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
🇮🇳 IndiaLohepfhe
A black shawl with red and green bands worn by Angami and Chakhesang Naga men at weddings.Attire · The ceremony
🇩🇪 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
🇿🇦 South AfricaUkusina
An energetic Zulu dance where performers kick and stamp to drums during weddings and ceremonies.Performance · The ceremony
🇩🇿 Tlemcen, AlgeriaChedda of Tlemcenشدة تلمسانية (Shadda Tlimsānī)
The velvet and gold kaftan worn by brides in Tlemcen, Algeria, for their wedding ceremony.Attire · The ceremony
🇹🇳 Tunis, TunisiaTunisian jebbaجبة
A loose traditional tunic worn by Tunisian men and women for weddings and festivals.Attire · Procession and arrival
🇮🇷 Isfahan, IranDebit trousersShalvār Debit (شلوار دبیت)
The wide black cotton trousers worn by Bakhtiari men as a badge of tribal identity.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇩 IndonesiaKawung batikBatik Kawung
A traditional Indonesian textile pattern inspired by the kawung fruit and lotus flower.Attire · The ceremony
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreTuanshan團扇 (tuánshàn)
A rigid silk fan held by the bride to hide her face before revealing it to the groom.Adornment · The ceremony
🇨🇳 Fuzhou, China and 2 moreOil-Paper Umbrella油紙傘
A protective canopy shielding the bride from harm and blessing the marriageBlessing · Procession and arrival
🇮🇳 Jaipur, IndiaGhoomarघूमर
A twirling folk dance performed by women in Rajasthan to welcome a bride or celebrate auspicious occasions.Performance · The ceremony
🇰🇪 Kenya and 1 moreAdumuEnkipaata or Aigus
The high-jumping warrior dance performed by the Maasai at weddings and rites of passage.Performance · The ceremony
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreDaxiushan大袖衫
A traditional Chinese upper garment with wide sleeves worn by royal women for ceremonies.Attire · The ceremony
🇺🇬 Uganda and 1 moreEkikibi
A circular dance by the Bakonzo that mimics swimming fish to celebrate marriage.Performance · The ceremony
🇺🇦 UkraineWax wedding head wreathвосковий вінок
A paraffin and paper bridal crown worn in parts of Ukraine until the late twentieth century.Attire · The ceremony
🇿🇦 South Africa and 1 moreShweshweSeshoeshoe
A printed cotton fabric worn by Xhosa and Sotho brides and married women in Southern Africa.Attire · The ceremony
🇻🇳 Huế, VietnamÁo nhật bình
A rectangular-collared court robe worn by Nguyễn dynasty women for weddings and ceremonies.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 1 moreBekisheבעקישע (bekishe) or בעקעטשע (beketche)
A long black coat worn by Hasidic men on the Sabbath and at weddings.Attire · The ceremony
🇾🇪 Yemen and 1 moreUrfi marriageزواج عرفي
A customary union upheld by community tradition instead of state registration.Modern · The ceremony
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 5 moreDashiki suit
The tailored tunic and trousers worn by grooms in West African and diaspora weddingsAttire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 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
🇮🇱 IsraelSeudat mitzvahסעודת מצוה
The obligatory festive meals in Judaism that mark religious milestones and sacred days.Feast custom · The ceremony
🇺🇸 Chicago, United StatesSame-sex marriage in Illinois
The legal recognition of same-sex unions in the US state since June 2014.Modern · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 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
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesSame-sex marriage in the District of Columbia
The legal union of two people regardless of gender in Washington, D.C., established in 2010.Modern · 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
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesSame-sex marriage in tribal nations
Legal recognition of same-sex unions within the sovereign jurisdictions of Native American tribes in the United States.Modern · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 Amritsar, India and 1 moreJutti
The embroidered leather slip-on shoe worn by Punjabi brides and grooms at weddingsAttire · The ceremony
🇫🇷 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
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWhite tie
The highest level of formal Western evening attire for men and womenAttire · The ceremony
🇳🇵 NepalPanche bajaपञ्चे बाजा
A set of five traditional instruments played at Hindu weddings in Nepal.Performance · Procession and arrival
🇳🇱 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
🇮🇳 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
🇩🇪 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
🇿🇦 South AfricaUkusina
An energetic Zulu dance where performers kick and stamp to drums during weddings and ceremonies.Performance · The ceremony
🇩🇿 Tlemcen, AlgeriaChedda of Tlemcenشدة تلمسانية (Shadda Tlimsānī)
The velvet and gold kaftan worn by brides in Tlemcen, Algeria, for their wedding ceremony.Attire · The ceremony
🇹🇳 Tunis, TunisiaTunisian jebbaجبة
A loose traditional tunic worn by Tunisian men and women for weddings and festivals.Attire · Procession and arrival
🇮🇷 Isfahan, IranDebit trousersShalvār Debit (شلوار دبیت)
The wide black cotton trousers worn by Bakhtiari men as a badge of tribal identity.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇩 IndonesiaKawung batikBatik Kawung
A traditional Indonesian textile pattern inspired by the kawung fruit and lotus flower.Attire · The ceremony
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreTuanshan團扇 (tuánshàn)
A rigid silk fan held by the bride to hide her face before revealing it to the groom.Adornment · The ceremony
🇨🇳 Fuzhou, China and 2 moreOil-Paper Umbrella油紙傘
A protective canopy shielding the bride from harm and blessing the marriageBlessing · Procession and arrival
🇮🇳 Jaipur, IndiaGhoomarघूमर
A twirling folk dance performed by women in Rajasthan to welcome a bride or celebrate auspicious occasions.Performance · The ceremony
🇰🇪 Kenya and 1 moreAdumuEnkipaata or Aigus
The high-jumping warrior dance performed by the Maasai at weddings and rites of passage.Performance · The ceremony
🇨🇳 China and 1 moreDaxiushan大袖衫
A traditional Chinese upper garment with wide sleeves worn by royal women for ceremonies.Attire · The ceremony
🇺🇬 Uganda and 1 moreEkikibi
A circular dance by the Bakonzo that mimics swimming fish to celebrate marriage.Performance · The ceremony
🇺🇦 UkraineWax wedding head wreathвосковий вінок
A paraffin and paper bridal crown worn in parts of Ukraine until the late twentieth century.Attire · The ceremony
🇿🇦 South Africa and 1 moreShweshweSeshoeshoe
A printed cotton fabric worn by Xhosa and Sotho brides and married women in Southern Africa.Attire · The ceremony
🇻🇳 Huế, VietnamÁo nhật bình
A rectangular-collared court robe worn by Nguyễn dynasty women for weddings and ceremonies.Attire · The ceremony
🇮🇱 Jerusalem, Israel and 1 moreBekisheבעקישע (bekishe) or בעקעטשע (beketche)
A long black coat worn by Hasidic men on the Sabbath and at weddings.Attire · The ceremony
🇾🇪 Yemen and 1 moreUrfi marriageزواج عرفي
A customary union upheld by community tradition instead of state registration.Modern · The ceremony
🇳🇬 Nigeria and 5 moreDashiki suit
The tailored tunic and trousers worn by grooms in West African and diaspora weddingsAttire · The ceremony
🇮🇳 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
🇮🇱 IsraelSeudat mitzvahסעודת מצוה
The obligatory festive meals in Judaism that mark religious milestones and sacred days.Feast custom · The ceremony
🇺🇸 Chicago, United StatesSame-sex marriage in Illinois
The legal recognition of same-sex unions in the US state since June 2014.Modern · Engagement and betrothal
🇺🇸 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
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesSame-sex marriage in the District of Columbia
The legal union of two people regardless of gender in Washington, D.C., established in 2010.Modern · 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
🇺🇸 Washington, United StatesSame-sex marriage in tribal nations
Legal recognition of same-sex unions within the sovereign jurisdictions of Native American tribes in the United States.Modern · Engagement and betrothal
🇮🇳 Amritsar, India and 1 moreJutti
The embroidered leather slip-on shoe worn by Punjabi brides and grooms at weddingsAttire · The ceremony
🇫🇷 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
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 5 moreWhite tie
The highest level of formal Western evening attire for men and womenAttire · The ceremony
🇳🇵 NepalPanche bajaपञ्चे बाजा
A set of five traditional instruments played at Hindu weddings in Nepal.Performance · Procession and arrival
🇳🇱 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
🇮🇳 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
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Tuanshan: 猫猫的日记本, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Jutti: Daderot, CC0, source
- Dashiki suit: Emilio Labrador, CC BY 2.0, source
- Seudat mitzvah: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- Tunisian jebba: Touzrimounir, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Debit trousers: Niloofar Rakhshan, CC BY 4.0, source
- Oil-Paper Umbrella: Richard, CC BY 2.0, source
- Wax wedding head wreath: Sofo, GFDL, source
- White tie: jonlo168, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Adumu: K15photos, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mormon polygamy: Charles Weitfle, Public domain, source
- Shweshwe: HelenOnline, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bangle: schwiki, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Same-sex marriage in France: Claude TRUONG-NGOC, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Ukusina: Vulane Mthembu, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kawung batik: Alteaven, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Chedda of Tlemcen: Dezedien, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Nose jewel: Etan Doronne @ www.myindiaexperience.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Panche baja: Janak Bhatta, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Daxiushan: Zhou Fang, Public domain, source
- Áo nhật bình: Unknown author, CC0, source
- Same-sex marriage in Illinois: nathanmac87, CC BY 2.0, source
- Bekishe: JJ211219 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, source
- Lenten veil: Plutowiki, CC0, source
- Ghoomar: Aali Jain, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia: Nate Hill, CC BY-SA 4.0, source