For English weddings, the bride and groom typically create a gift registry. However, in Chinese culture, we tend to be more practical—cash is preferred. This helps to offset wedding costs and, in some cases, contributes to obligations involving the mother-in-law.

Traditionally, the groom is expected to cover the entire cost of the wedding, including the banquet. This differs from English customs, where the bride’s parents usually pay for the wedding dinner. In Chinese weddings, the bride’s mother may request five or more tables for her guests. The monetary gifts (ang bao) collected from these tables typically go to the bride’s family, while gifts from the groom’s side are used to help cover the wedding expenses.

The wedding tea ceremony is one of the most important events in a Chinese wedding. My mum insisted that we include one because we didn’t get married in a traditional Singaporean Chinese way. Mr C and I got married in Bath, and it was a small wedding with only close family and friends.

When I told some of our friends that we would be having a tea ceremony after the registration, no one really understood what that meant. As a result of the confusion, two of our friends went home after the registration and missed the wedding dinner. It can sometimes be difficult to explain why we have a Chinese tea ceremony on the wedding day, which is why I decided to write this post.