Brides favor Western flavor

Like everything else, wedding ceremonies in China have changed dramatically in the past few years.

Traditionally, the wedding ceremony was attended only by the couple's immediate families. After the ceremony, but before the reception, the bride would serve tea to her in-laws.

The reception was an elaborate, stand-up affair, hosted by a professional master of ceremonies. It consisted almost entirely of cutting the cake - an immense, multi-layered confection symbolizing the couple's "climb to success".

After cutting the cake from the bottom up, the bride and groom would feed each other with arms entwined, trying not to destroy the bride's elaborate makeup; then they would feed cake to their parents and grandparents.

Musical entertainment, ranging from a single keyboard player to a full orchestra, often accompanied the receiving line. It was customary for guests to shake hands twice - once upon entering, and again before leaving the reception.

Chinese brides often changed outfits several times during the reception.

Nowadays, more and more Western customs have found their way into Chinese weddings, sometimes replacing traditional elements.

Often, the couple rent a car or limousine to pick up the bride at her home and bring her to the hotel where the reception is to be held. Typically, the bride and groom enter the ceremony together, accompanied by bridesmaids, groomsmen, a flower girl and a ring bearer.

Considerable creativity goes into the exchange of rings. One couple had to extract their rings from an ice sculpture; another had their rings delivered by a remote-controlled, toy helicopter.

An elaborate feast often follows the ceremony. A large LCD screen may display the couple's bridal photographs. A live band or comedian may perform. Flowers are everywhere.

One recent addition to the wedding scene is a box of butterflies, considered a symbol of loyalty and love.

Some couples opt for a completely Western, church service. Others, bored with Western customs, have elected to return to an ancient, Chinese-style ceremony, with traditional Han costumes and rituals.

One element remains the same: The bride always gets to change clothes, often several times. The current fashion is for her to wear white, with a veil, for the wedding ceremony and then change to red - either a traditional qipao or a Western evening dress - for the reception.

(China Daily 04/06/2009 page6)