2 Weddings

Eastern Wedding
          On March 12, 2005 a Chinese Tea Ceremony (aka Eastern Wedding) was held at 2pm which started at Georgia & Herman’s home. The couple had the opportunity to get married not once, but twice to each other. Which will probably make divorcing harder for them. =) In the Chinese culture, having a Tea Ceremony justifies their marriage.
         Traditionally, the bride can only have female friends around her the night before the wedding. Which meant Herman slept over at his parents’ house where he bowed before the tables of Heaven and Earth and his ancestors, then to his parents and the assembled family members.
          At 2pm on Saturday, the groom’s party (Chester, Phil , Akira, Hiro, and Rhyen) were met by the bride’s party (Lucinda, Corinda and Angela) who will not ‘surrender’ the bride until they are satisfied by red packets of money, “lay see” from the groom’s representative. This is the occasion of much good-natured haggling before the two parties could reach an agreement.
          Before the bride and groom leave their home and head to Herman’s parents’ house, the couple bowed and offered tea to the bride’s parents (Susan, Joselito and Lolita). After drinking their tea, the parents gave them “lay see” and gold jewels.
         Usually, no one from the bride’s family joins the couple to the groom’s parents’ home. With Georgia’s request and Herman’s parents’ approval, her parents were able to join and experience the rest of the Chinese Tea Ceremony.
         At the Ip’s home, the couple offered tea to the Ip family and the couple received “lay see” and gold jewels. Then the couple were suppose to bow to each other to complete the marriage ceremony. However, the newlywed forgot to bow to each other =) Does that mean they are not married? Georgia was just happy that the Tea Ceremony itself was very simple.