What To Wear To A Chinese Wedding In China?

In Chinese weddings, the bride typically wears a red qipao or cheongsam, a form-fitting dress that accentuates her body’s curves. This dress is traditionally associated with joy, wealth, and luck in Chinese culture. Today, brides are expected to wear a white bridal gown during the ceremony and a third ball gown for the reception. Casual attire can be worn, such as jeans, skirts, T-shirts, sweaters, and sneakers. In Southern China, brides often wear two-piece dresses called Qungua or QunKwa (裙褂), which are elaborately adorned with gold dragons and phoenixes.

Guests at Chinese weddings do not have to wear formal attire unless they are a member of the wedding party. Cash is always an appropriate gift, and the standard cash gift at a wedding in Hong Kong is $1,000 HKD. In modern Chinese culture, engagement rings are typically worn on the middle finger of the left hand, while wedding rings are worn on the opposite hands by the bride and groom.

In Chinese weddings, it is important to avoid wearing colors red, black, and white, as they are mourning colors in Chinese culture. The bride should wear a red dress called a qipao and cover her face with a red veil on the wedding day, symbolizing happiness, prosperity, and good luck. Modern weddings call for a white bridal gown and a third ball gown throughout the evening. The tea ceremony, which dates back to the Tang dynasty, is a symbol of families welcoming the bride or groom. Friends spray colorful flowers, and the groom’s parents buy grand gifts for the bride’s family to formally accept the marriage. Each flower signifies something, such as lilies representing a happy union, lotus representing purity, orchids representing fertility and love, and peony representing wealth and peace. Warmer colors like purple, pink, and peach symbolize new life and happiness in Chinese culture. Chinese weddings can be informal, with casual attire such as jeans, skirts, T-shirts, sweaters, and sneakers. Men can dress in suit, shirt, or leisure wear, while female guests are suggested to dress in the traditional Chinese attire.

What is the appropriate cash gift for a wedding?

If its a co-worker or a distant friend, TheKnot.com recommends guests give at least $75-$100 on the wedding present. If your guest is a relative or a friend, the wedding website suggests somewhere between $100 and $125.

I was talking to a groom recently and he was shocked about the amount of money he and his wife received as gifts. He didn’t disclose the exact amount but from the conversation I know he wasn’t pleased.

If it’s a co-worker or a distant friend, TheKnot.com recommends guests give at least $75-$100 on the wedding present. If your guest is a relative or a friend, the wedding website suggests somewhere between $100 and $125.

But what kind of gift can you expect? Catey Hill, resident financial expert atDavid’s Bridal, says it’s perfectly fine guests to write out a check to you. She says many brides and grooms actually prefer it. On average the typical cash gift is around $150, she says.

Can I wear maroon to a Chinese wedding?

When to Avoid Wearing Red to a Wedding. In certain cultures, notably South Asian and East Asian cultures, red is considered lucky and auspicious, and thus, has been traditionally incorporated into wedding day attire the same way white dominates bridalwear in Western cultures. This means that if you are attending an Indian, Chinese, or South Asian Muslim Wedding, or any other wedding where the color may have significant cultural meaning, “avoid wearing red because it could be part of the couples attire,” says ONeal. At the same time, ONeal notes that you may want to avoid shades of white, as some non-Western cultures associate the hue with death and periods of mourning.

When it comes to Western weddings, in particular, if you really want to err on the side of caution—or, as Hurwitz puts it, “avoid stares from the older guests”—it may be best to keep away from wearing red in churches, country clubs, and other more traditional settings.Tradition dictates guests avoid wearing red out of fear that it could take attention away from the happy couple,” explains Hurwitz.”Visually, its quite bold. In a photo, your eye is immediately drawn to the color, especially if its next to neutrals like white, black, gray, or beige.”

Additional Wedding Guest Style Tips. Now that you understand the basics, for those planning to wear red to a wedding, there are a few style tips to know in order to appropriately dress for the celebration. Specifically, Hurwitz points out that “for a fall or winter wedding, look for moodier shades of red like cranberry, crimson, ruby, or wine. Rich, heavy textures, such as velvet and jacquard, will also heighten the luxury of your look—especially for a formal or black-tie wedding.

Can I wear black pants to a Chinese wedding?

If youre attending a Chinese wedding dinner for the first time, be sure to avoid an ensemble thats entirely black, blue or white, as these colours are typically associated with funerals in Chinese culture.

We hear you, menfolk – black is hard to avoid if youre suiting up. That said, you can always add a pop of colour with a bright red tie or a pocket square.

Read also: Tengku or Tunku? Know Your Malaysian Honorary Titles.

What should guests wear to a Chinese wedding?

What should guests wear to a Chinese wedding?. While red is the most common color for to-be-weds to wear at their own wedding, guests should avoid the hue. If you are attending a Chinese wedding, wearing red is not recommended in most cases, advises Qiao. While the color red is auspicious in Chinese culture, it is typically reserved for brides. Dont wear black or white either since those are mourning colors in Chinese culture. Do wear warm-toned colors such as purple or pinks, as these colors represent the new life the couple will embark on.

Guests should also confirm that the outfit they plan to wear fits the requested dress code for the event. Qiao reminds guests that every couple is different, however, so you can always check in with the couple to learn of their preferences between choosing your outfit. Couples will often put dress code information on their wedding invitations or wedding website so check there before you finalize your attire plans.

Where can you purchase Chinese wedding dresses?. Historically, mothers in southern China would sew their daughters handmade wedding jacket, starting as soon as the child was born. However, over time to-be-weds have more commonly moved toward purchasing wedding attire. While there are plenty of brands to choose from, to-be-weds may find it difficult to source Chinese wedding attire in the United States. Cinobi is one brand known for their halter-style modern wedding cheongsams, however, the brand is based in Indonesia and to-be-weds hoping to wear an outfit from the brand should make sure to allow ample time to source from them. Another Indonesia-based choice is Adrian Gan, known for their creative colorways. Alternatively, California-based East Meets Dress is a strong option for Stateside couples.

For to-be-weds who may want to wear a Western-style dress but still support an Asian-American designer, brands like Tadashi Shoji, Phuong My, Vera Wang, Miyuki Liem, JINZA, Jenny Yoo, Nordeen and Andrew Kwon are great options to consider.

What to wear to a wedding as a guest female?

Women wedding guests should wear full-length dresses, be it a ballgown, a sheath or an A-line dress. High heels are strongly recommended. Feel free to accessorize with opulent jewelry and even elbow-length white silk gloves.

How much money do you give for a Chinese wedding?

Traditionally, the standard amount of money to put in a red envelope is at least equal to the cost of your meal at the Chinese wedding banquet.

According to a recent study conducted by ValuePenguin, the average wedding cost per guest ranges from $127 to $278 in the U.S. With that said, the typical amount to put in a red envelope as a wedding gift should be around $130 to $300 to cover that expense.

Another factor to consider when deciding the amount is the relationship between you and the couple. Essentially, the closer the relationship is, the more you should put in the red envelope.

Which family pays for a Chinese wedding?

When it comes to wedding finances for both Chinese and American weddings, there are both similarities and differences. You might already be familiar with the more common traditions when it comes to paying for a wedding. In American culture, usually, the brides family covers the majority of the expenses. However, in Chinese wedding culture, it is the complete opposite–the grooms family is expected to pay for most of the wedding expenses.

Traditionally, the grooms family pays for most of the wedding expenses, including the wedding rings, ceremony, and the Chinese wedding banquet. On top of that, in Chinese wedding culture, to officiate the engagement with the brides family, the grooms family is responsible for sending betrothal gifts, which may include golden jewelry, wine, and traditional Chinese wedding cakes. So if you are following the traditional Chinese wedding route, note that there will be a bit more financial stress on the grooms family.

If youre following the American wedding tradition, then wedding expenses are expected to be paid for by the brides family. From the invitations, the wedding ceremony, floral arrangement to accommodations, the brides family usually takes care of almost all of the expenses (except for the rehearsal dinner, which is paid for by the grooms family). If you include the wedding dress and hair and makeup, the brides family ends up having quite a bit to manage financially for the wedding.