Proposal traditions vary greatly across the world, reflecting each culture’s values and customs around love and marriage.
From symbolic gifts and unique rituals to the exchanging of engagement rings, these traditions show how deeply personal yet universally important proposals are.
In this article we’re exploring fascinating practices across different regions, offering a glimpse into how people celebrate the promise of lifelong commitment.
Japan
Many modern Japanese couples opt for a low-key, private proposal without the fanfare that accompanies Western proposals. Traditionally proposals are a family affair, thanks to a Japanese custom known as yuino (結納). This is a formal ceremony where the families meet and swap symbolic gifts representing fertility, prosperity and long life. At the end of the ceremony, engagement rings are exchanged, and the proposal is considered binding and complete.
Ghana
Many African communities require a formal request for the bride’s hand in marriage, and without her family’s blessing, a wedding cannot go ahead, no matter how much in love the couple may be.
In Ghana, the name of this ritual is ‘kokoo ko’ or ‘knocking on the door’. When a man wishes to marry a woman, he and his family visit the bride’s family home, and knock on the door. If they’re permitted to enter, they present traditional gifts to the bride and her family such as kola nuts, which represent respect and unity.
The families then discuss the prospect of joining together through marriage, and if all goes well, and the bride consents, marriage preparations can begin in earnest.
France
With its reputation as one of the most romantic countries in the world, it’s no wonder that proposals in France are typically an intimate affair.
Rather than grand gestures, public proposals or big engagement parties, engagements between French couples are considered a private commitment. It’s also rare for couples to involve parents or wider families in their decision to get married, and asking for a woman’s hand in marriage is considered outdated and sexist by most French couples today.
Instead, in French culture, a ‘fiançailles’ is usually a romantic moment between the couple, often taking place in an intimate setting they know and love.
New Zealand
For Māori, everything in the physical world is connected and engagement traditions reflect this, with proposals often taking place in significant natural locations and incorporating natural elements in the ceremony itself.
Proposals are commenced with a traditional call (Karanga) delivered by grandmother figures (kuia). Traditional prayers, songs and dances are also included and traditional gifts exchanged – these are usually treasured possessions passed down through generations.
In place of engagement rings, couples may receive traditional Māori tattoos (Tāmoko) at the proposal ceremony as a symbol of their lifelong commitment to one another.
