An unforgettable wedding is what every girl is longing for because presumably you’ll have it only once in your life. The concept of “family” has a high value in the Chinese culture, and that’s probably why Chinese people are willing to spend fortunes of money on holding an extraordinary wedding. If you have a Chinese friend who is about to get married, you’ll highly likely be invited to attend their wedding as they would like you to witness this exciting moment. In this article let’s have a look at some special features of a modern Chinese wedding. What to expect at a Chinese wedding?

1. Expect a lavish meal

A modern Chinese wedding is usually held in a hotel or a restaurant. The bride and groom invite their friends and relatives to come for a big get-together. The number of guests varies from 100 to 500, and each table is served with immaculately prepared dishes. So, if you’re invited to attend a wedding in China, don’t miss your chance to try some high-quality traditional Chinese food.

2. Prepare a red envelop

In the Chinese culture, a red envelop contains a certain amount of money and people give it during Spring Festival or on special occasions such as weddings. Preparing such a monetary gift is a must for attending a Chinese wedding. If the bride or groom happens to be your colleague or just an ordinary friend, a red envelop with 500-600 RMB would be ideal. However, if this person is a close friend of yours, you have to make your red envelop look a bit thicker.

3. Write a short speech

If the bride or groom is a good friend of yours, you may need to prepare a short speech. The one, dedicated to them. You could be invited to come up to the stage and express your best wishes to the newlyweds. However, in addition to your wishes to the newlyweds, you have to prepare a speech that contains some basic information. About yourself and the relationship between you and the newlyweds.

4. Surprises await

Fun games or prize draws are often part of a modern Chinese wedding to spice it up a bit. Well, don’t be shy and join in the games as you might walk away with some fancy little things.

5. Stay till the end

A modern Chinese wedding usually lasts for 3-4 hours. It’d be good if you could stay till the end of the wedding. This is exactly what the newlyweds would like to see. However, in case you have to leave earlier due to some personal reasons, it’s customary to inform the newlyweds about this. Otherwise they would think that you came to the wedding purely because “someone invited you”.

Have you been to a Chinese wedding? Share your opinion in comments below – or tweet us at @thatsmandarin!