Chinese Wedding Ceremony
Chinese wedding ceremony consists of many parts:
Although Chinese wedding ceremony customs vary from province to province and from region to region in China, there are some basic and common themes in the traditional Chinese wedding customs.
On the selected auspicious wedding date, the Chinese wedding bridegroom will depart with a troop of escorts and musicians, playing Chinese wedding ceremony music all the way to the bride's home. Lion dance and firecrackers are set off to ward off evil spirits and mark the joyous occasion.
Chinese wedding ceremony rituals
Chinese wedding ceremony rituals consist of bride and groom paying their respects at the altar to the heaven and earth and the groom's ancestors and witnessing by relatives and friends.
The climax of the Chinese wedding ceremony rituals is the "tea ceremony".The Chinese wedding couple have to serve tea to the elders of their families. The family elders will take their turns to be served tea by the Chinese wedding bride and groom. After drinking their tea, the family elders will give Chinese wedding bride and groom red packets containing money and offer their blessings.
Chinese wedding ceremony banquet
The Chinese wedding ceremony banquet or feast is conducted by the groom's family to relatives and friends. A grand Chinese wedding ceremony banquet will show off the groom's wealth. The Chinese wedding bride and groom relatives and friends will make celebratory toasts to the newlywed.
The newlywed couple will drink wedlock wine which cross their arms to sip the wine and then exchange their cups to gulp down. The Chinese wedding bride and groom will toast with guests to represent their gratitude.
Chinese wedding bridal bed
When the newlywed couple are finally alone in the Chinese wedding bridal room where the wedding bed is located, the groom may lift the red veil or a large embroidered handkerchief that cover over the bride's head.
Preparing the Chinese wedding bridal room:
Prior to the Chinese wedding bride and groom going to their wedding chambers at the wedding night, there are some preparations to be made since the Chinese wedding bed symbolises a great importance to the Chinese wedding bride and groom.
A woman that come from a blissful family may arrange the Chinese wedding bridal bed in the bridal chamber before the wedding day. Candies, lotus seeds and fruits which represent joy and good fortune are scattered around the Chinese wedding bridal bed. Children will be invited onto the Chinese wedding bridal bed to bless fertility of the couple.
Nobody is allowed to touch the Chinese wedding bridal bed until the newlywed couple enters the bridal chamber after the wedding ceremony.
