Weddings

In Myanmar culture, weddings are considered one of the Twelve Auspicious Rites. Traditional Burmese folklore considers love to be destiny, as the Hindu god Brahma writes one's destiny in love on the brow of a six-day-old child, known as na hpuza. Myanmar weddings can be religious or secular, elaborate or simple. A marriage is traditionally recognized, with or without a ceremony, when the man's longyi (sarong) is seen hanging from a house rail or when the couple eats from the same plate. Dowries are uncommon, and arranged marriages are not common among the Burmese. Weddings are traditionally avoided during the three-month Buddhist lent, which runs from July to October.

In general, Buddhist monks are not present to conduct the wedding and solemnize the marriage because it is forbidden for them to officiate a marriage, which is considered a worldly affair (lokiya). They may, however, be invited to bless the newlyweds and recite a protective paritta. To gain merit, the bride and groom usually arrange an almsgiving feast for monks the morning of the wedding.

To preside over the ceremony, a master of ceremonies, usually a brahmin, is hired. The bride and groom sit next to each other on cushions. The Brahmin blows a conch shell to start the wedding ceremony and joins the couple's palms, wraps them in white cloth, and dips the joined palms in a silver bowl. Let htat, which literally means "to join palms together," is the Burmese word for "to marry." The brahmin takes the couple's joined palms out of the bowl and blows the conch shell to end the ceremony after chanting a few Sanskrit mantras. Following that, entertainers perform, and the wedding concludes with a speech by a higher-ranking guest. In cities, wedding receptions at hotels with tea and ice cream are common.