Program Contents: Intro & Chinese Traditions
July 11th, 2008 @ 5:51 pm by Mrs. Cream Puff
Hi Everybody!
When I posted my programs awhile back, some of you were interested in reading about the various cultural stuff we’d included in them. First comes the intro and the Chinese traditions. Next time, I’ll post the Jewish traditions. Hope this helps some of you!
A Cultural Celebration
Our cultures are important parts of who we are as individuals and as a couple. It was very important to both of us to include symbolic Jewish and Chinese traditions in our wedding ceremony and reception. In the following pages, you will find explanations of these traditions.
Chinese Traditions
Earlier in the day, the families of the bride and groom participated in a traditional Chinese tea ceremony. The groom’s parents present the bride’s family with bao (bread buns) and wine, which is then split among the families. This symbolic gesture represents the two families coming together. The couple serves tea to their parents and older relatives as a sign of respect, whereupon the couple receives gifts of lai see (red envelopes).
In the bridal suite, the bride had her hair combed four times. The first combing symbolizes “from beginning to end.” The second combing means “harmony from youth through old age.” The third is a wish for many grandchildren. The fourth combing offers hope for wealth and a marriage that lasts a long, long time.
During the reception, the bride will change from her white wedding gown into a cheongsam (traditional red Chinese bridal dress). This signifies Sara’s support of Yorkey’s culture and family.
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3 Responses to “Program Contents: Intro & Chinese Traditions”
I had the fortune of attending a Chinese, Indian, and Jewish wedding all in the span of 3 month. I enjoyed learning more about each culture and observing the differences that made each celebration personal and unique. I think it’s a great idea!
Shannon
The Virtual Bridesmaid
http://blog.viddia.com
Your wedding is going to be SO beautiful and meaningful, especially with everyone being informed of all these details. I can’t wait to read what you write about the Jewish traditions!
One thing my brother and SIL did for their Orthodox Jewish wedding was send a lot of similar text by e-mail the week before the wedding (to the non-Orthodox guests)… that way everyone had an idea of what to expect and could feel a little more comfortable right when they got there. (They still had the info in their program, too, I think.)
Mrs. Cream Puff, San Francisco Bay Area
Age and Occupation: 25, Illustrator
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Merchandise Planner
Engagement Date: May 27, 2007
Wedding Date: August, 2008
Blogging Since: February 7, 2008
Venue: Ceremony at Crissy Field and Reception at the Green Room
About Me: I never dreamed about my wedding as a little girl because I was too busy playing in the mud or pretending to be Martha Stewart–but now that it's here, I'm having a fabulous time DIYing everything in sight! We’re planning a very fun multicultural wedding (I'm Jewish and Mr. Cream Puff is Chinese), filled with as many personal details as I can muster.
Great stuff! My fiance and I are both Chinese but I didn’t even think about incorporating information about the traditions that we’ll be including in the wedding — I’m now seriously thinking about it. I think it would be a nice touch since both of us and many of our friends attending the wedding are Chinese American and unfortunately a little removed from our roots.