The traditional Mongolian wedding ceremony has slowly changed over time. Still the Mongolian people are trying to keep the traditional wedding rituals while also caring about the younger generations’ interests by mixing modern wedding notions with traditional ones.
Most Mongolian people care about the in-law’s family roots. Mongolian people say that the future son-in-law’s father should accept their daughter and the future daughter-in-law’s mother should accept their son. This saying means that the son-in-law will treat his future wife like how his father treated his wife, and that the daughter-in-law will treat her future husband like her mother treated her husband.
Mongolian Engagement
When the Mongolian couple agrees to marry one another and they then explain their engagements to the groom’s parents. The groom’s parent wishes good luck for their son’s future life and plans the ceremony with the bride’s parents’ to discuss the proposal. At the engagement ceremony the groom’s father brings a hadag – (a specially made band of silk) and a silver bowl-like cup filled with milk, this means that he welcomes his daughter-in-law. He says that the couple loves each other and we love your daughter, your daughter will marry my son, we will treat your daughter like our own daughter and he then gives the hadag and silver bowl-like cup with milk to the bride’s father. If the brides’ father accepts the bowl-like cup then the bride’s parents’ will later on start to plan an engagement ceremony.
When the bride’s family accepts the engagement, it means they accept the groom as their own son.
Mongolian wedding ceremony
Each Mongolian aimag (state) has customs that are a little different when it comes to Mongolian wedding ceremonies. The bride and groom choose their wedding witnesses, they traditionally choose a sister-in-law. In Mongolian families the daughter in law is like their own daughter so sister in laws are the same as sisters.
At the wedding ceremony Mongolian people wear long sleeved clothing that cover their shoulders; the long sleeves and covered shoulders represent a good and complete life for the couple.
The Mongolian Wedding Palace is where most people celebrate their wedding. The Bride and groom stand arm in arm, with them they will have two witnesses (who are usually the sister-in-laws) standing in front of the official. The official will ask the couple if they will marry one another. The bride and groom will answer “Yes”, after that they will sign their wedding documents and the wedding official will have witnessed that they signed the document as well. They place the rings on after the wedding official pronounces them husband and wife.
Mongolian wedding gifts
The gifts received are very important for the newly weds and their start of a new life. The gifts of the newlywed’s parents help aid their future life. The husband’s family gives a ger (yurt) and some animals. The wife’s family gives a full kitchen set, they also give clothes and jewelry. These gifts allow them to have a roof and a beginning to life.
Friends and relatives usually give money or other gifts.
In modern times the parent’s gifts are different but most herders still give a ger and animals.
Mongolian wedding reception
The arrangement of the wedding reception is like a Mongolian ger (yurt) in a side style way, the door always faces south. The groom stands north west, next to him is a honord sister – in – law, and so are his father and mother, around them are his relatives and friends; the wife stands to the husband’s left, next to her is a honored sister-in-law, and so are her father and mothers, around them are her relatives and friends. The eldest of the group tend to sit in the front of the ceremony as a sign of respect.
A Mongolian wedding consists of singing traditional folk songs; also the newlywed’s receive blessings and good wishes.
