Tea ceremonies, Chinese wedding banquets, and Western buffets or traditions can all be included in your special day, provided you’re open minded and willing to explore all of your options when planning this momentous event.

Combining Tradition

Before attempting to plan a Chinese-American wedding, take the necessary time to fully understand the meaning behind the customs that you’d like to incorporate into your wedding ceremony. Often times, second and third generations don’t know of or understand the rituals and customs that were, and are so very important to their ancestors.

Modern Chinese-American brides usually wear at least three different outfits on their wedding day, which is actually quite a decline from the 20 or 30 dresses that brides in years past used to wear. And, while white has always been a color that’s reserved for funerals, and red is worn for good luck and happiness, many brides today have chosen to eschew these traditions and wear whatever color they like most.

Chinese-American Wedding Decor

Thanks to their sheer beauty and elegance, and also the recent boost in popularity, Asian themed decorations are in abundance and rather easy to find. Following tradition, Chinese wedding favors and decorations are lively in color, with plenty of vibrant reds as this color holds deep meaning, symbolizing love, prosperity, and joy. .

Red banners, also known as happiness banners, are an important part of the decorations used in both the reception, as well as in the newly married couples home, and feature words of praise and congratulations written on both sides, usually in traditional Chinese lettering. .

The Flowers

The flowers are yet another way of incorporating your culture into your wedding day. While you will want to choose flowers that fit with the overall theme of the wedding, or those that may be favorites of yours, you may also want to include some of the following that are often used in traditional Chinese weddings:

• Daffodils: Also known as jonquil and narcissus, these flowers represent joyful change and are best for weddings held during the spring months.
• Lotus Blossoms: The lotus represents four different virtues in Buddhism, loveliness, purity, scent, and softness, and these flowers hold a rather important place in Asian cultures. Use in bouquets, or floating in glass bowls of plain or colored water.
• Orchids: Orchids are the Chinese symbol of fertility and love, making them the perfect addition for a wedding. Besides decorative bouquets, these flowers also make excellent corsages.
• Peonies: These beautiful flowers symbolize renewal and are perfect for decorating with as they can be found in many colors and in several interesting varieties.

Using just a bit of forethought and planning, you can be sure to honor both of your cultures at your wedding, merging them together into one beautiful union on this most important day in your lives.

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With the many wonderful traditions that may exist in both families, it is important that you try to honor both in one way or another. You will want to celebrate the wonderful traditions of both families, rather than putting the spotlight on just one of them.

One way to do this is to have one culture dominate the wedding ceremony while the other is honored during the reception. However, you could blend both cultures into both events if you so choose. This will have to be decided between the bride and groom. Their families may also help them in the planning process to come up with solutions that will work for everyone.

You can highlight the two cultures in everything from the décor to the food, as well as using specific traditions during the ceremony. Just be sure that one cultures traditions do not conflict with those of the other culture. You would never want to be inconsiderate to either culture.

Most importantly throughout the whole process of planning your wedding, just like with any wedding you should be open and honest with each other about your wishes and expectations.

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