Ask a Ghanaian couple when they got married and you may get three answers. There is the day the groom’s family knocked, the day of the traditional engagement, and the day of the white wedding in church, followed by a reception that can run late into the night. Each one matters to someone in the family, and each one has its own rules about who attends, what is brought and what is said.
This guide walks through a Ghana wedding in the order most families follow, so that a couple planning their own, or a guest attending their first, knows what is coming.
The knocking: asking permission
Everything starts with the knocking, known in Twi as kɔkɔɔkɔ. It is a small, formal visit in which the man’s family goes to the woman’s family to announce his interest and ask permission to proceed. The man does not usually speak for himself. A spokesperson, often an uncle or a respected elder, carries the message.
The visitors bring drinks, usually schnapps and sometimes money, as a sign of respect. The woman’s family receives them, asks questions about the man and his people, and may not give an answer on the day. They may want time to make their own inquiries. Once the knocking is accepted, the two families agree a date for the engagement and the woman’s family hands over the list of items they expect.
Some families now combine the knocking and the engagement on the same day to save time and money, especially when relatives are travelling from abroad. Others still keep them weeks or months apart.
The traditional engagement: the marriage itself
For most Ghanaian families, the engagement is the wedding. It is the customary marriage, one of the three forms recognised under Ghanaian law alongside marriage under the Marriages Act (often called an ordinance marriage) and Islamic marriage. Once the customary rites are performed and the items accepted, the couple are married in the eyes of the families.
The ceremony takes place at the bride’s family home or a hired venue. The groom’s family presents the items on the list: cloth for the bride, drinks for the family, a Bible in Christian homes, jewellery, a suitcase of clothes and items for the bride’s mother and father, among others. The details vary between Akan, Ewe, Ga, Dagomba and other traditions, and between families.
A light-hearted ritual in many Akan ceremonies is the search for the bride. Her family brings out other women, sometimes her sisters or friends, and the groom’s side has to reject each one until the real bride appears. When she does, she is asked in front of everyone whether she accepts the drinks. Her “yes” seals the marriage.
The couple dress in matching cloth for the engagement, often kente, and change outfits during the day. The ceremony ends with prayers, advice from elders, food and dancing.
The white wedding: church and ring
Many couples follow the engagement with a white wedding, usually in church. This is where the white gown, the bridesmaids, the exchange of rings and the vows take place. In a church that is licensed to conduct marriages under the Marriages Act, the ceremony also produces a marriage certificate, which many couples need for travel, immigration or official records.
Couples who do not want a church wedding can register their marriage at a registry. A court or registry wedding is smaller and cheaper, and some couples hold one alongside the engagement and skip the large white wedding altogether.
The white wedding may take place a day, a week or several months after the engagement. Some couples hold both on the same weekend: traditional on Friday or Saturday morning, church on Saturday afternoon. That saves on travel for guests but makes for a long and expensive weekend.
The reception: where the party happens
After the church service, guests move to the reception. A master of ceremonies runs the programme, which usually follows a familiar order: the grand entrance of the couple and the bridal train, an opening prayer, introductions of the families, the cutting of the cake, the toast, the first dance, speeches, a vote of thanks and then dancing until the venue closes.
Ghanaian receptions are known for their music. Highlife standards, current Afrobeats hits and gospel songs share the playlist, and the moment the couple dance in with their bridal train is often the most filmed part of the day. Food, from jollof and waakye to kebabs and small chops, is a point of pride for the families.
What guests should know
Guests at a Ghanaian wedding should check which events they are invited to. The engagement is often for family and close friends, while the white wedding and reception are larger. The invitation will usually say what colours the families have chosen, and many guests sew outfits in the family cloth or colours for the engagement.
Gifts are usually given at the reception, either as wrapped presents or as cash in an envelope. At some engagements and receptions, guests also spray money on the couple while they dance.
Timing is the last thing to know. Programmes often start later than the time on the card, and receptions can run long. Eat before you go to the engagement, bring a fan for the church and keep your evening free.
