Wedding games and Gate-crashing the bridal chamber

Wedding games are played when well wishers in ancient chinese wedding gate-crashed the bridal chamber to tease the bride and groom.

Some believed this tradition originated with good intentions. The groom’s relatives and friends wanted to frighten off any evil spirits lurking nearby by making the bridal chamber noisy and crowded.

chinese wedding gown

chinese wedding gown

In the past when marriage was arranged, the bride and groom were strangers meeting for the first time on wedding night. These gate-crashers played a crucial role in helping the couple break the ice with cheeky wedding games.

Modern day chinese couples now marry after courtship and are hardly strangers to each other. However the tradition of gate-crashing the bridal room is still observed by friends who want some fun at the couple’s expense.

In fact wedding games are played not just during gate-crashing of the bridal room but also when the groom arrived in the morning to fetch the bride and at the wedding dinner.


Wedding games with PDA (Public Display of Affections)

Terms of endearment

This is a mild wedding game requiring the bride and groom to come up with endearing nicknames for each other. Guests may reject the names if they do not like them.

Kissing lesson

Guest couples are invited to demonstrate kissing to the bride and groom who will imitate or outdo them.

Love charade

chinese wedding decoration

chinese wedding decoration

The groom or bride will act out words or phrases for the other party to guess. Words or phrases will usually require suggestive actions. Guests may impose penalty if the other party cannot answer correctly.

Who’s the bride

The groom is blindfolded and asked to identify his bride from a group of ladies by smell only. He will kiss his choice before removing his blindfold. You can also play Who’s the groom.


Where do the banana, cherries and raw egg fit in?

Sweet kisses and nibbles

The blind folded bride will eat banana slices placed strategically on neck and face of the groom.

How dexterous are your tongues

A banana is hung on an elastic cord. The groom will jump up and catch hold of the banana using just his mouth. The bride will assist to unpeel the banana using her mouth only. Together, they will eat the banana without using their hands.

Cherries kisses

The bride and groom will eat cherries hung on a string together without using their hands. There is also a version where two cherries were strung in strategic positions on the bride, and the groom will eat them while blindfolded.

What’s in your pants?

I have seen this wedding game played with raw and hardboiled egg as well as ice cube. The bride will pass the object up one leg of the groom’s pants, then down and out the other leg.

The ice cube is cold and melts fast, causing quite a bit of squirming from the groom.

The time I saw a raw egg being used, one of the male guests slapped the bride’s hand against the egg when it was in the pants, causing the groom quite a bit of discomfort.

Be careful when this wedding game is proposed. Use your bargaining skills to tone down the game.


Getting out of a sticky situation…

Some of the wedding games can get quite ridiculous such as getting the groom to eat or drink strange concoctions.

Just keep your wits and be very polite. Remember that you can always decline to proceed with any of the wedding games rather than risk losing your cool when things get out of hand.

You can also ask some of your close friends to help fend off the more ridiculous games, returning the favor at their wedding.

Bride’s home visit 三朝回门

Traditionally the bride’s home visit is three days after the chinese wedding ceremony. For efficiency, modern chinese wedding usually compressed all the necessary events into a single day.


One costume change equals three days!

After the tea ceremony at the groom’s family home, the bride will change out of her western style wedding gown. This change of clothes symbolizes the passing of three days!

brides home visit

brides home visit

The bride may choose to change into another western dress, a cheongsam or a traditional red chinese wedding gown called kwa.

The kwa is made of silk, heavily embroidered with motifs of dragon, phoenix and flowers in gold and silver threads. Although heavy due to the embroidery, it is cool and comfortable to wear. The jacket is straight cut and the straight skirt is usually elasticized at the waist.

What a joy to relax in the loose cut of the Kwa for a few hours before getting back into that body hugging western style wedding gown for the wedding banquet!


Bride’s younger brother to escort the bride home

younger brother fetch sister

younger brother fetch sister

The bride’s younger brother (or whoever is playing the role) will arrive at the groom’s home with a wedding basket[花篮] filled with toiletries, perfumed oils, make-up, etc for his sister. He misses his sister and wants her to go back with him for a visit.

The bridal car will fetch the bride’s younger brother to the groom’s home. The groom will welcome the younger brother by opening the car door for him.


She is definitely not going home empty handed!

red packets as gifts for elders

red packets as gifts for elders

The bride’s home visit is the couple’s first visit to her parent’s home as a married couple. The bride cannot go back empty handed.

Other than the gifts for her parents, the couple was supposed to prepare gifts for all the elder members of the family. Nowadays, red packets are used instead.

Chickens to lead the way! 带路鸡

In the past, many dialect groups required the bride to return home with gifts of a pair of sugar cane, a pair of live rooster and hen for her parents. These [带路鸡] “dai lu ji” were supposed to lead the way back.

In return, the bride’s parents will also provide gifts of a rooster and hen. These will be put under the bridal bed back at the groom’s home. It was believed that the firstborn will be male if the rooster came out first.

Over the years as standard of living improved the live chickens were replaced by other types of meat, poultry, fish and expensive dried or gourmet food items such as abalone, birdnest or sharksfin.

To simplify matters most of these gifts are no longer required for modern chinese weddings or are simply replaced by red packets.

Roast pig 烧猪 and peanut candies

Nowadays, only symbolic items such as roast pig [烧猪] or candies are requested by brides’ parents.

roast pig for wedding

roast pig for wedding

If one of the bride’s parents is cantonese, the roast pig [烧猪] is definitely required as part of the gifts for the bride’s home visit. For non-cantonese, sometimes roast pork [烧肉] instead of a whole roast pig is requested.

peanut sesame crunchy candy

peanut sesame crunchy candy

For teochew, two big red packets of their favorite traditional peanut and sesame candies [豆条芝麻条] “dou tiao, zi ma tiao” are usually requested.

mifangpeanutsesamerollpeanutchewycandy

mifangpeanutsesamerollpeanutchewycandy

For hokkiens, combinations of popped rice blocks, or popped rice and sesame rolls, peanut chewy candies, bean paste cookies [米方麻佬贡糖豆沙饼] “ mi fang, ma lao, gong tang, dou sa bing” are usually requested.

Tangerines and oranges too!

Tangerines or mandarin oranges [橘子]”Juzi” sounds like good fortune [吉] “Ji” in chinese and must be included as part of the gifts. If tangerines are out of season, oranges can be used instead.


More is better!

Ensure that the quantity of the items is sufficient for a portion to be returned to signify sharing of fortune between the two families. Tangerines or oranges will have to be replaced in the returned gifts.


Tea ceremony during the bride’s home visit.

The groom is introduced to the bride’s family at the tea ceremony during the bride’s home visit.

The bride’s mother’s wedding tea set, if available, is used for this ceremony. Otherwise, any nice tea set can be used.

chinese_wedding_tea_ceremony

chinese_wedding_tea_ceremony

The order of service is the same as the tea ceremony at the groom’s home.

Usually the relatives of the bride will present her with jewellery rather than red packets. This is referred to as adding to her dowry [添嫁妆] “tien jia zhuang”.


Sweet soup for a sweet union

bride feed sweet chinese wedding dessert

bride feed sweet chinese wedding dessert

During the bride’s home visit, a sweet soup with lotus seeds, dried longan, red dates and rice balls will be served to wish the couple a sweet harmonious marriage.

The modern chinese wedding ceremony is completed after the bride’s home visit. The wedding banquet may be on the same day or another day as it is just an announcement and celebration of the marriage.

Chinese wedding tea ceremony-the most significant ceremony in the modern chinese wedding

The tea ceremony is the most significant event in a modern chinese wedding as the traditional three prayers ceremony is usually not practiced.

The bride is formally introduced to the groom’s family through the chinese wedding tea ceremony. It will usually take place on the wedding day when most of the family members are present.

If some members are not available, supplementary sessions can be conducted at the wedding dinner or at other convenient times and locations.


When will you serve tea?

The tea ceremony for the groom’s side is usually in the morning once the couple has settled down a bit in the bridal home.

Traditionally teochew bride is fetched to the groom’s home before daylight. If it is really too early and the groom’s relatives have not arrived for the tea ceremony, the couple can have a short rest or an outdoor photo-session while waiting.

Tea ceremony for the relatives on the bride’s side is usually held in the afternoon when the couple complete the “bride’s home visit”.

In some family, the bride (and some will choose to do so together with the groom) may serve her parents tea in the morning before she is married. When she returns for the bride’s home visit, she is already a married woman.


Order of service, grandparents or parents first?

outfit for the tea

Chinese Wedding Tea Ceremony

The order of service is usually

  • parents,
  • grandparents,
  • grand-uncles and grand-aunties,
  • uncles and aunties,
  • elder brothers and sisters,
  • elder cousins

However, there are also families that prefer to serve the grandparents tea before the parents.

Within each generation, dad’s relatives are served before mum’s relatives.


Address your relatives correctly!

Well, you are introducing each other to your extended family, so it would be embarrassing if you have to be corrected for using the wrong title for your grand-auntie on your maternal grandma side at the chinese tea ceremony.

Find out how to address three generations of relatives for the tea ceremony. Refer to the Three Generation Relationship Chart- Grandparents, Parents and Siblings.

(Click on the chart to load a bigger version in a new window.)

relationship_chart

relationship_chart


Which tea set to use?

The tea set in the bride’s dowry is used for the ceremony. The groom’s sister or a relative will assist in pouring the tea and washing the cups.


To kneel or not to kneel?

In very traditional family, the young couple is required to serve tea whilst kneeling down. Most modern family only requires them to bow while serving tea.


Man on the left and Woman on the right, RIGHT?

The bride will stand to the right of the groom. The male elder being served will sit facing the bride. The female elder will sit facing the groom. The bride and groom will bow to the elders and greet them by their formal title in the family while serving them tea.


When do you serve an extra cup of tea?

If a living member of the elder couple is absent, the other will drink on behalf of the absent spouse. However, tea is not poured out for a deceased spouse.


Chinese Tea Ceremony gifts presentation

tea ceremony gifts, wedding jewellery

tea ceremony gifts, wedding jewellery

After drinking the tea, the tea ceremony gifts for the bride and groom will be presented on the serving plate.

The gifts are usually in the form of red packets or jewellery.

Some relatives prefer the bride and groom to wear the jewellery gifts immediately and will even put it on for them.

With generous relatives, you may look like a Christmas tree after the tea ceremony!

Unmarried elder siblings will not present the couple with gifts after drinking the tea. The bride and groom will present gifts to the younger siblings and cousins who serve them tea.


Remember to thank your helper!

At the end of the ceremony, the groom will give the assistant a red packet for her help.


Don’t spread the germs!

Remember to prepare hot water for rinsing the tea cups if the sink is not readily available at the tea ceremony.


A wedding keepsake – the chinese wedding tea set

The bride’s parents will pay for the tea set which is part of the dowry. The chinese wedding tea set is a meaningful keepsake of the wedding. The bride will use it again when her own daughter gets married in the future.

chinese_wedding_tea_ceremony

chinese_wedding_tea_ceremony

There are both western and chinese style tea sets. Tea sets with western style cups seemed to be the popular choice now.

Popular designs include double joy, dragon and phoenix, peony or other flower motifs and gold trimmings.

Tea sets designed specifically for chinese wedding tea ceremony will not have containers for creamer or sugar. The tea pot come in various sizes and are either round or oval. Usually four tea cups and a serving tray complete the set.


The bride is sweet and so is her tea!

Any sweet tea, symbolizing sweetness in the new union, is good for the chinese wedding tea ceremony. You can use sweetened red tea for simplicity sake, but some traditional chinese sweet teas are preferred for the good connotations in their names.

  • Lotus seeds and red dates tea (莲子红枣茶)
  • Symbolizing that the couple will bear children quickly and continuously.

  • Longans and red dates tea (龙眼红枣茶)
  • The longan represents a “dragon” and the wish for having male children.

longansreddateslotus

longansreddateslotus

From left to right, dried longans in shell, red dates and lotus seeds.

Traditional chinese wedding ceremony

Heaven and earth shall witness your marriage.

The three prayers of the traditional chinese wedding ceremony contained elements of Taoism.

The chinese were mainly Taoists or ancestor worshipers before foreign religions such as Christianity, Muslim or Buddhism entered ancient China.

Taoists believed in the power of heaven and earth to witness important events on earth. It was also believed that a parent or family elder must acknowledge a union for it to be official.

An official at the wedding would direct the bride and groom to pray to heaven and earth first, then to the groom parents or family elders and lastly to bow to each other.

The official would then declared the ceremony completed successfully and asked the wedding guests to escort the couple into the bridal chamber, the equivalent of the bridal room, to consummate their marriage.


What about modern chinese wedding ceremony?

Modern chinese wedding usually skip the ancient ritual of the three prayers.

The bride and groom will enter the bridal room directly after entering the groom’s home. After the family members have returned to the family hall, the couple will join them.

If the bride and groom are ancestors worshipers, they will pray to the groom’s ancestors and family gods at this time.

This will be followed by the tea ceremony when most of the relatives are present.

Otherwise, if time permits, the bridal party may go for outdoor photography session or visit the wedding couple’s new home before the tea ceremony.

Click here to check out a sample chinese wedding day program.

outfit for the tea

outfit for the tea

Without the traditional three prayers, the tea ceremony is the most significant event in the modern chinese wedding ceremony.

Enter the groom’s home

under his brother’s pants!

Traditonal-Chinese-wedding

Traditonal-Chinese-wedding

Before the bride enter the groom’s home, the groom’s family and friends will hide in the house to avoid clashing of luck. When the bride has entered the bridal room, the family and friends will return to the family hall.

Even if the newly married couple is not staying with the groom’s family after marriage, a bridal room is still decorated. The bride will rest and change in the bridal room.

In the old days, the bride will enter the bridal chamber after the traditional chinese wedding ceremony and not leave it until the next morning.


But WHY under the elder brother’s pants?

The chinese believe that the proper sequence for marriage is elder before younger. If an elder brother is unmarried the younger groom is considered to have overtaken him.

The bride and groom will enter the groom’s home under the elder brother’s pants hung across the main door. This act of humility was so that they will not spite his unmarried status. They will also serve him tea during the tea ceremony to recognize his more superior position in the family.

The elder brother will leave the house to avoid the couple when they first enter the groom’s home. He will return once they are in the bridal room.

NB: A younger sister marrying before an older brother will also walk under the older brother’s pants with her groom as they leave her parent’s house for the groom’s house on the chinese wedding day.

Fetch the bride

Fetch the bride -

your groom’s quest of the day

bridal car decorations

bridal car decorations

To fetch the bride, your groom and his troop of brothers must remember to bring all necessary items for their quest and complete all the challenges.


Necessary items for the quest

Some family requires a matchmaker to accompany the groom when he arrives at their door to fetch the bride.

The matchmaker, or bestman if there is no matchmaker, will carry a red tray containing

  • a piece of raw pork leg which is mum’s reward for bringing up the bride,
  • at least four or more, even number of tangerines or oranges for good fortune,
  • some dried persimmons for prosperity,
  • some dried longan in shells for sweetness in the marriage,
  • some dried lotus seeds for having many children,
  • some dried magnolia petals called “pak hup” to wish for hundred years of closeness and happiness in the marriage.

persimmonlotusdateslongan

The red tray will be returned with tangerines or oranges replaced in even numbers to signify that the newly joined families will share their good fortune.

Even numbered cans of pork trotters or a red packet may be used instead of the raw pork leg.

If red packets are used for representing things, write down what they are. There will be a lot of red packets changing hands on the wedding day and mixed ups may lead to unhappiness or even conflicts.


Test of patience -

Waiting for the Bride’s younger brother to open the bridal car door

brother open car door

brother open car door

The groom must not open the car door when he arrives to fetch his bride. He has to wait patiently for the bride’s younger brother to open the bridal car door for him.

groom gives brother red packet

groom gives brother red packet

The younger brother will open the door and pass him two oranges. The two oranges will be left in the bridal car for good fortune.

The groom will give this younger brother a red packet for opening the car door. If the bride has no younger brother, a younger male relative or a younger male friend can play the role.


Facing the Bridesmaids’ challenges-

Blocking the door and wedding games.

The bride’s group of bridesmaids is also called the sisters’ troop or Ah Yees [阿姨]. They will test the groom’s sincerity and love for her with a series of wedding games.

He has to complete all the challenges to their satisfaction before they let him fetch the bride. This tradition of blocking the door demonstrates their unwillingness to marry off the bride because of their love for her.


Door blocking wedding games

dragon phoenix chinese wedding red packet

dragon phoenix chinese wedding red packet

The most popular game is to bargain for a red packet either of huge amount or of amounts that requires a difficult mixture of notes and coins. $999 or $99.99, as 9 has the same sound as long “jiu”, for a long marriage. Some may ask for $888 or $88.88 as 8 has the same sound as prosperous “fa” for a prosperous marriage.

Before they allow the groom to fetch the bride, the sisters may require him to

  • answer obscure quizzes relating to the couple’s courtship,
  • enact the marriage proposal,
  • sing love songs to the bride,
  • praise the bride with chinese proverbs,
  • complete physical tasks such as push-ups,etc.

The groom’s brothers’ troop will help him complete the challenges. One brother will keep an eye on time if an auspicious time has been set for the bride to enter the groom’s family home.

If difficult challenges are anticipated, the brothers will help the groom prepare some items in advance. Hints from the bride are useful! Or a representative from the brothers’ troop can get close to one of the sisters to get clues!

Useful items to prepare in advance are

  • a mixture of notes and coins,
  • list of love songs,
  • list of chinese proverbs praising a woman’s virtue,
  • list of possible questions and answers relating to their courtship or the bride, etc.

Objection to blocking the door

Very traditional teochew family will not allow blocking of the door when the groom comes to fetch the bride. Bargaining for a red packet to open the door is considered crass for teochew.

The teochew dad will walk the bride from her room to the living hall. He will then place her hand in the groom’s hand. Given away! Just like in a church wedding!

Let your sisters troop know in advance if an elder in the family objects to this particular custom. The girls can have their fun with wedding games at the chinese wedding dinner or when they gate crash the bridal chamber.


Finally! Kiss the bride!

After completing the challenges the groom enter the bride’s home to fetch the bride. The groom will enter the bride’s room and lift her veil to kiss her.

The groom and the brothers’ troop will be served sweet desserts and snacks.


What about the tea ceremony for the bride’s side?

The tea ceremony for the bride’s family will only take place at the bride’s home visit.

If the bride and groom are ancestor worshipers, they will pray to the bride’s ancestors and family gods before leaving the bride’s home.

The sisters will assist the bride with her gown so that she does not trip. Some will carry her other clothing, shoes and jewellery required later in the day.

good fortune woman shelter bride with umbrella

good fortune woman shelter bride with umbrella

A good fortune woman or the matchmaker will shelter the bride with an umbrella while she is under the open sky. This is probably some form of protection against any evil influence.

In the past, the matchmaker will carry the bride on her back to board the red wedding sedan chair while another helper will hold the umbrella to shade the bride.

persimmonlotusdateslongan

persimmonlotusdateslongan

The bride’s father or a good fortune woman will throw rice and pak hup (dried magnolia petals) at the bridal car before it drives off.

The teochew father will also splash water behind the car to bless the bride with an everlasting marriage as “spilt water will not return to the bowl”.

The sisters’ troop will accompany the bride to the groom’s home in cars driven by the brothers’ troop.

returns to the groom's home

returns to the groom's home

Successful in their quest to fetch the bride, the bridal party returns to the groom’s home in a convoy of decorated vehicles.

Chinese wedding day program

Prepare it!

Prepare the chinese wedding day program based on discussions with the bride’s and groom’s parents. Include the wedding coordinator when finalizing the wedding day schedule.

Allow some buffer time in the schedule to allow for unforseen delays such as traffic jams, detours required or having to socialise longer at any of the stops.

Include important information such as:

  • Bride’s and groom’s home address and contact numbers,
  • contact numbers for helpers, including bridesmaids and bestmen, driver, photograpger, videographer, beautician, etc.,
  • contact numbers for other suppliers,and
  • any auspicious timing to observe.

Distribute it!

Distribute the chinese wedding day program to key persons such as the parents, the bride’s and groom’s siblings who are helping, and all the bridesmaids and bestmen.

Ask one of the bridesmaids or bestmen to be the wedding coordinator. The wedding coordinator will communicate with the various parties and ensure that timing on the schedule is observed.


How much power should you give the wedding coordinator?

Some couples may empower the coordinator to endorse variations to the schedule on the actual day due to unforseen circumstances.

Some may even let them decide on issues such as ordering additional crates of beer, wine, liqour, increasing or reducing number of banquet tables depending on the attendance, etc.

My cousin and brother-in-law were the wedding coordinators for my wedding. They were empowered to decide on all matters relating to the day’s schedule and the wedding banquet.

During the rest period between the wedding ceremony and the wedding banquet, they were so exhausted they were totally zonked out, while my groom and I sneaked out for a tea break at the mall next to the hotel. :-P


Suggested chinese wedding day program:

Time Bride Groom
5 am Sibling Feast -
5.30 am Hair & bridal makeup -
6.00am - Normal breakfast
6.45am Photographer/ videographer to arrive. Bestmen/ brother’s troop to arrive.

  • decorate brothers’ car
  • distribute buttonelles.
7.00am Bridesmaids/sisters’ troop to arrive. Back-up photographer/video-grapher to arrive.
Leave to fetch the bride.
Bring:

  • red tray with raw meat (or canned pork legs), oranges, dried longan, red dates and lotus seeds.
  • gifts for bride and in-laws, if any.
7.20am Parents to veil the bride. -
7.30am Arrival at bride’s home -
Time All Remarks
7.30am Fetch the bride activities:

  • bride’s younger brother to open car door for groom,
  • blocking the door,
  • morning tea and sweet soup,
  • lifting the veil,
  • leave for groom’s home.
Bride’s younger brother to give 2 oranges to groom before opening car door.
Groom to give red packet to younger brother after opening car door.

Bring:

  • tea set for tea ceremony,
  • gowns/ kwa for changing,
  • shoes/jewellery,
  • make-up.
8.30am Enter the groom’s home.

  • serve snacks and sweet soup.
Enter groom’s home before 9 am.
9.15am Outdoor photo session/visit couple’s new residence. -
10.30am Tea ceremony
Delivery of roast pig.
Bridal car to pick up bride’s younger brother.
11.00am Arrival of bride’s younger brother for bride’s home visit.
Lunch
Bride’s younger brother to bring wedding basket filled with toiletries ( also called flower or oil basket).
11.30am Bride to change for home visit. Groom to remove veil for bride.
11.45am Bride leave for home visit. Bride’s younger brother will also ride in bridal car.
Bring roast pig/ peanut candies or rice candies.
12.15pm Lunch at bride’s side.
Tea ceremony at bride’s side.
-
1.30pm Return to groom’s home or go to church or check into hotel. Bring back head and tail of roast pig and other return gifts.
Bring wedding and evening gowns and other things needed for the wedding banquet to the hotel.
2pm to 4 pm Rest and relax/ or church wedding. -
4.30pm Get ready for the wedding banquet. -
6.00pm Final briefing for the wedding banquet. -
7.00pm Cocktail reception/ Wedding banquet commences. -
Contact information:
Bride’s address/telephone:

Groom’s address/telephone:

Bridesmaids’ telephones:
a)
b)

Bestmens’ telephones:
a)
b)

Driver’s telephone:

Photographers telephone:

Beautician’s telephone:

Caterer’s telephone:

Florist’s telephone:

Hotel’s telephone:

Banquet manager’s telephone:

Musician’s telephone:

Now that you have an idea of the suggested chinese wedding day program, you may want to review the suggested timeline for the chinese wedding.

The timeline for the chinese wedding begins with…

Proposal/ Decision to get married

He has proposed! You’re going to get married!

1. Announcement

There’s always someone to tell! Who shall hear it first? Your best friends or your Mum?

To your Mum, THIS is the official start of timeline for the chinese wedding…

2. Selection of auspicious dates
Auspicious dates are required for the chinese wedding, the betrothal and installation of the bridal bed.

3. Book the wedding banquet

Chinese wedding dinner setting

Chinese wedding dinner setting

You may need to book up to a year in advance if the dinner venue is popular or the date of the wedding banquet is either very auspicious or popular.

4. Book the bridal studio wedding package

It is very popular for chinese couples in South East Asia, Taiwan and China to produce a whole album of bridal photographs professionally.

The bridal studios will provide complete wedding packages from wedding gowns to wedding car rental.


Two and a half months prior to chinese wedding

1. Prepare chinese wedding invitations

chinese wedding invitation

chinese wedding invitation

If you are not satisfied with the wedding invitation cards provided in the wedding banquet package or there is none, you will need to source for the cards yourself.


One month prior to chinese wedding

1. Betrothal

Groom and friend or a matchmaker, if one was required by the bride’s parents, will deliver the betrothal gifts on the auspicious date chosen.

2. Distribution of chinese wedding invitation

After the betrothal, the chinese wedding invitations are distributed. It is also acceptable to distribute chinese wedding invitations by post.


One to two weeks prior to the chinese wedding

1. Brief helpers for the various wedding events.

2. Confirm attendance at the various wedding events.

3. Confirm booking details with:
- hotel or restaurant for wedding banquet
- bridal studio
- church
- caterers


One week prior to chinese wedding

1. Install the bridal bed

persimmonlotusdateslongan A good fortune woman will install the bridal bed in the bridal room or the couple’s new home.
2. Deliver the dowry

The bride’s parents will deliver the dowry to the bridal room or the couple’s new home.


The day before the chinese wedding

1. Collection of stuff needed

a. wedding gown, dinner gown, chinese wedding kwa, groom’s suits and dinner jackets,
b. wedding veils and bridal accessories,
c. bridal bouquets and buttonelles,
d. car decorations for bridal convoy, etc

2. Hair combing ceremony
Good fortune women will conduct this ceremony for the bride and groom in their respective homes the night before the chinese wedding.

3. Put up chinese wedding decorations

chinese weddnig paper cutting

chinese weddnig paper cutting

4. Set up the dragon and phoenix candles

Bride’s side will set up the two dragons and Groom’s side the two phoenix candles.


Chinese wedding day

In the wee hours of the morning, as early as four am, the bride will eat rice with her siblings and parents. This is a farewell meal, the last meal taken at her parents home before she is married off. In chinese beliefs, the bride belongs to the husband family after marriage.

Click on the sample chinese wedding day program for the events of the wedding day.

Click NOW!- a sample chinese wedding day program.


Toasting at wedding banquet

Toasting at wedding banquet

Chinese wedding banquet

The chinese wedding banquet may be on the same night as the chinese wedding day or on a different night.


End of the timeline for the chinese wedding… after so much hardwork, you really deserve that honeymoon!

如何挑選結婚好日子*附2010/2011年結婚吉日一覽表

很多人自問並不迷信,但說到婚姻大事,都禁不住還是要找易經大師擇個結婚吉日,為求婚姻生活有個好開始。從擇吉專家的角度來看,人的活動要與自然平衡和 諧,選擇吉日結婚的意義,就是讓成婚者尊崇自然,順從自然時序,從而讓成婚者一時好與百年好統一起來。如何找個宜嫁娶的吉時吉日呢?下面可以參考的,是一 些廣泛流傳的擇日基本原則。

结婚吉日

结婚吉日

一、日子選擇的通勝原則

這裏說的通勝即黃曆,或者稱作皇曆,是在中國農曆基礎上產生出來的,帶有許多表示當天吉凶的一種曆法。黃曆相傳是由軒轅黃帝創制,故稱為黃曆,民間又 俗稱為「通書」。但因通書的「書」字跟「輸」字同音,因避忌故又名通勝。黃曆主要內容為二十四節氣的日期表,每天的吉凶宜忌、生肖運程等。後經歷代先賢的 完善,對婚娶的日子有如下的原則:

1、大吉之年份

雙春

指在年頭及年尾有兩個“立春”之年。由於春有一年之始及開枝散葉的象徵意義,所以被認為特別宜嫁娶。

閏月

指該年在農曆中有閏月,即共有十三個月份。由於“閏”有滋潤、豐收之意,所以象徵夫妻有愛情滋潤,恩愛和睦。

雙春兼閏月

“雙春”和“閏月”都是宜嫁娶的年份,一年中既有“雙春”,又有“閏月”,自然喜上加喜了!

2、不宜結婚的年份日子

盲年

指整年沒有“立春”的日子,通常“雙春”的下一年就是“盲年”。不過“盲年”亦有吉日,所以基本上盲年結婚也無不可。

節日

避免一月,以免與過年這個大節相沖。避免陰氣極重的清明和盂蘭節,即三月和七月。

三娘煞

相傳月老不為三娘牽紅線,使她不能出嫁。基於報復心理,三娘喜與月老作對,專門破壞新人之喜事,故每月的三娘煞之日,即初三、初七、十三、十八、廿二 及廿七,便不宜結婚。

新人及親屬的生日

避開新人自己及雙方父母、未婚兄姐的生日。若雙親已經逝世,則避開其生忌、死忌。

喜沖喜或喪沖喜

一年內,家裏最好不要辦兩次婚禮。若家中有直系親屬辭世,該年便不宜辦喜事。

二、日子選擇的特殊原則

通勝吉日並非放諸四海皆准,因為個體是有差異的,嚴格來說還要考慮結婚者的出生時間。

一般而言需要遵循如下原則:

1、 用男、女雙方的出生日期時間推算出最吉利的婚嫁時日這個「吉日」必然是一個有「貴人」出現的日子,五行上適宜辦喜事、不能與男方的財星及女方的官星相沖 (財官多者例外)。

2、 所擇日子不與雙方家長的生辰八字相沖這個「吉日」至少不能與雙方父母八字的用神(需求五行)相沖,不能與雙方父母的食傷星相沖(食傷重者例外)。

3、所擇日子不與卦象相沖一些人不能確定自己準確的出生時間,只有通過占卦來確定日子,這個日子不能與卦象規定的官星日財星日相沖。

不過,話說回來,選擇結婚吉日並沒有想像中的那麼難。總體的原則是:日子要比月份重要,月份要比年份重要。盲年亦有吉日,所以,不必太在意所謂的盲年 之說,而無謂的把婚期拖後或者提前一兩年。

我們的建議是:首先根據你們設想的婚禮形式和當地的氣候特點選定結婚的季節。例如,若是想辦戶外婚禮,則要選在晴朗少雨、冷熱適宜的季節。同時,還需要考 慮親友參加婚禮的難易程度。如果有很多想邀請的親友都不在本地工作,則應該選擇在十一等長假。其次,還要考慮新人雙方的工作和學習情況,儘量避免在考試前 或者專案攻關階段籌辦婚禮,造成分心。最後,也不能忽視長輩們的意見。

2011年結婚吉日詳細列表

2011年結婚吉日詳細列表

2011年結婚吉日詳細列表