Chinese Wedding Custom Part I

We just had our Guo Da Li (Proposal & Betrothal) last Friday, and it was a busy day filled with Chinese Customs and random stuffs.

*Fun Facts*

“In Chinese Culture, a marriage is considered the joining of two families.  Thus the parents of the bride’s and groom’s get involved in their wedding planning from very early on.  Two families pick an auspicious date as the Betrothal Day.  This is a formal meeting between the parents of the perspective bride and groom. The groom’s family presents various proposal gifts that represents fertility and prosperity in Chinese culture, which is also known as “Grand Gift” or “Guo Da Li”.  All gifts should come in even numbers, meaning “good things double” in Chinese culture.  Thus, the two are considered officially engaged.”

- Source: Here

We first started off with a huge basket of goodies delivered from the groom-to-be (GTB)’s to the bride-to-be’s (BTB) home.

In the baskets there were lots of cash in various red packets for different reasons, cans of pork leg,  oranges, random traditional sweet treats and two VSOP liqueurs.

In return for the liqueurs, the GTB got two bottles of orange cordial. HAH.

In return for the random traditional sweet treats, the GTB got half of each bag.

I also received “Si Dian Jin”, 4 pieces of gold from his mum, an expensive gift given the current gold price.

*Fun Facts*

“The bride’s family then prepares dowry and give a list of the dowries to the groom’s family.  Dowry is mostly composed of daily necessities for the new home, such as bedding, linen and dining set, etc.  In the old Chinese culture, girls start learning needle work at young age, and prepare plenty of shoes, socks, table cloth etc, as part of her dowry.  This is also an opportunity for the bride’s family to display their love for their daughter as well as their wealth.”

- Source: Here

That’s my dad and I’m only worth these cans of pig leg? HAHA.

He also delivered 30 boxes of cakes for my relatives. There are many other random things like, Dragon & Phoenix candles, teapot set and lamps.

*Fun Facts*

After the betrothal  meeting, both families will make wedding announcement to their relatives and friends by sending out  “Double Happiness Cakes” along with wedding invitations.  This is the Chinese style wedding cakes also known as “Dragon & Phoenix Cakes”.  These are baked cake with dragon and phoenix imprint on the surface.  Some styles have fillings made of lotus seed paste, red bean paste or green bean paste.

The wedding cakes are usually presented to the bride’s family by the groom’s family as part of the proposal gift. Bride’s family will then present some of the cakes to worship their ancestors and send the rest of cakes to friends and relatives along with wedding invitations. Quantity of cakes to be sent depends on seniority of guest or relationship with the family.  Nowadays, the wedding cakes are usually served to the guests at the wedding instead of the western style wedding cakes.

- Source: Here