Chinese Traditional Wedding

Chinese Traditional Wedding Summary Pre-Wedding

Pre-Wedding 1.Request for Marrying the Bride ( ) Bride ( ) matchmaker( ) matchmaker( ) negotiation (persuation) negotiation (persuation) between the two families between the two families 2.Request for Bride and Groom s Birth Dates( ) Groom s Birth Dates( ) eight letters( the year, eight letters( the year, month, day, and hour of the month, day, and hour of the groom and the brides birth) groom and the brides birth)

Pre-Wedding 3. Formal Gifts for the Bride's Family( ) Family( ) bridal cakes bridal cakes cash, wine, tobacco, cash, wine, tobacco, sacrifices for ancestors sacrifices for ancestors 4.Select the Wedding Date( 4.Select the Wedding Date( ) ) contacting with the fortune contacting with the fortune teller teller (according to the groom and (according to the groom and brides birthdates) brides birthdates)

Pre-Wedding 5.Set up the Bridal Bed( ) 5.Set up the Bridal Bed( ) moving the bridal bed to the right moving the bridal bed to the right place place place certain good fortune food place certain good fortune food and fruit on the bed and fruit on the bed untouched till the wedding day untouched till the wedding day

Pre-Wedding 6.Dowry( ) 6.Dowry( ) the bridal gift for the groom the bridal gift for the groom (arriving in the grooms home (arriving in the grooms home before the wedding day) before the wedding day) dowry list: dowry list: 24K gold or jewelries 24K gold or jewelries 1 pair of chopsticks to 1 pair of chopsticks to indicate fast son indicate fast son bed spread, pillows, quilt bed spread, pillows, quilt with dragon- phoenix design with dragon- phoenix design

Pre-Wedding lucky money (Li Shi) lucky money (Li Shi) maid (wealthy family) maid (wealthy family)

Pre-Wedding 7.Combing Hair( ) 7.Combing Hair( ) finding a good fortune woman and finding a good fortune woman and man with living children and spouse man with living children and spouse

Pre-Wedding combing the couples hair 4 times combing the couples hair 4 times first: from beginning to the end first: from beginning to the end second: harmony from now till old second: harmony from now till old age age third: sons and grandsons all over the third: sons and grandsons all over the place place fourth: good wealth and long-lasting fourth: good wealth and long-lasting marriage marriage

Wedding Day Activities 1.Hair-dressing for the Bride 1.Hair-dressing for the Bride dress up the brides hair dress up the brides hair tying up the hair in bun tying up the hair in bun (a style of married (a style of married woman) woman) auspicious words while auspicious words while dressing dressing 2.Fiesta in Honor of Ancestor (groom)( ) 2.Fiesta in Honor of Ancestor (groom)( )

Wedding Day Activities 3.Picking up the Bride 3.Picking up the Bride Chinese bridal Chinese bridal sedan chair( ) sedan chair( ) flower car( ) flower car( )

Wedding Day Activities 4.Setting of Fireworks 4.Setting of Fireworks 5.Door-opening Game 5.Door-opening Game the groom and the groomsmen the groom and the groomsmen will be block by brides a lot of will be block by brides a lot of tricky questions about the bride tricky questions about the bride pay Li Shi money to the pay Li Shi money to the bridesmaids bridesmaids (usually 999 dollars) (usually 999 dollars)

Wedding Day Activities 6.Tea Ceremony 6.Tea Ceremony serving tea to the superior serving tea to the superior in brides family in brides family (the couple) (the couple) Li Shi money in return Li Shi money in return (parents and relatives) (parents and relatives) 7.Red Head Covers 7.Red Head Covers red silk veil red silk veil

Wedding Day Activities 8.The Bride leaving home( ) 8.The Bride leaving home( ) red umbrella red umbrella (protecting the bride from (protecting the bride from evil spirit) evil spirit) throwing rice, beans throwing rice, beans (attracting attention of the (attracting attention of the golden chicken) golden chicken) the matchmaker will carry the matchmaker will carry the bride on her back the bride on her back

Wedding Day Activities the brides farewell is forbidden the brides farewell is forbidden Fan( ) Fan( ) receiving the fan receiving the fan throwing away the fan throwing away the fan (a farewell to the brides bad habits) (a farewell to the brides bad habits) spilling the water( ) spilling the water( )

Wedding Day Activities 9.Bride Arriving the Groom s Home( ) 9.Bride Arriving the Groom s Home( ) going across a bowl of fire( ) going across a bowl of fire( ) stepping the tile into pieces( ) stepping the tile into pieces( ) three bows three bows first bow to heaven and earth( ) first bow to heaven and earth( ) second bow to the parents( ) second bow to the parents( ) third bow to each other( ) third bow to each other( )

Wedding Day Activities bridal chamber( ) bridal chamber( ) sitting on the grooms pants sitting on the grooms pants (together with one heart, fertility) (together with one heart, fertility) exchange cups exchange cups

Wedding Day Activities 10.Chinese Wedding Banquet( ): 10.Chinese Wedding Banquet( ): roast sucking pig( virginity) roast sucking pig( virginity) fish (plentiful) fish (plentiful) noodles (long life) noodles (long life) sweet red bean soup with lian zi sweet red bean soup with lian zi ( )(sweet life, fertility) ( )(sweet life, fertility) tea (respect) tea (respect) alcohol (celebration) alcohol (celebration) 7-up (seven happiness) 7-up (seven happiness)

Wedding Day Activities retreating line ( ) retreating line ( ) (candies, tobaccos served by the couple) (candies, tobaccos served by the couple)

Post-Wedding 1.breakfast of the next morning 1.breakfast of the next morning 2.three days return visit 2.three days return visit

Dos and Donts 1.Li Shi Money 2.Dont give a fan (means apart) 3.one boy sleeping with the groom the night before wedding calls night before wedding calls 4.the mother-in-law and sister-in-law shouldnt face the door watching shouldnt face the door watching the bride walk in the bride walk in 5.certain people shouldnt attend wedding wedding

Chinese Wedding Invitation

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Thank You for Listening (Leah) & (Michelle)