seasonFeast custom · The weeks before
🇬🇷 Kythnos, GreeceBalosΜπάλος της Κύθνου
A vigorous paired folk dance from the Greek island of Kythnos featuring continuous back-to-back turns.Performance · The wedding feast
🇽🇰 Kosovo and 2 morePodruga
A second wife brought into the home to bear children when the first marriage is childless.Family role · Engagement and betrothal
🇳🇱 NetherlandsSame-sex marriage in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
The legalisation of same-sex unions on the Dutch Caribbean islands following their integration into the Netherlands.Modern · The ceremony
🇬🇧 United KingdomDebutante dress
The strict white gown and feathered headdress worn by young women at their debutante cotillion.Attire · The weeks before
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 1 moreShoe tossing
A wedding superstition where old shoes are thrown at the couple for good luckBlessing · After the wedding
🇩🇰 Denmark and 5 moreWidow conservationÄnkekonservering
A Protestant custom where a new vicar married his predecessor's widow to secure her support.Betrothal · Engagement and betrothal
🇬🇧 Edinburgh, United Kingdom and 5 moreScottish country dance
A social group dance where couples trace progressive patterns to traditional Scottish musicPerformance · Reception, dance and gifts
🇫🇷 Montpellier, FranceSame-sex marriage in Francemariage pour tous
The legal recognition of marriage for couples regardless of gender, established in France in 2013.Modern · The ceremony
🇩🇪 GermanyKranzgeld
The obsolete German legal compensation paid to a woman if her fiancé broke the engagement after sex.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇳🇱 NetherlandsSame-sex marriage in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten
The legal right for same-sex couples to marry in the Caribbean constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.Modern · The ceremony
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWhite tie
The highest level of formal Western evening attire for men and womenAttire · The ceremony
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Balos: DNK GR, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Wassailing: Joss Smithson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Poffer: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Scottish country dance: © James F. Perry, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Shoe tossing: Zarateman, CC0, source
- Debutante dress: State Library of Queensland, Australia, No restrictions, source
- White tie: jonlo168, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Widow conservation: Keith Ruffles, CC BY 3.0, source
- Same-sex marriage in France: Claude TRUONG-NGOC, CC BY-SA 3.0, source