The Most Important Chinese Wedding Traditions

Sometimes when we are living our busy lives in modern times, it's very easy to forget the traditions that used to be very important in the society. Some things get updated and some are forgotten. But with Chinese weddings we are reminded of the olden times and there are a few important things one should know about the Chinese wedding traditions.

1. Do not take off your shoes until your chinese wedding ceremony is over. Moreover the bride and groom should wear new shoes that match with their outfits. The shoes are kept on even at the tea ceremony and when visiting the brides family home. Shoes have a lot of special meaning in chinese culture and sometimes they are also given as betrothal gift.

2. The bride and groom will first enter the groom's family home under the pants of the groom's unmarried elder brother. This tradition is not so widely practised anymore these days along with the traditional ritual prayers that go along with it. Naturally when planning the wedding, one should talk with both families and try to match their traditions to avoid any conflicts.

3. Parents are served tea before grandparents at the chinese wedding tea ceremony. Typically it would be lotus, longan and red dates tea that is being served and they symbolize fertility and male children. The tea ceremony is still very common practise and one of the highlights of a Chinese wedding in my opinion. If you are following the tradition by the letter, you should serve the tea kneeling, but it really depends on how conservative your views are.

4. The bride must change clothes before her home visit to symbolize the passage of three days. Bride can either change to another western style dress, a cheongsam or traditional red wedding dress.

5. A whole roast pig with tail is given to the bride's family at the bride's home visit to declare that she was a virgin before marriage. According to the tradition, the groom is satisfied with the virginity of his wife if the pig has its ears and tail intact. If not, it has the opposite meaning.

Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg and it's always different depending on how closely you are following the traditions. One must also remember that it is not just the bride and groom, but their families and relatives as well who might have an opinion on what ceremonies to have and which traditions to follow.

Here Are Some Interesting Winter Bridal Makeup Ideas

Winter symbolizes sizzling fires, piping hot food and a pleasant weather and this makes winter the perfect season to have your wedding. But your wedding can be incomplete if you don't take some inspiration from this lovely season and add a wintery touch to your make up. So here are some interesting winter bridal makeup ideas.

Ditch red, go for pinkRed may be the traditional wedding colour but modern brides don't really mind experimenting. So this winter, ditch red and go the pink way. Baby pink lips, a rose blush and ethereal silver eye shadow can make a bride look stunning.

Silver eye shadow in particular can create beautiful smoky eyes which will give you a 'naughty and nice' look. Be careful when you choose the shades, though. Baby pink and pearly silver look good on brides with light skin tones, whereas those with darker complexions should opt for denser hues like fuchsia and metallic silver.

Bronze overtones with a dash of gold look fabulous on brides with wheatish complexions. If you don't mind trying out a different look, you can combine brown and pink hues to create smoky eyes with a twist. You can then paint your lips with a beautiful prim rose colour and make them look absolutely gorgeous. Orange lips look great too, but use it only if you think you can carry off this bold look with élan. A mix of matte beige and brown topped with sheer lip gloss can make you look really delectable.

Brides with a fair complexion can go for cherry red lips and flushed cheeks. The idea behind flushed cheeks is to make the bride look as natural as possible and it is not always necessary to use make up for this look. Many brides prefer pinching their cheeks to make the look as natural as possible or maybe rub little beetroot juice on their cheeks. Peach blush looks good on brides with a fair complexion too.

If your bridal dress is white, then you can go for the angel look. Pick up blue, white and silver shades to create a dramatic look for your eyes. Keep your lips natural and dab them with a sheer lip gloss or if you wish, you can opt for shimmery berry shades as well.

What To Do If You Want To Plan A Good Wedding Reception

A wedding is a joyous occasion. People come together to celebrate the union of a bride and groom. They eat, drink and toast the newlyweds. But weddings take time to plan, and it can become very stressful doing so. Often times the bride will take on the bulk of the planning, and she may enlist a wedding planner to assist. Careful consideration is taken when planning a wedding reception. When there are difficulties, it is easier to categorise your tasks into groups. These may be food and drinks venue, entertainment, decorations, date and time and budget. Though a planner may have a network of people to rely on, in getting things into place, the final decision should be yours on the exact choices.

The wedding reception planning can take some serious considerations; especially as it relates to venue and food. But this takes does not have to be daunting. The first step is to find a location both that the couple both agree on. When you are deciding on this, think about its accessibility and how easy it is for people to get to it. Can they accommodate the number of guests and do they have experience hosting weddings. Check with the coordinators at the wedding location, that the date and time you have selected is available.

Another aspect of planning a wedding reception is the budget. Prepare a wedding budget and stick to it. Setting price line for individual expenditure items will save you in the long run. Shop around during the selection of the wedding venue and find out if the costs differ, for things like food preparation, entertainment, and wedding favors. These items, handling them separately, can really cut into your budget unawares.

Once you have a wedding budget, it is time to set the menu. What type of beverages will you have at your wedding? Will you cater for non alcoholics? How do you plan on serving the food? Will it be served by waiters or buffet style? What dessert options will be on the menu? Will there be more than two? Will you serve chicken or fish?
What will be the centre? Or what type of wine will you use for the toast? All these questions need to be addressed when planning your wedding reception meal. The best decision is to give people a option in each course, as you do not want them to be forced to eat something they don't like.

Once you have settled on food and drinks, your next consideration can be the wedding decorations. This helps to set the ambiance of the venue and the wedding reception itself. This is what your guests will remember for years to come. Keep in mind the centre pieces for the tables, the number of tables, and chairs you'll need. You will also need flowers, candles or streamers. These should not be random decisions or selections. Another area for consideration is entertainment and wedding music. You will need to select a DJ, band or instrumental wedding band. The type of wedding music needs to blend well with the ambiance and setting.