Filled with rituals that stem from ancient traditions, delicious food, and displays of elegance, Chinese weddings celebrate love in a unique and beautiful fashion. In this article we’ll explore ten of the most fascinating Chinese wedding traditions.
1. Engagement Ceremony
The Guo Da Li, or engagement ceremony, takes place two to four weeks before the wedding. Here, the families of the bride and groom decide on a favorable date for the ceremony. The bride’s family receive gifts from the groom’s family as a symbol that she will be well taken care of in her married life.
In some traditions, the Hui Li or ‘gifts in return’ take place on the same day as the Guo Da Li. This is where the bride’s family returns some of the presents to the groom as a sign of fairness in the relationship.
2. Wedding Dress
Unlike the flowing white wedding dresses of the West, traditional Chinese wedding dresses are finely embroidered, colorful silk dresses, traditionally sewn by the mother of the bride. These dresses date back to the 18th century Qing Dynasty. Because sewing such an intricate dress is quite a time-consuming endeavor, mothers sometimes make the first stitch only months after their daughter’s birth.
Some families include an extra ceremony in the days before the wedding, where the bride tries on the wedding dress for the first time.
3. Bai Tang Tea Ceremony
This beautiful ceremony traditionally takes place in the groom’s home. After the couple has fed each other tasty rice balls and longan or red date tea, the tea ceremony begins. The groom’s parents and then grandparents are served tea first followed by the bride’s parents and grandparents. The children receive their portions last. After the ceremony, a young boy will jump and roll a round on the couple’s bed to symbolize a marriage with children.
4. Century Eggs
The Qian Nian Xi is the traditional egg dish and a must-have at Chinese weddings. Although they’re not quite one hundred years old, they are preserved for a long time in a paste of tea, quicklime, and wood ash. The dish is a symbol of longevity and fertility, and is a yummy little addition to the wedding celebration
5. Red Envelopes
“Hongbao” are red envelopes filled with money and presented to the newlyweds to wish them luck and prosperity. Oranges wrapped in red paper and presented on a red plate add an additional lovely touch to this gift giving ceremony. Usually the red envelopes filled with money or expensive jewelry are presented to the couple by elderly couples who wish to pass on their wealth to the next generation. This is a perfect Chinese wedding tradition to include for your own special day.
6. Hair Combing Ceremony
Around midnight of the night before the wedding, the parents of parents of the bride and groom give their children a ceremonial hair combing. During the ceremony the moon shines through an open window, blessing the marriage. At the end of the ceremony a red ribbon is tied into the bride’s hair, while the groom is given one to put in his pocket.
7. Picking Up the Bride
On their way to pick up the bride, the groom joins an elaborate wedding parade. Lanterns, loud gongs, fireworks and large dancing puppets accompany the couple to the brides house. On arrival they have to complete a number of tasks.
These ‘heng dai’ or door games consist of silly dances or nasty tasting food that the groom must first eat before he can receive the hand of his bride. Sometimes the tasks can be quite difficult. For example, the groom and groomsmen must sing an original love song in multiple harmonies. These tricks symbolize that it should not be easy to take the daughter’s hand in marriage.
8. The Red Umbrella
It’s a popular Chinese superstition to believe that if the bride is escorted under a red umbrella, she will be protected from evil spirits. Often one of the bridesmaids holds the umbrella to ward off sinister attacks.
9. The Wedding Feast
You better believe it, the Chinese don’t mess around when it comes to putting on a festive, delicious wedding meal. You can expect a ten course meal, complete with fancy fish, rice and wine. Rice balls are an important part of the menu as they symbolize a long, happy life together. Throughout the evening special toasts are made wishing the couple luck and prosperity. There’s also not just one wedding banquet, but at least two, hosted separately by the groom and bride’s families. Although its rare, sometimes these multiple lavish meals take place over the course of a week.
10. New Family Ties
The day after the wedding, the bride is formally introduced to the family of the groom. Small gifts of welcome are given to the bride as she kneels before her new family.
On the third day after the wedding, the newlyweds visit their parents to pay their respects and offer special thanks for the wedding. After this, the bride is no longer considered a part of her family and is regarded as a guest in her parents’ home.
Officiate a Chinese-American Wedding Ceremony
Don’t miss the opportunity to officiate a Chinese-American wedding ceremony for one of your friends or family. You can get ordained online for free with a number of online organizations by just filling out a simple form that only takes a couple minutes to complete. We highly suggest getting ordained with American Marriage Ministries. Once ordained, you’ll have access to a library of information. At no extra cost you can learn all the aspects of wedding from writing your speech to filling out the marriage license.
These ten Chinese wedding traditions offer a glimpse into this culture’s unique customs. Maybe you feel inspired to include some of these ideas into your own wedding!
-Bernard Paul