The lunch ceremony at our Chinese wedding

There are quite some rituals on the lunch or dinner ceremony of a Chinese wedding, most of the time the three kowtows will be performed also.

Location: The restaurant
地点：徽州府婚宴楼
时间2017/4/8 11:30
Step # 步骤 Name 标题 Details 细节 Culture 文化寓意

1 双方父母荣登华堂The entrance of the parents 双方父母都双双上台Both parents enter the stage

2 烧香Burn joss sticks 双方父母会烧香祭祖The parents will burn joss sticks to memorize the ancestors. 结婚之前都会有烧香祭祖的仪式。Usually, before a Chinese wedding, the family will perform some rituals to memorize the dead.
3 新郎荣登华堂The entrance of the groom 新郎官会笑呵呵地入场The entrance of the groom

4 新娘入场 The entrance of the bride

新郎会去大厅门口接新娘，递上同心结The groom will walk towards the bride and hand her a ‘red knot’
同心结象征夫妻双方连成一体，从此紧紧合合。
The knot is called “true love knot”, which means the couple share one heart and makes one decision from now on.
5 跨火盆，跨马鞍，射箭
Go over the fire, the saddle (from a horse), and shoot an arrow
The groom will guide the bride to go over some obstacles. 从此红红火火，平平安安，称心如意 It is a wish for leading a life which is prosperous, safe and satisfying.
6 三拜
Bait tang – Three bows

一拜苍天和大地
二拜父母
夫妻对拜
Three kowtow: to heavens and earth, to parents, and to each other Bai tang is the western “Yes, I do” ceremony.
7 掀起红盖头 Lifting the veil

一挑露红唇，二挑露眉，三挑露脸
The lifting has three steps:
First, unveil the lips – the couple should support each other like lips and teeth, then the eyebrow – be happy like the dancing eyebrows, then the whole.

8 改口茶The tea ceremony
双方的改口茶
The tea ceremony is also included in this part
9 父母讲话
The wishes of the parents

10 结发夫妻
The hair 夫妻双方为对方剪掉一点头发
The groom and bride use scissors to cut each other’s hair Which symbolizes that the couple stays with each other as the first(and last) ever married one.
11 交杯酒
Toast to each other