Buddhist Wedding

 

Marriage Rituals

Following are a set of fundamental rituals that commonly feature in Buddhist marriage:-

	In front of the shrine of Lord Buddha all set up with candles and flowers, the to-be married couple, the  family and the guests.  The groom and bride and others would recite the Sutra in either English or Pali.
	The groom and bride are asked to light the candles and incense sticks. Then they offer flowers to the  image of Buddha and around it.
	After this the bride and the groom must recite in turn, the vows that are prescribed for each of them: Vow for the groom: "Towards my wife I undertake to love and respect her, be kind and considerate, be faithful, delegate domestic management, provide gifts to please her."  Vow for the bride: "Towards my husband I undertake to perform my household duties efficiently,  be hospitable to my in-laws and friends of my husband, be faithful, protect and invest our earnings, discharge my responsibilities lovingly and conscientiously."
	At the end, only the parents or the assembly would recite the Sutra  to offer their blessings for the couple.

What to wear at a Buddhist wedding

The bride, groom and guests are free to wear whatever they like, as long as it is not too revealing. The bride usually wears a dress and the groom a suit.

Guests should be aware that they must behave respectfully towards the Buddhist monks in the temple and should remove their shoes before entering the shrine room.

Sample of Buddhist Wedding Ceremony