Wedding customs by country

Marriage in Ethiopia begins when the groom’s family sends elders, called Shimagle, to the bride’s family. The elders discuss the dowry, which is a gift given by the groom’s family, and check the family tree of both the bride and groom to make sure they are not related for at least seven generations. Once the dowry is agreed upon and the families are not related, the wedding is announced, and both families prepare for two ceremonies: one at a church or mosque and another called the mels(i) ceremony.

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Weddings in India

Weddings in India are happy events that are usually celebrated with lots of decorations, bright colors, music, dancing, special clothing, and traditions. These traditions depend on the community, area, and religion of the bride and groom, as well as their personal choices. India has about 10 million weddings each year, and around 80% of these are Hindu weddings.

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Marriage in Korea

Marriage in Korea is similar to marriage in many other countries. It combines traditions that have been around for thousands of years with ideas from other parts of the world.

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Marriage in Japan

Marriage in Japan is a legal and social system that plays a key role in family life. When couples become legally married, they update their family registration records, which officially changes their status. A ceremony is not required for marriage to be legal.

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Traditional Chinese marriage

Traditional Chinese marriage (Chinese: 婚姻; pinyin: hūnyīn) is a ceremony in Chinese societies that includes the union of two people as well as the joining of their families. Sometimes, families arrange these marriages before the couple meets. Marriage and family are closely connected, and both families are involved.

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Marriage customs in Africa

Marriage ceremonies in Africa are different from country to country because of the many cultures and religions found across the continent. Africa has more than 1.4 billion people living in 54 countries. The large size and wide variety of cultures and beliefs in Africa lead to many different types of marriage traditions.

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Hindu wedding

A Hindu wedding, also called vivaha in Hindi, lagna in Marathi, biyah in Bhojpuri, bibaho in Bengali, bahaghara or bibaha in Odia, tirumanam in Tamil, pelli in Telugu, maduve in Kannada, and kalyanam in Malayalam and other languages, is the traditional marriage ceremony for Hindus. These weddings are very colorful, and celebrations often last several days. Many people attend the events, and the homes of the bride and groom are decorated with colors, flowers, lights, and other items.

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Marriage in the Catholic Church

Marriage in the Catholic Church, also called holy matrimony, is a special agreement between a man and a woman. This agreement is meant to last a lifetime and is designed to help the couple grow together and raise children. The Catholic Church sees this agreement as a sacred sacrament, which means it is a way for God to show His love and grace to people.

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Jewish wedding

A Jewish wedding is a ceremony that follows Jewish laws and traditions. While different Jewish communities may have unique customs, common elements include a ketubah (a marriage contract) signed by two witnesses, a chuppah or huppah (a wedding canopy), a ring owned by the groom that is given to the bride under the canopy, and the breaking of a glass. The Jewish wedding process has two main stages.

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Civil ceremony

A civil ceremony, also called a registrar ceremony, is a legal marriage that does not involve religion. It is conducted by a government official, such as a registrar in the United Kingdom or a clerk, judge, or justice of the peace in the United States. In the United Kingdom, these ceremonies must take place at a venue that is officially approved.

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