Today, more interest is given to Asian cultures than ever before and more couples are looking for ways to infuse their Western ceremonies with Eastern elements. That's why many consider having a Chinese theme for their wedding.

Traditions

One of the most important parts of a Chinese wedding is the tea ceremony. Generally, the bride makes and serves tea to her parents on the day of the wedding and again tea is served after the ceremony to the groom's elder relatives. Family members are served in order of their age, but the groom's parents are served first. Serving tea is a sign of respect so the ceremony establishes the couple's respect for their relatives.

In exchange for the tea, the relatives place red envelopes which are considered “lucky” on the trays. Inside those envelopes is money – a gift to the new couple. The women who assisted in serving the tea also receive these lucky envelopes as well as blessings for their own happy marriage.

Rituals

Two important rituals that were part of Chinese weddings are the Hair Dressing and the Capping rituals. Before her wedding, brides are bathed in water containing pumelo juice, then puts on her new under garments, and waits for her hair to be fixed by a woman selected for the task because she was deemed to be lucky.

At the groom's house, he is also prepared for the wedding. After dressing in the appropriate attire, a cap made of cypress leaves is placed on his head.

Style

Chinese weddings are very formal even though not in the Western sense. Their culture has strict rules about the ceremony and how it should take place. Individuals in that culture are expected to adhere to those traditions. However, you have the freedom to choose how much of their wedding elements you incorporate into your wedding. You may want to remember that red is a prominent color in Chinese weddings because of its associations with good luck.

Decorations

Decorating for a Chinese wedding should definitely include plenty of red. Red table linens would be a great choice. Chinese lanterns would be a good choice for lighting, particularly for an outdoor wedding or reception. Dragon statues would make good centerpieces because they also represent good luck in China. You could also use planted bamboo as a centerpiece or decorate the floor with rugs made from bamboo.

Food

Food is, of course, definitely an important part of the wedding banquet, as it is called in China. In their culture, different foods have different meanings so certain dishes are better choices than others. Peking duck and lobster are a good combination because they represent balance and because the red color symbolizes good luck. Fish, shark fin soup, sea cucumbers, roast suckling pig, and similar dishes are also good choices.

Clothing

Because red is considered good luck, the traditional wedding attire is red not white. Both men and women not only wear red clothing but also red shoes. The bride also wears a red veil while the groom has a red sash. If you don't want to go completely red, choose red as an accent on your wedding gown, as the colors of your accessories, or as your bridesmaids' dresses.

Favor Ideas

One good idea for a wedding favor would be anything inscribed with the double happiness symbol which is prominent in weddings. You could also purchase small decorative Chinese take-out boxes (available in many stationery stores) and fill them with candy or other goodies that your guests can take home.