For the Chinese people, the purpose of marriage is to continue the ancestral line and to form a union between two families. Over the years and as many things have changed so have Chinese wedding traditions that have managed to survive the changing world, however, there are still families who wish to include traditional practices in their wedding plans.
When deciding what day to hold their wedding day on a traditional Chinese couple is very choosy, to most couple it is of great importance to hold the ceremony on a day which is according to the lunar calendar, another important factor is make sure that the moon and stars are properly aligned on the chosen date. It is also customary for couples to be married on the half-hour on their wedding day rather than at the top of the hour, this way it ensures the couple begin married life together on an “upswing” while the hands of the clock move upwards rather than down.
The color red plays an important role in the wedding celebrations of the Chinese people. Red is considered by them as a bold and lucky color that will keep evil spirits away, it also signifies love, joy and prosperity and is used in many different ways in Chinese wedding traditions. Everything is red , wedding invitations, gift envelopes, even the bride and grooms homes will be decorated in red, traditionally the brides wedding dress is red, The traditional Chinese wedding dress in northern China usually is one-piece frock named Qi Pao, embroidered with elaborate gold and silver designs. Brides from southern China usually wear two-piece dress named Qun Gua, Kwa or Cheongsam, also elaborately adorned with golden phoenix and dragon. In the old days, a piece of red veil is part of the bride’s costume to cover her face during the wedding ceremony. Newlyweds would see each other’s face for the first time on their wedding night.In the ancient days, communication was done through letters which played a vital role in the betrothal and the organisation of thewedding. Three letters being sent during those times. First is the request letter which serves as a confirmation of the formal arrangement of marriage. This is sent by the groom’s family to the bride’s family along with gifts. The second letter is called the gift letter. It serves as a gift record that describes the value of each gift. The third one is the Wedding letter which is given to the bride’s family on the wedding day itself.
Before the wedding day a chinese bride will go into seclusion with her closest friends to symbolically mourn the loss of her family. Days before the wedding the grooms family carries wedding gifts in red boxes to the brides house, they will also take personel things for the bride so that on the day of the wedding all her personal belongings will be at the grooms house, one of the boxes will contain “uang susu” or ”milk money” Three days before the wedding the brides family will respond bearing gifts in wrapped in red for the grooms family.
On the big day itself the wedding is usually attended by immediate family and close friends, just after the ceremony and before the reception the bride will be serve tea to her new inlaws, the couple will then travel to a studio in a limo for professional photograhs to be taken.
The feast or wedding banquet is an important part during the wedding. Wedding banquets are to thank family and friends for the kindness they have shown throughout the years. Most feasts will serve a twelve course meal including delicacies like roasted pig and shark fin soup. Sometimes fried rice and abalone will also be served A post wedding ritual for Chinese wedding traditions happens after the day of the wedding. The bride should wake up early to honor her ancestors. On this day, the bride is formally introduced to the groom’s family, relatives and friends. Older relatives will be giving her small tokens. Three days after the wedding, the bride will visit her family where she is welcomed and received as a guest.
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