2. Is there a rule as to who can serve the tea? My Dad and step mum will be there but not my mother. One of the most crucial things is to ensure that you have invited your guests for the Chinese tea ceremony. Well in Hong Kong, the tradition of wearing a traditional red dress is upheld quite well. During the tea ceremony, the couple will address the other side of the family to the formal salutation, signifying the formal union of both families.”. It would be really thoughful if you could arrange to serve the tea they love. I would love some more detailed step-by-steps of the tea ceremony if possible. If they do have a preference for a certain tea, go for the best grade you can get. 寿" which means longevity. In a traditional Chinese wedding, the tea ceremony is one of the most significant events. Thank you Teasenz! A Sweet Start June 18, 2018. Chinese Wedding Tea Ceremony . In the future when the couples’ children get married, the tea set will be used and presented. The serving of tea is an expression of gratitude from children to their parents for all their love and support, as well as a gesture of respect and appreciation to their new in-laws. The earliest written record of tea ceremonies emerged during the Tang Dynasty over 1200 years ago. Since that's just half a month away, we can't guarantee arrival by the end of August. When moving the lid, you can hold the nob on the lid, which isn't hot. His mother said that traditionally only the grooms family is allowed to be at the tea ceremony. How should we handle this? As sons and daughters, the serving of tea to their parents and to the elders in the family is a form of showing their gratitude for their upbringing. Is it okay to hold the tea ceremony in a close friend’s home as both parents ‘ homes are too small to accommodate all the relatives attending the tea ceremony? I received lots of compliments on the implementation. Some popular design such as dragons and phoenix on the dress would be suitable for decoration. This vary widely across families and different regions in China. A modern Chinese Tea Ceremony script adapted from the traditional wedding tea ceremony | Photo courtesy of Unsplash. It's very hard to give you an indication of what amount is suitable as it really depends on the family situation and traditional practice. One of the things I love about being a professional wedding officiant is being able to help my couples find ways to personalize and customize their wedding ceremony. While the guests show their gifts, new tea is prepared and poured in new cups for the next couple. “First of all, we would like to invite ___’s paternal / maternal side of the grandparents. or just one to who. These 'helpers' also receive lucky red envelopes filled with money. When inviting the elders and relatives up to receive the couple’s tea, the proper title should be used. Yes, we mean the banquet. Some Japanese monks travelled to China and brought it back to Japan. Similarly, when gifts are presented, do the receivers / presenters say anything? During Chinese wedding tea ceremonies, brides commonly wear Qun Kua or Qipaos which are like the Chinese version of wedding gowns. However, the tradition of tea ceremonies in Chinese weddings has remained, and is still highly treasured today. I’m attending my youngest brothers wedding in Dali. Can we still use the tea set? In a wedding, such an act is to show respect and gratitude to parents for all the years of love and care. It is important to get your family and relatives to RSVP so that you will have a list of people that will be attending the tea ceremony. Or suggest I just DIY this? What made this wedding extra special was the modern, mid-ceremony Chinese Tea Ceremony. Bride and groom need to dress in red silk and the tulle veil should be red too. Chinese-American soon-to-be bride here! If you're not sure, you should ask someone in the family first. The other tea set is the bride’s mother’s own tea set used in her wedding in the past, which will be used to serve teas for the bride’s side of the family. Thank you for breaking it down. The different herbs have different symbolism and blessings for the couple. Organise positions: during a Chinese wedding tea ceremony, the groom should stand on the right and the bride should be on the left side. We believe there's no right good or wrong answer to this, and you should that fully be decided the preferences of both of you. Thanks a lot for writing this guide! We generally see it range from 50 to 500 USD. There are actually many things that need to be prepared before the tea ceremony, and we have compiled a list of things to help couples out there. The new wife and husband offer tea to parents-in-law and start to call them mon and dad and the parents-in-law will give red envelops to the son or daughter in-law. 莲子 (lian zi), lotus seeds in Chinese sounds like 连, which means continuous. It's often also a great idea to ask the parents and perhaps some other family members what their favorite teas are. Photographer: Dreamlove Photography Check out more photos from this wedding, Venue: Private Residence, Kennebunk, Maine, Reception Venue: Emmons Preserve, Kennebunkport, Maine, COVID-19: I’m booking small, safe weddings for 2020 and all weddings for 2021 and 2022. Serve tea with two hands holding the saucer and bow slightly forward (or kneel). What colors are considered respectful for a non Chinese guest to wear specifically a women? Though, it's good to know that some red envelopes are targeted towards specific events such as child birth or new year. Each and every one of you played an important role in the couple’s life, and they really appreciate having you all down here today.”, “敬茶仪式在每个华人婚礼是一个重大的传统。作为儿女，新郎新娘的敬茶是向父母和长辈感谢他们多年以来的养育之恩。新婚夫妇在敬茶时，也会向另一半的家人改叫正式的称呼， 意味着正式成为一家人。”, “The tea ceremony is a significant tradition in every Chinese wedding. The best is to openly consult with the relevant family members about this. There are traditions, but a wedding is also a very personal event. Usually they're sold in 50 pieces and above per pack, so most of them will remain unused. Check your availability. It can be due to a divorce or for example if one of the grand parents passed away. Today, many couples choose to show respect to both the bride and groom's families by hosting tea ceremonies for both sides. But in modern times, men also go in black suits. There's no such thing as the best tea for a wedding. It's recommended let everyone know this in advance. We will be invited to both. Should I bear gifts? But before the dinner/banquet. It would be overdone to have them drink twice. When are these ceremonies held, i.e., weekdays or weekends during the day or at night? The Chinese Tea Wedding Ceremony is referred to as jing cha in Chinese, literally meaning, 'to respectfully offer tea.' My family wants me to do this because of tradition. The tea ceremony is a common wedding tradition in Chinese culture when the bride and groom pay their respects and show their gratitude towards their parents, new in-laws, and elders by serving them tea. Also, she keeps changing what the rules are and that I have to wear a read dress that covers everything. Those receiving the tea should not hold the cup but the saucer as the gaiwan cup itself can be hot. Would this be appropriate or would a black dress be more appropriate? Others prepare it as traditional as possible and add storage jars, pitchers, filters, tea trays to the decor. In China, you sometimes see that some people are served tea alone. Unfortunately, she is not offering to help host or set up/guide the ceremony for the groom's side. Invitations for tea ceremony is usually given out with invitations for the wedding receptions. Hi Claire, which part of China are your parents or your husband's parent from? Your wedding seems involve two different cultures, and it would be a beautiful thing both sides of the family embrace each other's backgrounds. Since you're part of the same generation of your brother, you won't be served tea normally. I'd rather learn the spiritual meaning and philosophy of the words in a wedding ceremony. The bride and groom takes the cups from the tray and give it to the guests. This is basically a cup that comes with a lid and saucer. If you're not experienced with the steps, you can follow the below tea ceremony script. A wedding ceremony shouldn't be confused with a gongfu tea ceremony for appreciating tea. What happens if you are in a serious relationship with the grooms father. We are Australian and my new sister in law is from Dali. You're free to serve small food after the ceremony. Modern Chinese Tea Ceremony Script. Herbs like red dates, lotus seeds and longans are used to brew the teas. If you're questions, always feel free to ask in the comment section below. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. There are certain rules that govern the Chinese tea ceremony, which include the brewing of tea in red dates and longans and using tea set in the dowry basket.