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The beauty of Chinese wedding traditions lie in their meaning. Learn about these 12 Chinese wedding customs so you can incorporate them in your Asian-American wedding.
- Double Happiness Symbol. Pronounced shuāngxǐ, the double happiness symbol is one of the most recognizable icons incorporated in Chinese weddings. "The Double Happiness character is very aptly named—it's made of two connected copies of the character xi, which means 'happiness.'
- Auspicious Colors. Red and gold are the two colors most frequently used in color palettes for Chinese weddings. "Across all of Chinese tradition, red is by far and large the most popular color at all major celebrations, including weddings," explains Valente.
- Gate Crashing and Door Games. "The beginning of the wedding ceremony often begins first with collecting the bride. The groom and his groomsmen will travel to the bride's house, where sometimes a tea ceremony is performed in order to pay homage to the bride's family, before everyone heads over to the groom's family's house for their own tea ceremony," explains Valente.
- Tea Ceremony. "The tea ceremony is one of the biggest components in a traditional Chinese wedding," explains Bishop. "Once this is done, it is a sign of marriage in the eyes of Chinese tradition.
4 Differences between Chinese and American Weddings. 1. Wedding Day Ceremonies. While American weddings include a reception, exchange of vows, and dinner, Chinese weddings are broken down with a series of events throughout the day.
- The Betrothal. Known as the Guo Da Li, the groom will present betrothal gifts (gold jewelry, dragon and phoenix wax candles, tea leaves and sesame seeds, wine or brandy, etc.)
- Choosing the Wedding Date. The date of the wedding ceremony isn’t chosen by chance. “Many couples consult with a fortune teller, Chinese monk, or Feng Shui master to choose an auspicious date to bring success to their marriage,” shares Froelich.
- The Invitation. The Chinese wedding invitation is typically red with gold lettering and bears the Double Happiness symbol. Inside, it’ll include dates for the wedding banquet, order of birth, and names of the bride, groom, and respective parents.
- Preparing the Marriage Bed. The An Chuang usually takes place on an auspicious day and time, two to three days before the wedding. “This tradition is carried out by a female relative of good fortune—one with parents, husband, children, and grandchildren—where the bed will be dressed in new red color beddings and pillows with a mix of dried fruits and nuts such as longans, persimmons, and red dates,” explains Yu.
- American difference: Wedding-related costs. My American girlfriends lament about being in the wedding party, as bridesmaids generally pay for their own dresses, hair, makeup and airfare.
- American difference: Banquets. Dinner for an American wedding is typically a three-course affair with an appetizer, entree and wedding cake.
- American difference: Cash gifts, not registry gifts. Cash is king in Chinese culture. We exchange envelopes of it for Chinese New Year and the same red envelope is a most practical wedding gift.
- American differences: Guest list length. An American wedding with more than 100 guests is considered a large affair. For Chinese weddings, the newlyweds can expect easily twice as many people.
Joining cultures in preparation for the big day is a very common experience among many Asian Americans planning their weddings. That's why these experts are sharing their best tips to make your day go as seamlessly as possible.
December 09, 2023. A Chinese wedding is a beautiful tapestry of ancient traditions, symbolisms, and a rich cultural heritage. The act of committing to another person is something that is considered a huge step, so nothing is left to chance.
