Christian customs during a ceremony in a
Catholic Church. Most Christian churches give some form of blessing to a marriage, which is seen as a
sacred institution in some sense, although terminology and associated theological meanings vary widely from one denomination to another (e.g., "holy matrimony", "sacrament of marriage", "holy ordinance of marriage", or "holy union"). A celebration of Holy Matrimony typically includes mutual
vows or solemn promises of lifelong love and
fidelity by the couple, and may include some sort of pledge by the community to support the couple's relationship. A
church wedding is a ceremony held in a
church and presided over by a Christian
pastor. Traditionally, Christian weddings occur in a church, as Christian marriage ideally begins where one started their faith journey (Christians receive the
sacrament of
baptism in church in the presence of their
congregation). Catholic Christian weddings must "take place in a church building", as holy matrimony is a sacrament; sacraments normatively occur in the presence of Christ in the house of God, and "members of the faith community [should be] present to witness the event and provide support and encouragement for those celebrating the sacrament." In some traditional weddings of
Western Christianity (especially Catholicism, Lutheranism and Anglicanism), a "
care cloth" or "nuptial veil" (
velatio nuptialis) "signifying a marriage yoke joining the bride and groom together" may be held over the kneeling couple during the nuptial blessing given by the priest. Pre-marital counseling may be recommended or required for an engaged couple. In some Christian countries or denominations, a
betrothal rite, as well as the reading of
banns of marriage may also be required before the wedding date. and
Amélie of Leuchtenberg (step-granddaughter of
Napoleon) married in a Roman Catholic ceremony in the
Imperial Chapel in Rio de Janeiro on October 16, 1829. In the
Roman Catholic Church, Holy Matrimony is considered to be one of
the seven sacraments, in this case, one that the spouses bestow upon each other in front of a priest and members of the community as witnesses. As with all sacraments, it is seen as having been instituted by Jesus himself (see
Gospel of Matthew 19:1–2,
Catechism of the Catholic Church §1614–1615). The
Second Vatican Council's
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy noted that there can be a place for appropriate "customs and ceremonies" to be incorporated into a Catholic marriage service. In the
Eastern Orthodox Church, it is one of the
Mysteries and is seen as an ordination and a martyrdom. The Christian wedding ceremony of
Saint Thomas Christians, an ethnoreligious group of Christians in India, incorporates elements from local
Indian traditions.
Protestant weddings may be elaborate (as with Lutheranism and Anglicanism) or simple (as with Baptists). For example, in the
United Methodist Church, the Service of Christian Marriage (Rite I) includes the elements found in a typical
Sunday service, such as hymns, prayers, and readings from the Bible, as well as other elements unique to a wedding, including taking
marriage vows and an optional exchange of
wedding rings, as well as a special
benediction for the couple.
Holy Communion may be part of the wedding service in liturgical Protestant churches (e.g.,
Lutheran,
Anglican, or
Methodist), but is rarely, if ever, found in weddings of other
low-church Protestant denominations (e.g.,
Baptists). A
Quaker wedding ceremony in a
Friends meeting is similar to any other
meeting for worship, and therefore often very different from the experience expected by non-Friends. In some Western countries, a separate and secular
civil wedding ceremony is required for recognition by the state, while in other Western countries, couples must merely obtain a
marriage license from a local government authority and can be married by Christian or other
clergy authorized by law to do so. Since the beginning of the 21st century, same-sex couples have been allowed to marry civilly in many countries, and some Christian churches in those countries allow religious marriages of same-sex couples, though some forbid it. See the article
Same-sex marriage.
Hindu customs wedding. Hindu ceremonies are usually conducted totally or at least partially in
Sanskrit, the language of the
Hindu scriptures. The wedding celebrations may last for several days and they can be extremely diverse, depending upon the region, denomination, and community.
Mehendi ceremony is a traditional ritual in Hindu weddings, where
Henna application takes place on the bride's hands and legs, before the wedding. On the wedding day, the bride and the bridegroom garland each other in front of the guests. Most guests witness only this short ceremony and then socialize, have food, and leave. The religious part (if applicable) comes hours later, witnessed by close friends and relatives. In cases where a religious ceremony is present, a
Brahmin (Hindu priest) arranges a sacred
yajna (fire-sacrifice), and the sacred fire (
Agni) is considered the prime witness (
sākshī) of the marriage. He chants
mantras from the
Vedas and subsidiary texts while the couple is seated before the fire. The most important step is
saptapadi or
saat phere, wherein the bride and the groom, hand-in-hand, encircle the sacred fire seven times, each circle representing a matrimonial vow. Then the groom marks the bride's hair parting with
vermilion (
sindoor) and puts a gold necklace (
mangalsutra) around her neck. Or a yellow thread applied with turmeric is knotted around the bride's neck 3 times at marriage. The first knot represents her obedience and respect to her husband, the second one to his parents and the third represents her respect to God. Several other rituals may precede or follow these afore-mentioned rites. Then the bride formally departs from her blood-relatives to join the groom's family.
Jewish customs A traditional Jewish wedding usually follows this format: • Before the ceremony, the couple formalize a written
ketubah (marriage contract), specifying the obligations of husband to the wife and contingencies in case of divorce. The ketubah is signed by two witnesses and later read under the
chuppah (wedding canopy). • The couple is married under the chuppah signifying their new home together. The chuppah can be made from a piece of cloth or other material attached to four poles, or a giant
tallit (prayer shawl) held over the couple by four family members or friends. • The wedding couple is accompanied by both sets of parents and they join the wedding couple under the chuppah. • In some Orthodox Jewish weddings, the bride is accompanied to the chuppah by both mothers, and the groom is accompanied to the chuppah by both fathers. • Seven blessings are recited, blessing the bride and groom and their new home. • The couple sip a glass of wine from a Kiddush cup. • The groom will smash a wine glass with his right foot, ostensibly in remembrance of the destruction of the
Second Temple. The shattered cup also symbolizes the 'broken' world, and the lifelong process of finding the pieces and putting them back together. • In Reform Jewish weddings, the bride and groom can smash the wine glass together. • At some weddings, the couple may declare that each is sanctified to the other, repeat other vows and exchange rings. • In Orthodox Jewish weddings, the bride does not speak under the chuppah and only she receives a ring. The groom recites "Harei at mekudeshet li k'dat Moshe V'Yisrael"- "behold you are [thus] sanctified to me by the
law of Moses and Israel" as he places the ring on the bride's right index finger. The bride's silence and acceptance of the ring signify her agreement to the marriage. This part of the ceremony is called
kiddushin. The groom's giving an object of value to the bride is necessary for the wedding to be valid. • In more egalitarian weddings, the bride responds verbally, often giving the groom a ring in return. A common response is "ani l'dodi, v'dodi li" (I am my beloved's, my beloved is mine) • In some Orthodox weddings, the groom then says: :
"If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. :
May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth. :
If I do not remember you, :
if I do not consider Jerusalem in my highest joy." • The ceremony ends with the groom breaking a glass underfoot. • The couple spend their first moments as husband and wife in seclusion (apart from the wedding guests, and with no other person present). This
cheder yichud – "the room of seclusion (or 'oneness')"
halachically strengthens the marriage bond since Orthodox Jews are forbidden to be secluded with an unrelated person of the opposite sex. • The ceremony is followed by a
seudat mitzvah, the wedding meal, as well as music and dancing. • At the conclusion of the wedding meal,
Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) is recited, as well as the seven wedding blessings. In more observant communities, the couple will celebrate for seven more days, called the
Sheva Brachot (seven blessings) during which the seven wedding blessings are recited at every large gathering during this time.
Buddhist customs A wedding in
Buddhist cultures is generally a joyful family celebration marked by local customs and traditions rather than a single standardized religious rite. Because Buddhism spread across South Asia,
Southeast Asia,
East Asia, and
Tibet, wedding customs vary widely depending on region and culture. In many
Theravāda Buddhist countries such as
Sri Lanka,
Thailand,
Myanmar,
Cambodia, and
Laos, weddings are primarily civil or traditional ceremonies. Couples often visit a temple either before or after the ceremony to receive blessings from monks. Monks chant protective verses (
paritta), sprinkle holy water, and offer guidance on harmonious married life, but they do not officiate the legal marriage itself. Customs in these regions commonly include offering food and alms to monks for merit-making, performing water-pouring rituals symbolizing unity, tying sacred threads around the couple’s wrists, and hosting family feasts and community celebrations. In Mahāyāna-influenced cultures such as
China,
Korea,
Japan, and
Vietnam, weddings may incorporate ancestral rites, incense offerings, and tea ceremonies. Couples may bow before a
Buddha image to express respect and seek blessings, while the legal marriage is conducted separately under civil law. In
Tibetan Buddhist communities, weddings are involved with
astrological consultations to determine auspicious dates, the exchange of ceremonial scarves (
khata), traditional attire, and communal feasting. Across Buddhist cultures, marriage is regarded as a partnership based on mutual respect, loving-kindness (
mettā/
maitrī), compassion (karuṇā), and shared moral responsibility. The
Sigalovada Sutta outlines reciprocal duties between spouses, emphasizing faithfulness, care, and cooperation.
Islamic customs A wedding is typically a happy time for families to celebrate. In the
Middle East, there are colorful, cultural variations from place to place. Two male witnesses who are the members of the family in most cases are required for Nikah. According to the
Quran, in a married
Muslim couple, both husband and wife act as each other's protector and comforter and therefore only meant "for each other". All Muslim marriages have to be declared publicly and are never to be undertaken in secret. For many Muslims, it is the ceremony that counts as the actual wedding alongside a confirmation of that wedding in a registry office according to
fiqh. In Islam a wedding is also viewed as
a legal contract particularly in Islamic jurisprudences. However, most Muslim cultures separate both the institutions of the mosque and marriage; no religious official is necessary, but very often an
Imam presides and performs the ceremony, he may deliver a short sermon. Celebrations may differ from country to country depending on their culture but the main ceremony is followed by a
Walima (the marriage banquet). In Islam,
polygyny is allowed with certain religious restrictions. Despite that, an overwhelming majority of Muslims traditionally practice
monogamy. It is forbidden in
Islam for parents or anyone else: to
force, coerce, or trick either man or woman into a marriage that is contrary to the individual will of any one of the couples. It is also necessary for all marriages to commence with the best of intentions.
Chinese customs '' At
traditional Chinese weddings, the
tea ceremony is the equivalent of an exchange of vows at a Western wedding ceremony. This ritual is still practiced widely among rural Chinese; however, young people in larger cities, as well as in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore, tend to practice a combination of Western style of marriage together with the tea ceremony. When the bride leaves her home with the groom to his house, a "Good Luck Woman" will hold a red umbrella over her head, meaning, "Raise the bark, spread the leaves." This "Good Luck Woman" should be someone who is blessed with a good marriage, healthy children, and husband and living parents. Other relatives will scatter rice, red beans, and green beans in front of her. The red umbrella protects the bride from evil spirits, and the rice and beans are to attract the attention of the gold chicken. The newlyweds kneel in front of parents presenting tea. A Good Luck Woman making the tea says auspicious phrases to bless the newlyweds and their families. The newlyweds also present tea to each other, raising the tea cups high to show respect before presenting the tea to each other. The attendants receiving the tea usually give the bride gifts such as jewelry or a
red envelope. The tea ceremony is an official ritual to introduce the newlyweds to each other's family, and a way for newlyweds to show respect and appreciation to their parents. The newlyweds kneel in front of their parents, serving tea to both sides of parents, as well as elder close relatives. Parents give their words of blessing and gifts to the newlyweds.
Welsh customs Prior to the 19th century, first recorded in the 13th century in the
Book of Aneirin, a custom known as a 'Neithior' or 'Neithor' was observed by the
Welsh, it consisted of a great feast being held the following Sunday after the Wedding at the bride's parental home, the guests would pay for the meals and entertainments so that the new couple could afford a new home.
Humanist weddings While many wedding traditions and rituals have origins in religions and are still performed by religious leaders, some marriage traditions are cultural and predate the prevalent religions in those regions. Non-religious people will often want to have a wedding that is secular (not religious) in content. In order to meet this demand, secular ceremonies carried out by
humanist celebrants first developed in the 19th century.
Humanists UK members pioneered humanist weddings in the 1890s, and its weddings continue to be popular with couples across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In Scotland,
Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) has carried out secular ceremonies in the country since the 1980s. These have been legally recognized since 2005, and became more numerous than church weddings in 2018. Humanist weddings vary in their content, but tend to include a combination of elements from traditional and modern weddings with an emphasis on the couple's values and their unique love story. Humanist wedding ceremonies are carried out in a variety of countries like the U.S., Canada and recently Brazil, having legal status in only a few of these countries. Humanist celebrants are able to perform valid civil marriages and civil partnerships in the Republic of Ireland. Secular weddings are becoming more popular in Ireland due to a declining influence of the Catholic Church. Since 2015, Irish humanists have conducted more weddings than the
Church of Ireland. ==Types==