Modern Chinese Wedding Customs
Modern Chinese Wedding Customs is similar to traditional Chinese Wedding Customs except that it is more simplified and subdued.
Modern Chinese Wedding Customs also include
- registering the marriage with the marriage registrar
- fetching of bride by bridegroom with his entourage
- the "Tea ceremony"
- modern Chinese wedding ceremony banquet
- modern Chinese wedding bridal chambers
In more recent years, modern Chinese wedding custom has emerged and replaced the complex and traditional Chinese wedding customs. One of the modern Chinese wedding custom occurs before the tea ceremony.
When the bridegroom with his entourage arrives at the bride's house, the bridegroom are made to go through a series of obstacles or "tests" before the bridegroom can finally meet his bride.
Modern Chinese wedding custom: obstacles and tests faced by bridegroom
The bride is hidden in a room whereby her bridesmaids would try to prevent the groom and his bestmen from coming in to pick up the bride. The main front door of the bride is locked by her bridesmaids.
Before the bridegroom can pass through the front door, bridesmaids would "auction" off the bride , asking the groom to give red packets containing cash with digits of eight or nine.
The numeral eight symbolises luck and good fortune and number nine represent longevity.
The bridesmaids would also ask the bridegroom and his entourage to do silly tricks. When the bridesmaids are satisfied that the bridegroom has earned the right, they will then let the the bridegroom through.
Modern Chinese wedding ceremony banquet
Most of modern Chinese wedding ceremony banquet are held in ballrooms of hotels or high end Chinese restaurants. For Chinese, only after modern Chinese wedding ceremony banquet is conducted that the couple is considered married in the eyes of their relatives and friends.
Modern Chinese wedding ceremony banquet can consist of many tables as both the newlywed couple's relatives and friends are invited to mark the joyous occasion. An example of a modern Chinese wedding ceremony banquet is a ten course dinner.
Wealth and status of modern Chinese wedding ceremony banquet
The number of tables of the Chinese wedding ceremony banquet represent the level of wealth of the bridegroom.
The location of the Chinese wedding ceremony banquet indicate the status of the bridegroom.
The modern Chinese wedding ceremony banquet can last for a few hours feasting and drinking all night long. During this Chinese wedding ceremony banquet, the bride will change her bridal outfit several times throughout the ten course dinner banquet.
This changing of bridal outfits display to her her wealth and status to the guests. Performances and games are conducted during this modern Chinese wedding ceremony banquet. In return for the hospitatliy the newlywed couple has shown, the invited guests are obliged to give their blessings to the newlywed through red packets or envelopes containing cash.
Unlike in the West where guests bring wedding gifts to show their blessings, cash as wedding gifts is much more favored by Chinese as it is more practical.
Modern Chinese wedding bridal chambers
Hotels tend to provide a suite to the newly wed couple as part of the wedding package as modern Chinese wedding ceremony banquet are mostly held in ballrooms or restaurants in hotels.
Therefore the preparation of traditional Chinese wedding bridal chambers and the Chinese wedding bridal bed does not apply in modern Chinese wedding.
After a long tired night, the newly wed couple will retreat to their wedding suite for rest.
Another new modern Chinese wedding custom has emerged where the wedding guests will escort or sneak into the newly wed couple's room to play games and pranks. This celebration can last for several hours.
