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Chinese Wedding Traditions

2009-08-09T20:51:00.000-07:00

Complete Guide to Chinese Wedding

Chinese wedding culture is a vital part of Chinese tradition. Many rituals and customs have been lost in course of history, but many are observed even today. It is practiced in honor of family value and respect to committed relationship, the holly marriage.

We offer this printer-friendly version of a complete guide to Chinese wedding in hope you could print it and read it at your convenience. Blue color text is hyperlinks which will leads to that particular ritual or product and service.

Chinese Wedding Customs and Rituals Before the Wedding

Proposal & Betrothal

In Chinese Culture, a marriage is considered the joining of two families. Thus the parents of the bride's and groom's get involved in their wedding planning from very early on. Two families pick an auspicious date as the Betrothal Day. This is a formal meeting between the parents of the perspective bride and groom. The groom's family presents various proposal gifts that represents fertility and prosperity in Chinese culture, which is also known as "Grand Gift" or "Guo Da Li". All gifts should come in even numbers, meaning "good things double" in Chinese culture. Thus, the two are considered officially engaged.

Chinese Wedding Cakes

After the betrothal meeting, both families will make wedding announcement to their relatives and friends by sending out "Double Happiness Cakes" along with wedding invitations. This is the Chinese style wedding cakes also known as "Dragon & Phoenix Cakes". These are baked cake with dragon and phoenix imprint on the surface. Some styles have fillings made of lotus seed paste, red bean paste or green bean paste.

The wedding cakes are usually presented to the bride's family by the groom's family as part of the proposal gift. Bride's family will then present some of the cakes to worship their ancestors and send the rest of cakes to friends and relatives along with wedding invitations. Quantity of cakes to be sent depends on seniority of guest or relationship with the family. Nowadays, the wedding cakes are usually served to the guests at the wedding instead of the western style wedding cakes.

Chinese Wedding Dowry

The bride's family then prepares dowry and give a list of the dowries to the groom's family. Dowry is mostly composed of daily necessities for the new home, such as bedding, linen and dining set, etc. In the old Chinese culture, girls start learning needle work at young age, and prepare plenty of shoes, socks, table cloth etc, as part of her dowry. This is also an opportunity for the bride's family to display their love for their daughter as well as their wealth.

Bridal Bed Setting (An Chuang) Ritual.

A few days before the wedding, the bride's family send dowry to the groom's family, or the couple's new home nowadays. The groom's family will invite a respected female relative or friend to "set the bridal bed" at the new home. In some part of China in the old days, a unmarried young boy will be invited to sleep in the bridal bed the night before the wedding to bring fertility to the newlyweds.

Chinese Wedding Decorations

The two families decorates the bridal house and the reception site for the upcoming wedding ceremony. Lots of lively colors, red in particular, is used in Chinese wedding decoration. Red banners used for wedding is called "happiness banners", which is an essential part of the wedding decorations. It's decorated on both sides of the doors of the newlywed's home and the reception site. The Chinese writing on the banners are rhythmic poem praising the adorable couple and the perfect marriage.

Papercut of Double Happiness, dragon and phoenix are widely used at Chinese wedding.

Wedding Day Ceremony

In the morning of the wedding day, "hair dressing" (Shang Tou) ritual is performed for the bride. A "good luck woman", woman with living parents, spouse and children, will come to help dressing up the bride's hair. The woman should also say auspicious words while tying up her hair in a bun, a style of married woman. The groom's family perform "capping" (Jia Guan) ritual for the groom at their home. These rituals in Chinese culture symbolize that they are entering adulthood.

Chinese Wedding Door Game

Then the groom sets out to the bride's home, and he will inevitably be blocked at her door by her friends, and the bridesmaids will play door game with the groom and his attendants.

Door game originated from ancient time which implies that the bride is a lovely girl and her family and friends do not want to marry her away. The groom will be blocked at the bride's door, and her friends will try to stop him from entering by asking questions about the bride, a way to test if he really cares about her. They may also do other tricks to delay the bride's leaving. The groom will try to buy his way in by presenting "Li Shi", token money wrapped in red envelops. Door game is a joyous and good-natured "bargain" game essential in Chinese wedding.

When the bride finally goes out to ascend the car, a bridesmaid will hold a red umbrella over her head, meaning "raise the bark, spread the leaves." Other relatives will scatter rice, red bean and green bean on her. The red umbrella protects the bride from evil spirit, and the rice and beans are to attract the attention of the gold chicken.

When the bridal sedan, equivalent of motorcade nowadays, arrives the groom's home, firecrackers and music with gongs and drums greets the bride. The bride will leap over a iron basin with lit charcoal inside. It is a ritual to bring prosperity and keep evils away.

Chinese Wedding Tea Ceremony

Then at the official ritual that equals to the wedding vow in western wedding, the newlyweds kneel three times, to the heaven and earth, to the ancestral tablets and their parents, then to each other. The kneeling part has been replaced with bowing in modern Chinese wedding. The bride then present tea to the parents and relatives in sequence of seniority. Those who receive the tea usually give the bride gifts such as jewelry or Li Shi money wrapped in red envelope. Thus it's the end of the ritual and the wedding proceeds to the banquet venue.

Chinese Wedding Food

Certain types of food are commonly served at the Chinese wedding banquet, which include fish, roast suckling pig, pigeon, chicken cooked with red oil, lobster and desert bun with lotus seeds stuffed inside. The pronunciation of fish is the same as "abundance", meaning the newlyweds will have plentiful of wealth. Roast suckling pig is usually served whole, a symbol of the bride's purity (virginity). Pigeon implies peaceful future. Chicken also means phoenix, cooked in red oil to symbolize the wish for a prosperous life ahead for the newlyweds. Lobster is literally called "dragon shrimp" in Chinese. Having lobster and chicken together at wedding banquet indicates that the dragon and the phoenix are hormones together, and the Yin and Yang elements in this family is balanced.

Most oriental caterers can give you an idea of the menu.

Chinese Wedding Dress

The color red is considered good luck, a strong color that can drive away evil spirits. The traditional Chinese wedding dress in northern China usually is one-piece frock named Qi Pao, embroidered with elaborate gold and silver designs. Brides from southern China usually wear two-piece dress named Qun Gua, Kwa or Cheongsam, also elaborately adorned with golden phoenix and dragon.

In the old days, a piece of red veil is part of the bride's costume to cover her face during the wedding ceremony. Newlyweds would see each other's face for the first time in their lives at their wedding night.

In modern Chinese wedding, the bride changes dresses at least 3 times at the wedding day. She would start with western style white wedding gown for a church for civil ceremony. Then at the tea ceremony, she would change to traditional Chinese bridal dress, which she will wear to the reception too. Before the end of the banquet, she would change into a cocktail dress, and great the guests, and then see them off at the door, thus this dress is also called "Song Ke" (See Guests Off) dress.

Chinese Wedding Night Ritual

The night of the wedding, the bridal room will lit dragon and phoenix candle to drive away the evil spirit. This is a Chinese version of unity candle. The newlyweds will drink wine from two cups tied together with a red string, arms crossed from each other. This is the formal wedding vow in Chinese culture. Then the bride will be offered dumplings that's boiled half-raw. The pronunciation of "raw" is the same as giving birth to children, a indication of family prosperity.

Post-wedding Customs

The next morning of the wedding, the bride should get up early and make a meal for the groom's family to demonstrate that she is well-nurtured. Three days after the wedding, the groom and bride will go back to visit the bride's parents.

Chinese Wedding Ceremony - Awesome video clips here

Christian wedding ceremony

2009-08-09T20:48:00.001-07:00

This outline covers each of the typical elements of a Christian wedding ceremony. It is designed as a guide for planning and understanding each aspect of your Christian wedding. I've tried to include every possible element in a Christian ceremony, however, not all of these must be incorporated into your service, nor do they have to occur in this order. You may choose to add your own personal touches that give special meaning to your commitment as a couple.

Your Christian wedding ceremony can be personally designed, but it should also be an expression of worship, reflecting joy, celebration, community, respect, dignity and love. The Bible gives no specific pattern or order of service to define exactly what should be included, so there is room for your creativity. A primary goal should be to give each guest a clear impression that you, as a couple, have made a solemn, eternal covenant with each other before God. Your Christian wedding ceremony should be a testimony of your lives before God, demonstrating your Christian witness.

Islamic Wedding Ceremony Format

2009-08-09T20:34:00.000-07:00

Here are two suggested examples of formats that were used during recent wedding ceremonies. It is by no mean obligatory or necessary to use them in this order, form or shape. It can be done in the name of God and His blessing in any format that suit each couple and each community.

(1)

I seek refuge in GOD, from Satan the rejected

In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Peace be upon you.

Person doing marriage service:

We are gathered here to witness the marriage of Mr………. and Ms……

Marriage, like all of God’s provisions is a sign and a gift for us:

“Among His proofs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves, in order to have tranquility and contentment with each other, and He placed in your hearts love and care towards your spouses. In this, there are sufficient proofs for people who think. ” [30:21]

This gift is thankfully accepted, for God tells us:

… “The more you thank Me, the more I give you….” [14:7]

Bride :

God, I thankfully and joyfully accept this gift from God of …….as my husband.

Groom :

God, I thankfully and joyfully accept this gift from God of ………as my wife.

Person doing marriage service, as he lights candle:

“GOD is the light of the heavens and the earth. The allegory of His light is that of a concave mirror behind a lamp that is placed inside a glass container. The glass container is like a bright, pearl-like star. The fuel thereof is supplied from a blessed oil-producing tree, that is neither eastern, nor western. Its oil is almost self-radiating; needs no fire to ignite it. Light upon light. GOD guides to His light whoever wills (to be guided). GOD thus cites the parables for the people. GOD is fully aware of all things. “[24:35]

Husband and wife together:

God, take our will and our life.
Guide our marriage.
Show us how to live.

Our best wishes to the couple.

(2)

[1:1] In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

[1:2] Praise be to GOD, Lord of the universe.
[1:3] Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
[1:4] Master of the Day of Judgment.
[1:5] You alone we worship; You alone we ask for help.
[1:6] Guide us in the right path:
[1:7] the path of those whom You blessed; not of those who have deserved wrath, nor of the strayers.

[30:21]. Among His proofs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves, in order to have tranquility and contentment with each other, and He placed in your hearts love and care towards your spouses. In this, there are sufficient proofs for people who think.

Love has given you wings,
and your journey begins today,
(Bride) and (Groom), wherever the wind may carry you,
you will stay side by side, day after day.

Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter for the other.

Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other.

Now there will be no loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other.
Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you.

May God’s blessings surround you both in the journey ahead and through all the years, May happiness be your companion, on this earth and in the Hereaftre, and your days together be good , righteous and long upon the earth.

Officiant:

I ask you now in the presence of God and this congregation to declare your intent.

Will you, (Bride), have this man to be your husband, to live together in a holy marriage?Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?

Bride: I will

Officiant:

Will you, (groom), have this woman to be your wife, to live together in a holy marriage?Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?

Groom: I will

The Blessing of the Rings;

The wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond which unites two loyal hearts in endless love. It is a seal of the vows (groom) and (bride) have made to one another. Bless O God these rings, that (bride) and (groom), who give them, and who wear them, may ever abide in thy peace. Living together in unity, love and happiness for the rest of their lives

The Exchange of rings:

(bride’s name), I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you. In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. With this ring, I thee wed.

(groom’s name), I give you this ring as a symbol of our vows, and with all that I am, and all that I have, I honor you. In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. With this ring, I thee wed.

Declaration of Marriage:

In as much as you have each pledged to the other your lifelong commitment, love and devotion, I now pronounce you husband and wife, In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful.

Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.

“Our Lord, direct us to appreciate the blessings You have bestowed upon us and upon our parents, and to work righteousness that pleases You. Let our children to be righteous as well “(46:15),

“…and admit us an honorable admittance and let us depart an honorable departure. Grant us from You a powerful support “(17:80).

“…and shower our parents with Your mercy for they have raised us from infancy” (17:24).

“Our Lord, let our spouses and our children be a source of joy for us, and keep us in the forefront of the righteous” (25:74).

“Grant us what you promised us through Your messengers and do not forsake us on the Day of Resurrection. You never break a promise “(3:194).

God bless you and Congratulation.

Wedding Ceremony

2009-07-24T02:10:00.001-07:00

A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of wedding vows by the couple, presentation of a gift (offering, ring(s), symbolic item, flowers, money), and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority figure or leader. Special wedding garments are often worn, and the ceremony is followed by a wedding reception. Music, poetry, prayers or readings from Scripture or literature also may be incorporated into the ceremony.

The chance to write all or part of your wedding ceremony is a marvelous gift. It causes you to take stock of your relationship, discover what is most important to you, and find a way to convey that through original words, literature, and song. It's an exercise that takes hard work, but they payoff can be enormous, bringing the two of you even closer together.

Start off by reading A Sample Wedding Ceremony and Order of Service. It will help you understand the different elements you'll need to include, and give you one way of organizing them.

Next, you'll probably want to write your own wedding vows. Check out my article 6 Easy Steps to Writing Your Own Wedding Vows, and look at some examples for inspiration.

Next, consider your wedding readings, which can come from your favorite books, The Bible or other religious texts, or even something a friend has written. We've got an entire Library of Wedding Readings here.

Music is an important part of most rituals, and a wedding is no exception. We've given you some examples of wedding ceremony music here. You might also consider some contemporary and secular wedding ceremony music.