Everything We Know About Mandalorian Weddings

The Mandalorian brought new fans into the complex world of Mandalorian culture. Like any good fandom, the debate over relationships always pops up, and it might lead one to wonder what a Mandalorian wedding might be like.

Here's everything we know about Mandalorian relationships, how they work, and what we may learn more about down the road.

Do Mandalorians Marry?

Mandalorians do get married, as one’s family is a central core value of their culture. Mandalorians didn’t place much importance on birth lineages. However, taking the last name of whoever’s house held more power and respect in society was common, as noted in the Rebels Recon episode for “Legacy of Mandalore.”

One of the few examples seen on-screen of a Mandalorian marriage is from Star Wars Rebels with Ursa and Alrich Wren. Their love and dedication to each other drove their actions throughout their appearances. To make sure Clan Wren stayed in line under the Empire, Alrich was taken captive by Gar Saxon. Ursa was heartbroken and missed her husband but continued to follow Imperial rule to protect Alrich’s life. Family meant so much to Ursa that she turned on Saxon and killed him, sparking the Mandalorian Civil War, all to save her daughter Sabine’s life. Afterward, she joined Sabine’s Rebel group, the Specters, to rescue Alrich.

There isn’t much information on Mandalorian marriage in the current canon. Most of what is known comes from Legends material that delves into more detail.

What does Legends material say about Mandalorian marriages?

In Mandalorian society, weddings typically happen immediately after a Mandalorian turns sixteen and are expected to be lifelong commitments. Mandalorians’ weddings are simple, and they can marry anyone. If they wed a non-Mandalorian, their spouse needs to vow to live by the ways of Mandalorian society to join effectively. Queer couples were allowed to marry as well. In the novel Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice by Karen Traviss, Medrit Vasur and Goran Beviin are husbands and hold the title of the first queer couple in Star Wars literature. 

The wedding is straightforward, and the couple doesn’t even have to be in the same room. The couple recites a pledge in a private ceremony, entering them into a legal commitment. Translated from Mando’a, the language of Mandalorians, the pledge says, “We are one when together, we are one when parted, we share all, we will raise warriors.” These words can be spoken in person, via text, or over a comlink. As long as the message reaches each other, it is considered a legitimate marriage. Mandalorian weddings could take place anywhere in the galaxy because of this. While the wedding ceremony is private, family and friends would gather afterward and feast to celebrate the couple’s union. 

Can Mandalorians Take Their Helmets Off During Weddings?

Thanks to The Mandalorian and the introduction of the Creed held by the Children of the Watch, there is uncertainty on whether or not Mandalorians can take off their helmets for their wedding ceremony. Before the series, it was common for Mandalorians to remove their helmets. Characters like Bo-Katan Kryze, Sabine Wren, Gar Saxon, Fenn Rau, and more showed their faces throughout The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. The Mandalorian introduced the new idea that some Mandalorians never removed their helmets once they took the Creed and lived by The Way of the Mandalore. 

There has yet to be any clarification in the current canon on whether or not Mandalorians take off their helmets for wedding ceremonies. It probably depends on the different beliefs of how closely a Mandalorian follows the Creed. It’s not a far stretch to think the Children of the Watch more than likely keep them on while Ursa and Alrich in Rebels had theirs off for their wedding. Though again, this is only an assumption at this point.

There is evidence from Legends that suggests helmets weren’t worn during the entire wedding ceremony. In the magazine Star Wars Insider 86, Karen Travis wrote a piece titled “The Mandalorians: People and Culture.” It was a deep dive into their society and language, and it’s one of the primary sources outside of books and comics that detailed their culture. Part of the article has a piece of artwork by Tom Hodges of the wedding ceremony between Mandalorians Mirta Gev and Ghes Orade. The couple smiles at each other, faces exposed with their helmets tucked under their arms. This implies that the couple can take off their helmets at some point during the ceremony.

Mandalorian Divorce

In Legends material, divorce was uncommon in Mandalorian culture and could only occur under specific circumstances. The most common instance of divorce is when a partner has neglected their responsibilities. While gender meant very little in Mandalorian society, men and women had different expectations when it came to acting as warriors and splitting household duties. Failure to live up to these responsibilities would be grounds for divorce. This declaration was spoken in Mando’a, translated as “a broken love.”

While marriage was considered a lifelong commitment to Mandalorians, long separations sometimes pushed a partner to act unfaithfully. If this unfaithfulness resulted in the birth of a child, the Mandalorian would be forgiven if the married couple agreed that they would raise the child. Adoption was extremely common in their culture as they were constantly at war, leaving many orphans and widows behind. With the couple’s agreement after the infidelity, it usually was the end of the discussion. If not, it could lead to a rare case of divorce.

This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.