Wedding Traditions: A Detailed Exploration

The core legal component of the wedding is the Aghd ceremony, which serves as the Iranian equivalent of the Nikah, making the couple religiously and legally married in front of witnesses. While the Nikah under Islamic law is a straightforward contract recitation, the Iranian Aghd transforms it into a highly ceremonial event, executed by a Seyed (clergy) or a certified legal officiant (vakil). It is during the Aghd that the most visually stunning element of the Iranian wedding is presented: the Sofreh-ye Aghd, a lavishly decorated ceremonial spread that is integral to the cultural identity of the wedding and represents profound symbolic wishes for the couple's future life together.