The tea sets should be red with auspicious patterns like Chinese characters “喜喜”meaning double happiness and number of tea cups should be even. Charyl made everything come together for the ceremony, reception, and cocktail by creating the dreamiest space. We host our friends often for bbq's and drinks nights. Here's How to Adjust Your Guest List in the Time of COVID-19. Likewise, if you are holding an all-inclusive tea ceremony, the groom's family should be served first. Others host the ceremony just before the wedding, during the cocktail hour, or just after the ceremony. Here's Our Take. Kadin and I got married on 3rd March 2019. The ceremony is then performed in the same manner for the bride's family. Other items for the ancestral altar: white flowers, fruit, offertory wine, and burning incense. Find out if there is a big enough outdoor patio at your reception venue, or perhaps the hotel has a smaller banquet room near your reception space. The Finishing TouchesIf you do plan to invite all your guests to the tea ceremony, be sure to have someone there who can explain the significance behind the ceremony to those unfamiliar with the tradition. If you want to keep it more low-key, opt to have a small ceremony with family at home. What You NeedYou'll want to have an altar or table to display photos or candles in recognition of each family. It will usually take place on the wedding day when most of the family members are present. Getting to choose a fresh catch fish as one of the main courses also struck a personal note with all of the guests. The Chinese tea ceremony usually takes place on the day of the wedding in the homes of the bride and groom respectively. The tea ceremony is the most significant event in a modern chinese wedding as the traditional three prayers ceremony is usually not practiced. Of course, when it comes to extras, you don't have to stop there. A Chinese Tea Ceremony Preceded This Couple's Classic Wedding in North Carolina, Get Our Wedding Planner App On Your Mobile Device, High Performance Lighting and Power Distribution. It's more than just a rehearsal. The envelopes are placed on the platter that holds the teacups. For us, that meant a lot of greenery and whites to complement the character of the Brooklyn Arts Center. Today, some couples wait to host the tea ceremony until the day after the wedding (think postwedding tea, instead of brunch). Preparing the Tea for the Chinese Wedding Tea Ceremony. To add contrast to a formal indoor reception, a private outdoor tea ceremony is the perfect way to incorporate a breath of fresh air into your day. Although Emily and Sunny live in Washington, DC, the couple chose to return to Emily's hometown of Wilmington, NC, for their classic garden-inspired wedding with a color palette of white and green. During the ceremony, the couple serves tea to the groom's parents and elders in order of seniority. When the tea ceremony takes place usually depends on the amount of privacy a couple wishes to keep. Being from the coast we knew there had so be a seafood bar - Pine Valley Market helped put together a phenomenal assortment of crab claws, shrimp, and ceviche. If you want all guests to pay witness to your tea ceremony, build in time between the ceremony and cocktail hour for this event to take place. You could even set up the tea ceremony in your reception room and then have the room "turned over" before dinner is served. Love is not canceled, neither is your planning. The SetupJust like a Western wedding ceremony, the general rule is that the bride be on the left and the groom on the right. The groom's parents are served, followed by his paternal grandparents and then his maternal grandparents. Those family members served should sit in chairs facing the couple. This was accompanied by Southern snacks like pimento cheese, pulled pork tacos, as well as chicken and waffles. You can make the programs as casual or elaborate as you want them to be -- from simple pieces of paper to card stock inserts that match the traditional wedding programs, invitations, and save-the-dates.