Bonding Ceremonies vary considerably throughout the world, often reflecting the marriage traditions of the culture, however there is no recorded instance where bonding ceremony traditions are identical to marriage. In many countries, bonded pairs must perform both ceremonies in order to be considered bonded and married. This probably stems from the fact that siblings can create a pair bond, as well as close cousins, and often marry independently of being bonded. Interestingly, one common denominator internationally across ceremonies is the use of the dogwood and various permutations of the dogwood flower to symbolize a Guardsman union, the primary exceptions being central and south Africa and the indigenous cultures of south America.

In almost all cultures throughout history the bonding ceremony is connected by a period called "the lay-in" or something similar. A lay-in is when the Protector shifts into their dog form and remains in that form for an extended period of time in order to allow the psychic and emotional bond to solidify. The time frame for it varies considerably, from three days (the traditional time in Muslim societies) to a month or longer. If there is a reason a lay-in cannot happen immediately, it is usually rescheduled. In Western societies, this time is folded into the honeymoon after the official bonding ceremony. In modern Chinese (Han) tradition, the lay-in lasts for two weeks and occurs before the official bonding ceremony.

North America
In accordance with the European traditions from whence they sprung, bonding ceremonies in North America are hosted by the Guardsman Institute of the Americas. This usually is a group event, with multiple bonded pairs going through the ceremony together. However, in special circumstances, any bonded pair can request a special ceremony on-grounds any time of year. The primary ceremony is held in June on the campus of the Institute in Missouri, with invitations being sent out in April. This is considered a major annual highlight on the international calendar for Guardsmen all over the world and is a quite a production, with many VIP guests and even a (tightly controlled) media presence (the only other group bonding ceremonies that receive as much attention are the British and Chinese events). Aside from the main ceremony recognizing and legitimizing the bonding of the bonded pairs, there are a number of parties before and after the ceremony, and the entire event last for three days. At least two parties are restricted to Guardsmen-only participation, and the night-before "bachelor" parties have a notorious and infamous reputation for licentious hijinks.