The return of traditional wedding ceremonies

By Forever Farrah Published 2026-09-17.

Why some couples are bringing heritage rituals back into their weddings, what news coverage and surveys actually show, and how to include a tradition with care.

Some couples are bringing back the rituals of their families' heritage, from Ukrainian crowning to Chinese hanfu wedding dress, and news outlets have covered it. But it isn't a wholesale return to tradition: in the US, fewer couples now marry in a religious setting than older generations did. The accurate picture is that couples are choosing specific traditions that mean something to them, often inside a ceremony that is otherwise modern.

What the evidence shows

There's no national count of "traditional" weddings, and the word means different things to different families. So it helps to separate what is measured from what is reported.

Measured and reported signals

Signal	What it shows	Source
Religious ceremonies (measured)	60% of married Americans 65 and older were married by a religious leader in a religious setting, versus 36% of younger married Americans	American Perspectives Survey, Nov 2019, via AEI
Future preference (measured)	30% of never-married Americans would prefer a religious ceremony; 56% would prefer a nonreligious one	Same survey
Heritage rituals (reported)	Baltimore-area couples including Polish, Ukrainian, Salvadoran and African American traditions in church weddings	Catholic Review
Hanfu weddings (reported)	More than 30 couples married in traditional Han Chinese dress at a collective wedding in Xi'an in November 2025	CGTN

Fewer religious weddings, more chosen rituals

The American Perspectives Survey, reported by the American Enterprise Institute, found that 60% of married Americans aged 65 or older were married by a religious leader in a religious setting, compared with 36% of younger married Americans. Among never-married Americans, 30% said they'd prefer a religious ceremony and 56% a nonreligious one.

That doesn't contradict the heritage trend. A couple can hold a ceremony in a garden, led by a friend, and still include a tea ceremony, a lasso cord or a broom jump. What seems to be changing is who chooses: the couple picks the traditions that mean something to them, rather than accepting a whole ceremony as a package.

Examples from news coverage

Catholic weddings in Baltimore. The Catholic Review, the Archdiocese of Baltimore's news outlet, profiled couples who wove family heritage into their ceremonies: a Polish bread-and-salt blessing, a Ukrainian crowning, a Salvadoran lasso cord looped around the couple, and an African American couple jumping the broom with designs drawing on African regional patterns.

Hanfu weddings in China. The Hanfu Movement, a revival of traditional Han Chinese dress, dates to 2003. CGTN, China's state broadcaster, reported a collective wedding in Xi'an in November 2025 where more than 30 couples married in hanfu. Because CGTN is state media, treat its framing of the trend with some care; the event itself is well documented.

These are individual examples, not a statistic. They show what the revival looks like in practice rather than how widespread it is.

Why couples reach back to tradition

The reasons couples describe are consistent, though no survey ranks them:

• Honouring parents and grandparents, especially when elders are there to see it.
• Marking identity in a family that has moved countries, or for a second or third generation.
• Joining two cultures. Couples from different backgrounds often include one ritual from each side. See how to plan a multicultural wedding and multicultural wedding ceremony ideas.
• Meaning over spectacle. A ritual with history can feel more personal than a generic trend. Our guide to personalized wedding ceremonies covers the other half of that impulse.

How to include a tradition with care

1. Ask the people who know it. A grandparent, a faith leader or a community elder can tell you what the ritual means and how it is done in your family's region. Customs vary by region, denomination and family.
2. Check with your officiant and venue. Some rituals need fire, water, a particular space or a specific officiant.
3. Explain it to guests. A line in the programme or on your wedding website helps guests follow along and join in. How to explain cultural traditions to wedding guests has wording.
4. Borrow respectfully. If a ritual isn't from either of your families, ask whether it's appropriate for you to use it at all.
5. Budget the time. Some traditions add an hour or a separate event. Should you have two wedding ceremonies? helps when one day isn't enough.

For background on specific customs, see wedding traditions from around the world and traditional vs modern weddings around the world.

When families disagree

Reviving a tradition can surface old disagreements: which version is correct, whether a ritual still fits, or whose family's customs come first. Talk it through early, and let the people who care most about a ritual help plan it. How to handle family expectations for your wedding has practical ways to find a compromise without anyone feeling overruled.

Frequently asked questions

Are traditional weddings coming back?

Specific heritage rituals are being revived by some couples, and news outlets have covered it. But fewer younger Americans marry in a religious setting than older generations, so it is a selective return rather than a wholesale one.

Can we include a tradition in a nonreligious ceremony?

Often, yes. Many cultural rituals, such as tea ceremonies or a lasso cord, are family customs that can sit inside any ceremony. Ask family or a faith leader whether a particular rite is tied to a religious setting.

How do we help guests understand an unfamiliar tradition?

Give a one-line explanation in the programme, on your wedding website, or from the officiant just before it happens.

Is it appropriate to use a tradition from another culture?

It depends on the tradition. If it isn't part of either family's heritage, ask people from that culture before including it.