TRADITIONS OF Chinese wedding ceremonyThe wedding ceremony :The wedding ceremony A formal Chinese wedding requires the bridegroom to pick up the bride at the bride’s home after respectfully greeted the parents-in-law to be.
The couple-to-be will then go to the bridegroom’s home, where the bride will greet her parents-in-law to be, or to the banquet location. If they choose to go to the bridegroom’s home, the young couple will have to greet the parents-in-law to be with a cup of tea each and the parents will return the daughter-in-law to be with a red packet of money inside.Wedding Invitation:Wedding Invitation The wedding invitation is printed invitation specially made for a couple to be married, which is long-standing in Chinese history. The color of the invitation is usually bright red, with the date and time of wedding ceremony and dinner printed on it. The content of it is basically the same in all ages, with a set of formal words established by usage applied. It’s special that the date is usually put in two forms, with one being the date in the Chinese lunar calendar and the other in the Gregorian calendar. Sometimes the parents’ names of the couple are also printed.
The invitation is usually sent six weeks before the wedding ceremonyRed Packets:Red Packets Red packets, or lucky money, are the cash sent to the newlyweds by friends or relatives when attending the wedding. It is usually wrapped up in red paper, or special paper bags printed with the “Happy” letter and blessings.Wedding Candy:Wedding Candy Wedding candies are given out to friends and relatives during the wedding dinner, and it is a way to express appreciation to guests coming for congratulations. Wedding candies have always been indispensable to such event, which are full of festive elements and connotations and theembodiment of sweetness between newlyweds and blessings from family members.Fancy candle:Fancy candle Fancy candles are candles adorned with beautiful patterns lit at the wedding. They are the most attractive decoration in the bridal chamber. Bridal chamber is the bedroom of the new weds.Matchmaking :Matchmaking Matchmaking is a process of making a match of unmarried man and woman by a matchmaker, which is a common way of choosing spouse in ancient China.
The traditional Chinese wedding is much involved with “matchmaker”, or in other words, marriage introducer.Betrothal Gifts :Betrothal Gifts When the two families agree to the marriage, the man’s family is supposed to send some betrothal gifts to the woman’s family. The gifts mainly include clothes, jewelry, gold, silver and money etcSitting in the Bridal Sedan :Sitting in the Bridal Sedan In former times, rich families would use a bridal sedan to welcome the bride, while poor families which couldn’t afford a sedan would use a cart instead. Whether a sedan or a cart, it was customarily accompanied by a piping and drumming procession.Performing Formal Bows :Performing Formal Bows Performing formal bows by the bride and bridegroom is also called “worshipping the heaven and earth”. Actually, it includes bowing to the heaven, earth, ancestors, parents and the bride and bridegroom bowing to each other .Lifting the Bridal Veil:Lifting the Bridal Veil The bride has her head covered with a veil. After performing formal bows, a concentric flower ball-shaped pulling ribbon is knotted using the two red silk tapes provided by both families, with each end of the ribbon held by the bride and bridegroom respectively.
Thebridegroom then faces the bride and walks backward, leading the bride into the bridal chamber, where the ceremony of lifting the bridal veil will be held shortly afterwards.Drinking “cross-cupped wine”:Drinking “cross-cupped wine” The bride and the bridegroom each holds a wine-filled cup, standing face to face, with their cup-holding arms crossed and drinking from each other’s cup. The cross-cupped wine symbolizes the previously two separate individuals are joined as one by the weddingVisiting the Parental Home:Visiting the Parental Home According to ancient customs, three, six, seven, nine, ten days or one month after the wedding, the husband should carry some gifts and visit his wife’s parents’ home, greeting her parents and relatives.
This is the last ceremony of the wedding and also a way for the daughter to show her gratitude to her parents for the love and care they give her.
