A Lebanese wedding is loud, generous and long: drums at the door, a line of dancers that seems to have no end, and a party that often runs late into the night. This guide explains the traditions many Lebanese families share, from the bride leaving her family home to the zaffe, the dabke, the cake cut with a sword and the sugared almonds, for couples, for anyone marrying into a Lebanese family and for the diaspora. For the ring itself, see our engagement rings in Lebanon and certified natural diamonds.
A note before you read
Lebanon is home to many communities, and each family celebrates in its own way. What follows describes customs many Lebanese weddings share, in broad terms, not a rulebook. When in doubt, ask the families.
From the engagement to the wedding
By the time a wedding is planned, the families have usually met, a formal request has been made and the engagement has been celebrated. Our guide to Lebanese engagement traditions covers those steps, from the tolbe to the engagement gathering.
The months between are busy: a home, a venue, a date planned around the relatives who will fly in. Summer and the end-of-year holidays are popular because so many of the family are home. In some families the days before the wedding also bring a henna evening or a gathering for the bride with the women of the family.
Leaving her family home
For many families, the wedding day begins at the bride’s parents’ house. Relatives and friends gather, photographs are taken, and the groom arrives with his family, often with music and drums, to accompany her out. It is an emotional moment: the bride says goodbye to the home she grew up in, and the celebration moves on with her.
In some neighbourhoods, rice and rose petals are thrown from the balconies as the couple pass, and the women greet the bride with the zalghouta, the high, trilling cry of joy heard at every happy occasion.
The zaffe
The zaffe is the wedding procession, and it is the sound most people remember. A troupe of drummers and dancers, often in costume and sometimes carrying swords or torches, plays the couple in with the big tabl drum and the derbakeh, while singers lead verses and the guests clap along.
A zaffe can accompany the couple out of the bride’s home, to the ceremony, or most often into the reception. It is loud, joyful and impossible to ignore, which is exactly the point.
The ceremony: different for every community
The wedding ceremony is where Lebanese weddings differ most. Each community marries according to its own tradition: for some couples it is a service in church, for others a religious marriage concluded before a cleric with the families present, and some couples marry in a civil ceremony abroad. Each has its own words, order and customs. Religious and legal steps are outside the scope of this guide; the families and the officiant are the right people to ask.
The mahbas and the rings
Rings belong to almost every Lebanese wedding. In many families, the couple have worn their wedding bands, the mahbas, on the right hand since the engagement; at the wedding, during the ceremony or soon after, they move to the left hand. In some ceremonies the rings are blessed or exchanged as part of the service.
The bride’s engagement ring usually moves with them, and the two often share a finger from then on. Our guide to the engagement ring and the wedding band explains how the two rings differ and pair.
The reception: entrance, dabke and the cake
The entrance
The newlyweds make a grand entrance into the hall behind the zaffe, to music and cheers, and the first dance often follows.
The dabke
Then the dabke begins: the line dance of the Levant, with dancers linked hand in hand or arm in arm, stamping in rhythm to the derbakeh and often the mijwiz, a reed pipe with a bright, piercing sound. The leader at the head of the line often waves a handkerchief, and sooner or later the bride and groom are lifted onto shoulders above the crowd.
The cake and the sword
Many Lebanese weddings save a moment for the cake, often tall and dramatic, which the couple cut together with a ceremonial sword to music and applause. It is a flourish rather than a rite: a couple who prefer a knife are not breaking any rule.
Sugared almonds
Guests rarely leave without mlabbas, sugared almonds wrapped in small boxes, tulle or pouches as favours. They are a sweet thank-you from the couple, and many families offer them at the engagement too.
Gifts and gold
Gold has a long place in Lebanese weddings. In many families the groom’s side gives the bride jewellery, often gold, and close relatives may add gold pieces of their own. Other guests usually bring a gift or an envelope for the couple, and some couples now keep a gift list.
Who pays for what varies widely. In many families the groom’s side has traditionally carried much of the cost, while today it is often shared. Ask quietly rather than guess.
Weddings in the diaspora
Lebanese weddings are celebrated far beyond Lebanon, from Australia and Canada to France, the United States and Brazil, with the same zaffe, dabke and sugared almonds. Many couples abroad also fly home to marry, often in summer.
If you are planning from abroad, the engagement ring is easy to settle before you travel: choose and verify the diamond remotely, reserve it with a deposit, and collect the finished ring by appointment in Beirut. Our page for buying from abroad explains each step.
Where the ring fits in
The engagement ring usually comes months before the wedding, and she will wear it every day afterwards, beside the mahbas. Each ring is made to order in about a week to ten days, around a natural diamond certified by GIA or HRD. When you are ready, build your ring or ask us on WhatsApp, Monday to Saturday, 10:00 to 19:00.
Common questions about Lebanese weddings
What is a zaffe at a Lebanese wedding?
The zaffe is the wedding procession: a troupe of drummers and dancers, sometimes with swords or torches, who play the couple in with the tabl and the derbakeh while singers lead verses and guests clap along. It can accompany the bride from her family home, to the ceremony or, most often, into the reception hall.
What are mlabbas?
Mlabbas are sugared almonds, the classic favour at Lebanese weddings and often at engagements too. They are wrapped in small boxes, tulle or pouches and given to guests as a sweet thank-you from the couple. Colours and presentation vary with the couple’s taste.
Why is the cake cut with a sword at Lebanese weddings?
It is a celebratory flourish many Lebanese couples enjoy: the bride and groom hold a ceremonial sword together and cut a tall cake to music and applause. It is not a religious rite or a requirement, so a couple who prefer a simple knife are not breaking any tradition.
Who pays for a Lebanese wedding?
There is no single rule. In many families the groom’s side has traditionally carried much of the cost, while today the couple and both families often share it. Because expectations differ between families and communities, it is best to discuss it openly and early rather than assume.
Which hand is the wedding ring worn on in Lebanon?
In many Lebanese families, the couple wear their bands on the right hand during the engagement and move them to the left hand at the wedding, often with the engagement ring. Others wear their rings on the left from the start. Practice varies, so ask the families, and size each ring for the hand it will be worn on.