The red envelopes are referred to as "hong baos" (red envelopes with money) and are tokens of good wishes during auspicious occasions such as weddings and Chinese New Year. We have provided invited guests with these traditional envelopes to utilize if they wish.
The tea ceremony is a traditional Chinese wedding act to show respect to their families for their years of love and support. The bride and groom serve tea to both sets of parents which symbolically unifies the two families. In Chinese customs, serving tea is a highly regarded social practice of displaying respect for one another.
Traditionally, tea is served to the families in order of seniority using a tea set in the bride’s dowry that has been passed down throughout the generations. When serving the tea, the couple either kneel or bow. In turn, their families will give their blessings to the newlyweds by gifting them “hong baos” (red envelopes with money).
Double Happiness is a Chinese ornamental design commonly used as a decoration. It often appears on decorative items associated with Chinese New Year celebrations and weddings, such as on gift items given to the bride and groom. The color of the character is usually red, as it is an auspicious color.
The dragon signifies wealth and strength for the groom while the phoenix represents the bride, signifying grace and renewal of life. Together, the co-existence of two mythical creatures represents happiness, love, and prosperity. Usually, embroidered designs of the dragon and phoenix are found on the bride and groom's clothing or as headpieces in the bride's hair.
The Chinese tradition is for family and guests to give their blessings to the newlyweds by gifting them “hong baos” (red envelopes with money) but we are also registered at Target.
The dress code for our wedding is semi-formal/cocktail attire.
A cocktail reception with hors d'oeuvres and dessert will follow the ceremony.