Getting Married in China

Ever thought about having your wedding in China? According to the World Tourism Organization, in 2020, China will overtake France to become the largest tourist country and the fourth largest for overseas travel. China’s romance lies in its mystical culture and the serenity of its natural beauty. Here are a few things you should know about having a wedding in China.

The majority of wedding ceremonies in China are civil ceremonies typically performed by an older and influential family member or close friend. They act as both a witness to the union and Master of Ceremonies. A religious wedding ceremony is uncommon in China, especially ones performed by figures such as a Christian priest or minister. Additionally, there is no such thing as a Buddhist wedding. Weddings in China are tied more to the culture than to any particular religion.

China has over 5000 years of history. Therefore, it is no surprise its tradition of thousands of years of vast imperial bureaucracies carry through to today! While having a wedding in China will certainly be the romantic experience of your lifetime, the process of obtaining a marriage license is no Vegas drive-thru Chapel experience (maybe that's a really good thing!). It is time consuming and expensive. There is a lot of paperwork with embassies and/or consulates involved and everything will need to be translated into Chinese.

It is highly recommended for couples who both hold foreign passports to legally marry in their home country, and hold a symbolic wedding ceremony in China only.

Fun Chinese Wedding Traditions you can incorporate into your special day:

• Incorporate the number “9” any way you can. The number “9“ in Chinese sounds like the word that means long lasting or long time. Therefore, the Chinese love to include anything with this number when planning a wedding.
• Conduct a tea ceremony for the couple to honor parents from both sides. It is also a chance for the parents to present the couple with presents or red envelopes of money.
• Use the colors of red and gold. Chinese brides traditionally wear these two colors on their wedding day and they are the predominant color for all things wedding related.
• The Bride and her friends can have a bit of fun at the groom’s expense. The groom’s party or representative(s) arrives at the bride’s house or hotel room to “acquire” the blushing bride. The bride’s friends will not ‘surrender ’the bride until they are satisfied by red envelops of money from the groom’s representative. The good-natured haggling and hijinks are a lot of fun before the wedding.

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