All wedding traditions
611 traditions so far, best known first. 424 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
🇼🇸 Samoa and 3 moreʻIe tōga
Prestige woven mats exchanged at Samoan weddings to honor family ties and chiefly status.Attire · The ceremony
🇫🇯 FijiTabua
A polished sperm whale tooth exchanged as a gift in Fijian weddings and ceremonies.Gift custom · Engagement and betrothal
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea and 5 moreSister exchange
A marriage arrangement where two brothers each take a sister from the other family as their wife.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇹🇴 TongaLakalaka
A formal Tongan group dance where performers stand in rows and move their arms to express respect.Performance · The ceremony
🇹🇴 Tonga and 2 moreTaʻovala
The woven pandanus mat worn around the waist for formal occasions and weddings in Tonga.Attire · The weeks before
🇦🇺 Sydney, AustraliaSame-sex marriage in Australia
The legal recognition of marriages between two people of the same gender in Australia.Modern · The ceremony
🇦🇺 AustraliaWishing well
A decorated box where guests leave cash or small gifts for couples who already have a home.Gift custom · Reception, dance and gifts
🇻🇺 Port Vila, VanuatuRecognition of same-sex unions in Vanuatu
The legal status and history of marriage equality for same-sex couples in the Pacific nation of Vanuatu.Modern
🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea and 5 moreSister exchange
A marriage arrangement where two brothers each marry a sister from the other family.Betrothal · Finding a match
🇫🇯 Suva, FijiRecognition of same-sex unions in Fiji
The legal status and social context of same-sex marriage and civil unions in Fiji.Modern
🇳🇿 Wellington, New ZealandMarriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Act 2013
The 2013 New Zealand law that changed the legal definition of marriage to include same-sex couples.Vow · The weeks before
🇦🇺 Australia and 5 moreCelebrancy
A profession of secular officiants who create personalised life ceremonies for people outside traditional religious or sModern · The weeks before
🇫🇲 MicronesiaRecognition of same-sex unions in Micronesia
The legal status of same-sex marriage and civil partnerships in the Federated States of Micronesia.Vow
🇳🇿 Wellington, New ZealandCivil union in New Zealand
A legal partnership for same-sex and opposite-sex couples established by statute in New Zealand.Vow · Engagement and betrothal
🇳🇿 New ZealandPolygamy in New Zealand
The legal prohibition of multiple spouses and the limited recognition of foreign polygamous unions.Vow
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Tabua: Hannes Grobe /AWI, CC BY 3.0, source
- Taʻovala: James Foster, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Civil union in New Zealand: Helen Robinson, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Same-sex marriage in Australia: Mikeybear, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Sister exchange: Wilses, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Wishing well: Unknown author, Public domain, source
- ʻIe tōga: Sarah Kelemen, CC BY 2.0, source