Prefer a Chinese wedding style? Then watch out, you foreign groom-to-be! The following Chinese wedding customs are what you should not ignore, or you’ll make a fool of yourself on Chinese wedding day.
Pick the bride up
Picking the bride up at her house is the high point of a Chinese wedding day. When you go to meet you Chinese bride at her house before taking her to the wedding ceremony, you must pass many tests of intelligence and strength. The most important test is to prepare red envelops with money and give them to your bride’s relatives and friends so that you can take your bride away.
At the wedding banquet
You and your bride drink a toast. It’s similar to foreign marriage customs. You each take a glass of wine and stand facing each other. Then, with your arms intertwined, drink each other's entire glass of wine. This means that the marriage has bonded the two tightly together.
Disturbing the nuptial chamber
The most interesting part of the Chinese wedding ceremony is the ‘disturbing the nuptial chamber.’ The relatives and friends of yours and your bride’s think up various kinds of funny shows or skits that you two must perform in front of everyone. Don’t feel embarrassed. This is just a Chinese way to wish you and your Chinese bride good luck.
Tips
On Chinese wedding day, Chinese people prepare a lot of candy and wine, which are respectively called ‘Joyful candy’ and ‘Joyful wine.’ So if you have a Chinese friend who is about to be get married, ask him/her ‘when can I eat your joyful candy?’ or ‘when can I drink your joyful wine?’ next time. Your friend must be very happy.