May is a popular month for weddings in China. Most Chinese weddings today combine the ceremony and reception into one large banquet typically held at a large restaurant. When I was growing up one of my favorite things was attending wedding banquets. The food is always amazing, the bride changes dresses multiple times, and the bride and groom go around each table to greet all the guests. Last, wedding treats include candies, cakes, peanuts, walnuts and eggs with red dyes.
Over the weekend, I was lucky enough to tag along to a wedding with Jane. At the entrance of the restaurant the bride and groom greeted all the guests. The bride was dressed in a red, western-style wedding dress, and the groom in a suit. Once all the guests had arrived and were seated, things got started when the bride and groom walked into the banquet area. All the guests stood up and cheered the happy couple.
After the couple sat down at the head table, the next step was to introduce their parents and close relatives. Then came stories of how the couple met. One of the most touching moment was when the groom presented the bride a gift that he hand made. It was a picture in the shape of heart made up of the hundreds of train tickets he used to travel to see her during their 2 year courtship.
Hi Yue. Sue told me about your blog. What an exciting job you have! Yanping leaves in a week for China, for her MBA trip. I was going too, but had to cancel my ticket due to schedule conflicts. I hope to go later in the year.
Terry