Story | Mario Fung
In Chinese culture, there is a saying known as “The Four Beauties”—auspicious timing, beautiful scenery, delighted hearts and joyful events.
A wedding is a perfect embodiment of these ideals. Meanwhile, in the West, people are familiar with the tradition of “something new, something old, something borrowed, something blue.”
Despite the differences in traditions and cultures, the expectations for happiness and the modern wedding are remarkably similar, blending Eastern and Western elements.
Nowadays, many weddings opt for a fusion of East and West elements in their form. The brides choose to wear white wedding gowns during the ceremony, and typically don a red dress during the morning rituals. Both Eastern and Western wedding cultures have their own unique characteristics. Creating a distinctive wedding can involve cleverly incorporating ideas from various aspects.
Taking preparations of the wedding as an example, traditional Chinese weddings have the blessed day and the engagement ceremony, while in Western weddings, the Gift Registry process stands out as particularly special.
Blessed Day
Selecting the wedding date marks the beginning of a Chinese-style wedding. Traditionally, it’s believed that a good day brings a happy marriage. The couple consults the Chinese almanac for auspicious wedding dates, taking into account their birthdays, Chinese zodiac sign and ensuring they don’t clash with any important dates. Some couples may also consult geomancers and fortune tellers for an auspicious date.
Engagement
Engagement, a significant pre-wedding ritual in Chinese tradition, is held on an auspicious day two months to two weeks before the wedding. The groom’s family presents betrothal gifts and money to the bride’s family, symbolizing the groom’s formal proposal. Acceptance of these gifts signifies the bride’s acceptance of the proposal, and in return, the bride’s family may reciprocate with half of the gifts as a gesture of goodwill. Following this, the couple may announce their engagement by sending out invitations.
Gift Registry
Regarding gifts, the tradition of Western weddings involves the couple creating a gift registry, giving guests the opportunity to choose gifts that suit the couple’s needs according to their own financial capabilities. This practice is thoughtful and practical. Nowadays, couples typically announce their gift registry on a webpage specifically set up for the wedding.
The wedding day is naturally a big day for newlywed couples and their families. In Chinese traditional, rituals such as the departure of the bride and the tea ceremony are observed, while in Western weddings, there are events like the bride’s first look and the first dance.
Departure
The bride’s departure from her parental home is a ceremonious occasion. Her sisters and family members may challenge the groom to prove his love for the bride. Only after passing these challenges can the groom take the bride away. The bride is shielded by a red umbrella as she departs, while others throw rice, red beans and green beans at the umbrella, symbolizing the dispelling of evil spirits and wishing the bride a smooth departure.
Tea Ceremony
The tea ceremony, known as “serving tea,” is a gesture of gratitude to the elders. Before leaving her parental home, the bride serves tea to her elders. After entering the groom’s home, the couple serves tea to the elders of the groom’s family. Besides parents, the couple also serves tea to other respected elders. In return, elders often give red envelopes or gold jewellery, blessing the couple and wishing them a happy marriage.
First Look
One of the most important moments in a Western-style wedding is when the groom sees the bride in her wedding dress for the first time. This moment is often carefully arranged in a private and quiet setting, where the bride approaches the groom from behind and taps his shoulder. As the groom turns around, he sees the beauty of the bride in her wedding dress for the first time. This moment marks the beginning of a new identity and a new life for the couple.
First Dance
The newlyweds, or the bride with her father, typically dance the first dance at the reception, opening the festivities. This moment showcases the sweetness and romance between the couple, or the touching and heartfelt emotions between father and daughter, in front of the guests, fully expressing the importance of family and the significance of love and affection.
In multicultural Canada, the fusion of Eastern and Western cultural elements creates unique weddings that blend tradition and modernity, as well as the beauty of both the East and the West. It’s a celebration of joy upon joy, and beauty upon beauty.
