My Big Day Journey - Part 3

Wedding Taboos (婚礼禁忌)

A Chinese wedding has many traditions, taboos and rules.

These restrictions are to avoid clashing of good fortune of the couple and their families.

Normally is up to individual couple and parents to decide whether possible to practice all the taboos.

Wedding Day Process (大喜之日)

After 1 year of planning….

Finally My Wedding Day has comes.

27 December 2014.

Wake up 2 hours early before the makeup artist arrives to depuff the face.

Clean up and prepare for my Big Day.

  

SETTING OFF (出门)

Before setting off to bride’s house, the groom needs to pray to the gods & ancestors and bow to his parents 3 times.

Groom’s parent will walk him to the bridal car.

The groom leaves the house with 12 oranges and a ‘Diaper’ red packet for his mother-in-law.

When the groom left, his father will coordinate with bride’s family to light the dragon and phoenix candles together.

FETCHING THE BRIDE (接新娘)

Upon reaching the bride’s house, car horns will be sounded to signify the arrival of the groom.

The bride’s brother will stand by with 2 oranges to open the car door for the groom.

A ‘Door’ red packet will be given to him for his effort.

Then, groom & groomsmen will face the gate-crashing game set by bridesmaid.

Successfully passing the tests, the groom gets to meet the bride and unveils her with a kiss.

After that, tea ceremony for the bride’s family will take place.

The couple need to bow 3 times to the bride’s parents before leaving to the groom’s house.

The bride’s father will escort his daughter to car using a red umbrella (symbolize good shelter).

When leaving, the bride needs to throw the red hand fan away.  

ENTERING GROOM’S HOUSE (过门)

Upon arrival, the groom’s family members will need to go into the rooms as the couple enters the house.

Traditionally, this meant to prevent direct clashes between the bride and groom’s family.

They will re-enter the living room after the couple goes into a room.

The couple will come out and the tea ceremony will take place.

  

TEA CEREMONY (敬茶)

Traditionally, the couple required serving tea kneeling down.

Nowadays, only requires them to bow while serving tea.

The bride's dowry tea set was used for the ceremony.

The groom's sister/ relative will assist in pouring the tea and washing the cups with hot water.

Any sweet tea symbolizes sweetness in the new union.

Types of Tea often serve:-

       Lotus seeds red dates tea (莲子红枣茶)

  (Symbolize couple will bear children quickly and continuously)

       Longans red dates tea (龙眼红枣茶）)

  (The longan represents a "dragon" and the wish for having male children)

Opps…I guess that you all had spot the mistake.

We are standing in the wrong direction.

All of us are “Gan Jiong” until we did not notice of our mistake.

Hahaha…

Anyway, by right should be…

The bride will stand at the right of groom.

The elder male sits facing the bride while elder female sits facing the groom.

Start with Groom’s parents >>> grandparents >>> granduncles & grandaunts

>>> uncles and aunts >>> elder siblings & cousins.

Finally, younger siblings & cousins will serve tea to the groom and bride.

The elder relatives will give their blessings by giving them jewellery or red packets.

Unmarried elder siblings will not present the couple with gifts after drinking tea.

The groom and bride will present gifts to the younger siblings and cousins who serve them tea.

After the tea ceremony, the couple is served with ‘Tang Yuan’ in their bedroom.

This practice is known as 结房圆.

A young boy was invited to roll on couple’s bed, to wish them a life blessed with children.

At the end of the ceremony, the groom will give the helper a red packet.

  

WEDDING BANQUET (宴席)

Normally, wedding banquet will be held same day as wedding day.

The event usually starts at 7.30pm for guest registration and cocktail session.

Bride will start for makeup and dress up around 4pm.

Couple’s family member, groomsmen and bridesmaid will standby at the banquet venue earlier around 6pm for set up, make sure all items needed for the event was brought, test sound system and projector, register incoming guest and usher guest to the assigned table.

Wedding Rundown
The link below are my wedding rundown for your reference.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4-n1EGROY6PN3lEUWFmSUdSbkU/view?usp=sharing


Table Arrangement

Once the dinner start, the couple will march in to the VIP table.

Then, follow by banquet food presentation.

After that, there will be 2^nd march in (stop at the 4^th dish) for cake cutting and toasting.

Next, the couple will go around table to table for toasting.

Finally, there will be photograph session and thanks the guest for coming.

  

BRIDE’S HOME VISIT (三朝回门)

Olden days, the bride’s home visit was done 3 days after the wedding ceremony.

Nowadays, all is simplified. The modern ceremony processes are all compressed into one day event.

The couple cannot go back empty handed.

Items as return gifts such as red packet, roast pig 烧猪, candies, tangerines or mandarin oranges 橘子

The couple need to bring back the roast pig head and tail.

Sweet soup with lotus seeds, dried longan, red dates and rice balls will be served to wish the couple a sweet harmonious marriage.

DAY AFTER THE WEDDING (大喜之后)

The bride awakes early to pray the ancestors.

Then, will formally introduce to the groom’s relatives and friends.

As she kneels before each of the older relatives, she receives a small gift.

The bride’s parents-in-law gave her a title according to her husband’s seniority in the family hierarchy.

Finally, check and pack all the goods that need to be return to vendor.

Settle any outstanding payments.