Westeros Weddings: A Union Of Power

Weddings in Westeros are often dangerous affairs, with the Red Wedding and the Purple Wedding being the most infamous. In the Red Wedding, Robb Stark, his wife, unborn child, mother, direwolf, and army are all killed. The Purple Wedding sees the death of Joffrey, the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.

In the fifth episode of House of the Dragon, We Light the Way, another wedding ends in murder. Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laenor Velaryon's welcome feast is full of drama, including the arrival of Rhaenyra's ex-lover, Daemon, and the bride's jilted one-night stand, Queen Alicent, who upstages the bride with her entrance. The groom's lover is also murdered by the bride's lover, bringing the celebrations to an early end.

The Green Wedding, as it may come to be known, is not the only wedding in House of the Dragon. In episode seven, Rhaenyra finally marries her uncle, Daemon, in a bloody ceremony.

The Red Wedding

Robb had agreed to marry one of Lord Frey's daughters but broke his promise. As compensation for violating the agreement, Lord Frey demanded that Edmure Tully, Lord of Riverrun, wed one of his daughters. Edmure selflessly agreed to the terms, and the wedding was held at the Twins. A number of lords from the North and the Riverlands attended the wedding with their bannermen.

Robb and his bannermen were lulled into a false sense of security by Lord Frey, who vowed to assure his guests' safety in accordance with the guest right. Neither Robb nor his mother, Catelyn, imagined that Lord Frey would sink so low as to break such a sacred pact.

The betrayal was scheduled to occur after the formal ceremony and the bedding, with Edmure and his bride safely away in another part of the castle consummating their marriage. The signal for the massacre to begin was an instrumental version of "The Rains of Castamere", a song associated with the Lannisters.

During the massacre, Robb's wife, Talisa, was stabbed in the abdomen, killing her and her unborn child. Robb was also killed, along with Catelyn and many of his bannermen.

The Purple Wedding

In his dying moments, Joffrey pointed at Tyrion, who was falsely implicated in the murder. In blind grief and rage, Cersei accused Tyrion of poisoning her son, and he was promptly arrested by the Kingsguard. Tommen, Joffrey's younger brother and heir presumptive, became king. Margaery and her family remained in favour, as the Tyrell support was still vital to the Lannisters.

In the confusion of Joffrey's death, Dontos Hollard helped Sansa escape the Red Keep, and they fled the city in a rowboat. However, once they reached a waiting ship owned by Petyr Baelish, Dontos was killed. Petyr revealed to Sansa that he had plotted Joffrey's death so that Margaery could marry Tommen.

The Green Wedding

While the Green Wedding does not culminate in the killing of a king, it does end with a murder. Joffrey Lonmouth, the secret paramour of Laenor, is killed, setting the stage for the coming civil war. The Green Wedding, much like other weddings in Westeros, is a dangerous affair, where political manoeuvring and personal vendettas intertwine, and guests are left to witness the spectacle.

Daenerys and Khal Drogo's wedding

The wedding of Daenerys Targaryen and Khal Drogo was a lavish ceremony by the sea, lasting from dawn until dusk. The ceremony took place under the open sky, with a backdrop of the Azure Window, a formidable rock formation above the sea. Daenerys, one of the last representatives of her family, was forced to marry Drogo, a Dothraki lord, who is described as being as brutal as he is rude. The Dothraki wedding traditions are very different from Westerosi customs, with the festivities including dancing women being mounted by men in the open like animals, and a dozen deaths occurring throughout the day.

Daenerys's brother, Viserys, orchestrated the match, hoping to gain access to Drogo's khalasar of 40,000 Dothraki warriors to help him regain his throne. However, the Dothraki culture and language are foreign to Daenerys, and she is consumed by fear of her new husband and his stern, cruel face. Despite the lavish gifts exchanged during the wedding, including three dragon eggs, Daenerys is initially terrified of Drogo, and their consummation of the marriage is not a pleasant experience for her.

After the wedding celebration, Drogo takes Daenerys on a long ride before making love. They stop at a grassy place by a small stream, where Drogo begins to soothe Daenerys, speaking softly to her in Dothraki. He undresses her tenderly and caresses her until she is ready for him. Despite this tender moment, their relationship takes a turn when Drogo sexually assaults Daenerys on their wedding night. This scene caused discomfort for many fans, especially those who had read the books, as it differed significantly from the original text, where Drogo is much more gentle.

Sansa and Tyrion's wedding

Sansa Stark and Tyrion Lannister's wedding was one of the most upsetting nuptials in Game of Thrones. The marriage, which took place in season 3, episode 8, was arranged by Tywin Lannister to maintain control of Winterfell and Highgarden. Sansa, who was expecting to marry Willas Tyrell, was forced to wed Tyrion Lannister.

Tyrion, who was in love with Shae, was no happier about the arrangement than Sansa. However, he went through with the wedding out of a sense of duty to his family, particularly his father. At the ceremony in the royal sept, Sansa refused to kneel, embarrassing Tyrion. Despite this, the pair were respectful of each other, and Tyrion tried to shield Sansa from Joffrey's threats of rape and a public bedding ceremony.

At the wedding feast, Tyrion got very drunk and encouraged Sansa to do the same. When Joffrey declared it was time for the bedding ceremony, Tyrion initially refused and threatened Joffrey. However, he eventually played along and brought Sansa up to their bedchamber. Alone, Tyrion reassured Sansa that he would not consummate the marriage unless she wanted him to, to which she asked, "What if I never want you to?". Tyrion responded, "And so my watch begins."

The marriage between Sansa and Tyrion was never consummated, and so it was considered invalid in Westeros. This meant that Sansa was able to legally marry Ramsay Bolton. However, despite their tumultuous history, Sansa and Tyrion's reunion in season 8 was amicable, and the pair appeared to be on good terms.

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