Quick Answer
What is aghd?
Aghd is the marriage ceremony itself in Persian tradition — the event where the couple sits at the sofreh aghd, an officiant reads the marriage contract aloud, and the couple formally consents and signs, legally (and for religious families, spiritually) marrying them.
Last updated:
Last updated:
What is aghd?
Also called: aqd, the Persian marriage ceremony, aghd-e-nekah.
Aghd is the actual wedding — legally speaking. Distinguish it from the sofreh aghd (the physical spread) and from jashn-e aroosi (the big party, which for many Persian couples happens as a separate, later celebration): aghd is the ceremony where consent is asked, the contract is read, and the couple becomes legally married.
How the aghd ceremony runs
The couple sits at the sofreh aghd while an officiant — religious clergy, or a registrar for a civil ceremony — reads the marriage contract aloud. Traditionally the officiant asks the bride for her consent three times; by custom she doesn't answer the first two askings (sometimes while family teasingly negotiate for a gift or blessing), and gives her formal "yes" on the third. The couple then signs the contract, often followed immediately by the honey ritual and, in many families, the sugar cone ceremony held over their heads.
- •Aghd can be a small, close-family-only event, held well before the larger reception.
- •Some couples hold aghd and jashn-e aroosi on the same day; many hold them weeks or months apart.
- •The specific religious or civil format depends on the couple's faith and legal jurisdiction.
Planning notes
- •Decide early whether aghd and the reception (jashn-e aroosi) will be the same event or two separate ones — it changes your guest list, venue and budget planning significantly.
- •If aghd is a smaller, family-only event, confirm the exact guest list well in advance, since it's easy to accidentally under- or over-invite relative to the bigger party.
- •Coordinate with the officiant ahead of time on language (Farsi, English, or both) if guests span generations or backgrounds.
Track two events under one wedding
When aghd and the reception happen on different dates, Weddingkart lets you manage both as linked events with their own guest lists and RSVPs, without duplicating work.
See RSVP tracking →Frequently Asked Questions
Is aghd the same as the wedding reception?
No — aghd is the legal and religious ceremony where the marriage contract is signed. Many Persian couples hold a separate, larger reception called jashn-e aroosi, sometimes on a different day entirely.
Why does the bride not answer the first two times she is asked for consent?
It's a customary, often light-hearted tradition — the bride stays silent through two askings (family sometimes uses the pause to jokingly ask for a gift), then gives her consent on the third.
Who officiates an aghd ceremony?
A religious clergy member matched to the couple's faith for a religious ceremony, or a civil registrar for a legal-only ceremony — sometimes both, depending on the couple's needs.
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By Mayank JaiswalLast updated