Traditional Chinese Wedding
2 min readInstalling the Bridal Bed
Preparation on the part of the groom involved the instalation of the bridal bed on the day before the wedding.A propitious hour and a“good luck woman”or“good luck man”，that is a man or woman with many children and living mates，were selected to install a newly purchased bed.（The installation ceremony consisted of merely moving the bed slightly；the actual work was done by servants or friends.）After the bed was in place，children were invited onto the bed as an omen of fertility；the more，the merrier.For the same reason，the bed was scattered with red dates，oranges，lotus seeds，peanuts，pomegranates and other fruits.Part of the fun was watching the children scramble for the fruit.
The Bride’s Dowry
A few days before the wedding，the bride’s family send dowry to the groom’s family，or the couple’s new home nowadays.Dowry is mostly composed of daily necessiies for the new home，such as bedding，linen and dining set，ec.This is an opportunity for the bride’s family to display their love to their daughter as well as their wealth.
The groom’s family will Invite a respected female relative or friend to “set the bridal bed”at the new home.In some part of China in.the old days，an unmaried young boy will be invited to sleep in the bridal bed the night before the wedding to bring fertility to the newlyweds.
Traditional Chinese Wedding Invitations
Chinese style wedding invitations are usually folded red cards gilded with gold trimming.The most popular design on the invitations is the Chinese character Xi，meaning“double happiness.”Dragons and phoenix are popular designs as they symbolize the balance of male and female power.Auspicious phrase or poems written in calligraphy style are wonderful additions to add a touch of festivity.
