I was recently asked to assist in the entertainment aspect of a traditional Chinese wedding to be held in California. The wedding story is quite romantic. The groom had been waiting three years for his bride to arrive from China so he could marry her. He wanted to pull out all the bells and whistles and make it a most memorable day.
Little did I know I was about to get an education on Chinese traditions when it comes to weddings. There are several issues to consider when assisting in planning a Chinese wedding. Tons of information can be found on wedding internet sites like www.theknot.com.
There are several important aspects to consider but here are just few I came across during the planning:
Color - Red is the color that you are most likely to see at a Chinese wedding. Not only does red symbolize love but it is a lucky color and signifies happiness and prosperity. We took a simple and beautiful ballroom and used lighting, linens and floral to create a red atmosphere.
BEFORE
AFTER
Numbers - Numbers are also an important aspect of Chinese weddings. Even numbers are considered lucky. Keep in mind numbers when it comes to all aspects of the wedding; date and time of wedding, number of meal courses, seating arrangements, number of dances and much more. I was told by the groom that the number 5 is especially an unlucky number, although I was unable to find any of that in my internet research.
Time and Dates - Wedding ceremonies typically take place on the half hour, for example 3:30 PM. The reason behind this tradition is to start the marriage on an upward swing, also believed to be lucky. An upward swing means they hands of the clock are moving in an upward manner towards the twelve as opposed to downwards towards the six. Choosing a wedding date is also an important aspect for traditional Chinese weddings. An auspicious date is chosen, typically by a "lucky" person. This auspicious date is chosen by using the bride and groom's birth date and times as well as the Chinese calendar. Usually even months and days are chosen. July (month seven) is typically avoided for Chinese weddings.
Entertainment - Chinese lion dance is a popular and easy option for Chinese weddings in the US. My client also requested ballroom dancers (two couples, not three for lucky reasons), a belly dancer, harpist, DJ and a balloon drop to fall immediately after the ceremony.
Here are some images from the wedding:
(DJ Set up)
(Harpist)
Make sure you do your research when planning a cultural wedding. Tradition, religion and customs play a huge role in weddings of all kinds!
References:
http://www.983wedding.com/chinese/
Local Traditional Chinese Wedding. Edited by Robert Lam Ping-fai. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Museum of History, 1986.
http://www.chcp.org/
