Wedding customs and traditions

[shadow8899]

American Chinese weddings are a combination of chinese and american customs. However, west coast and east coast American Chinese also differ somewhat. On top of that, there are different traditions depending on which part of China you are from. Also, it depends on if you want to keep more of the chinese or american traditions. About a month before the wedding, there is the gift exchanging ceremony. The grooms family will bring a whole pig to the bride's house with a bunch of other gifts including coconuts, cakes, buns, dim sum and money. The bride's family will then give gifts in return, including a suit for the groom, other food items and the head, tail and feet from the pig.

Sometimes, there is a ceremony during the day either at a church or some other venue. Here, the bride usually wears a white gown. The seeing the bride before the wedding is up to the bride and groom, as is the something old, something new. If they choose the ceremony route.

If the bride and groom choose not to see each other, one of the ushers will deliver the door opening money to the bride's side sometime in the morning. If they choose to see each other, the groom and his entourage will arrive at the bride's house where they go through a series of games and tasks and pay to buy their way in.

Usually between the ceremoney and the banquet, there will be a tea ceremony, where the bride and groom present tea to their elders. The elders will give them jewelry and red envelopes.

Following there is a banquet, the bride usually stays in the white until after the first couple of course, where she will change into a traditional kwa (chinese wedding outfit) or a cheung sam. After this change of clothing, the bride and groom and their families will go around toasting all the guests at their tables. After the toast, the bride changes again into an evening gown. Most weddings these days will have a dance floor with a DJ similar to American weddings.

Traditionally, the groom's family pays for the wedding, these days, the cost can be split between the families or the bride and groom may pay for it if they have the means. Also, paying for the wedding usually decides who has more control over the wedding.

[KeongJai]

The father of the bride pays. Or used to.