1. Chinese Weddings
Sarah Tkach
And
Sofia Kistler

2. Planning a wedding.
• Groom’s parents give gifts to bride’s family
• Choose wedding date according to Lunar
calendar
• They marry on the half an hour not at the top of
the hour
• The day must be a lucky day
• The families send out double happiness cakes to
tell everyone their child is getting married

3. The Betrothal
• A formal meeting between the parents
• Dragon and Phoenix cakes
• Engagement tokens
• This day means the bride and groom to be are
officially engaged

4. The day before the Wedding
• The bride is secluded from everyone
• The bride sleeps in the “cock loft” the night
before the wedding
• They install the bride’s new bed
• The bed is scattered with red dates, oranges,
lotus seeds, peanuts, pomegranates, and other
fruit

5. The wedding day
• The bride is bathed in order to cleanse her of evil
influences
• A “good luck” women comes to the house
• The women dresses the bride’s hair
• The bride is carried to a back room and is
dressed by all her closet friends
• After she is dressed she goes to met her parents
and wait for the bridal precession

6. Clothing
• The bride wears a donned jacket and skirt along
with red shoes and her face is covered in a red
veil
• The groom wears a DaGua or a black silk coat
over a blue robe with red shoes and a red silk
slash

7. Flowers
• They can include peonies, orchids, lotus and
daffodils.
• Peonies and daffodils symbolize spring and
renewal.
• Orchids symbolize love and fertility.
• Lotus symbolizes the four virtues: scent, purity,
softness and loveliness.

8. Procession from Groom’s house
• Firecrackers and loud drums start the
procession to go get the bride
• Groom is met by bride’s friends and they won’t
give her up until they are satisfied with the
money packets

9. Bride’s journey to Groom’s house
• The “good luck” women and friends look after
the Bride
• She is carried in a chair to the groom’s house
• Firecrackers are set off to scare away evil spirits

10. Nuptial Chamber
• They are sent here immediately after the
ceremony
• They are given wine and honey to drink
• The chamber is open to visitors for up to three
days
• The people usually come to visit and tease the
new couple

11. Dragon and Phoenix
• They symbolize harmony and portend a
balanced relationship
• The two symbols are rooted in Chinese myths
where the dragon stands for the Emperor.
• The Phoenix, with its magical powers and life-
giving song, stands at his side.

12. Citations
• http://www.chinabridal.com/etiquette.htm
• http://www.chcp.org/wedding.html
• http://www.983wedding.com/chinese/
• http://hudsonvalleyweddings.com/guide/chines
e.htm