Foreigners are invariably a scene in China’s hinterland, and this also happens in situations like a wedding, where the bride and groom are supposed to be the center of attention. But not when a foreigner arrives. Here an interesting take on Chinese weddings from a Westerner’s perspective, from China Daily (photo: people ready to shoot up confetti while the couple proceed, via chinapictures.org):
Food, customs and traditions and transportation are the three factors that make weddings different. The main difference between a city and countryside wedding lies in the way food is prepared. In cities, a wedding banquet is generally held in a hotel or a restaurant. Which means none from the groom’s or bride’s side has to worry about preparing or serving the special dishes.
But in the countryside, where homes are generally bigger, the wedding feast is the responsibility of the groom’s side, with his relatives and friends preparing the food. This gives it a personal and more human touch to the proceedings.
Unlike in the West, dancing, throwing of the wedding bouquet, playing games and other activities are not part of a Chinese wedding. No wonder many guests leave the party immediately after their meal is over.
A bride in China almost always has only one attendant, with the groom having none. Although the bride and groom are more often than not the only people dressed for the occasion at wedding receptions, photographs and more photographs are important for any new couple, no matter what country they are in. And China is no exception. [Full Text]
