The Diversity of Indian Weddings

In a recent post I discussed some Chinese wedding traditions. Tonight I will be attending a wedding educational program at the Mark Hopkins Hotel, sponsored by the many members of San Francisco NACE.

Click here for more information.

http://sanfrancisconace.net/meetinginfo.php?id=65

Hope to see you there!

Ferry Building Wedding

May 8, 2010 was a beautiful day in San Francisco!!! Clear and sunny with a gentle breeze....the perfect day to get married.  Another perfect wedding by Amy Nichols Special Events.

Located on the waterfront, The Ferry Building offers a unique site for weddings and receptions. The famous clock tower is a San Francisco icon. On the first floor the Ferry Building Marketplace shops large and small celebrate food in all its forms, offering everything from artisan cheeses to the freshest meats and sea foods. Just makes you feel guilty walking through there. Oh...did I mention they have chocolate?? 

The second floor is where the event space is located. Open ceilings reveal the architecture of this historic landmark building. The high ceilings, open views to the artisan food vendors below and the tile floor with a striking mosaic of the Great Seal of the State of California, makes it the perfect site for special events.

With family and friends coming from around the country, choosing the band was an important decision for the bride and groom, and their families. I had a great time helping them through the process of choosing the perfect band. They decided on David Martins House Party! And boy, did they make the right choice!!

David Martin's House Party is a high energy special event dance band and concert act" - featuring 9 musicians and our proprietary character dancers. They have been doing special events for over 19 years, here in Northern California and all over the U.S.

Photo Credits: Julie Mikos

The strengths of DMHP's presentation are the musical variety with a vast repertoire of over 500 songs, the musicianship and the extreme care for their clients. The band can tailor their show to all generations in one action packed evening. 

Here are some of the event photos :

 

Photo Credit: Amy Nichols Special Events

Amy Nichols Special Events - Holman Ranch

Amy and her crew did it again! Another beautiful and successful wedding! Included in this post are some of my favorite photos from the wedding!

The setting: Holman Ranch in beautiful Carmel Valley.

 

 










The event was a smashing success. Guests from around the world ate, drank and danced the night away. Platinum Status kept the dance floor going. Visit PS on our website: Platinum Status.

Photo Credits: Joshua Snively

Traditional Chinese Weddings

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/

http://chinese.weddings.com/articles/ancient-chinese-wedding-customs.aspx