Chinese Tea Ceremony and Western timeline

Usually the tea ceremony is done in the mornings before the traditional church or vow ceremony. Usually you do one at your house and one at his house but it could just be one only. The grooms and bridal parties definitely can partake! Usually you play some games during that time and they hold gifts and stuff.

My friend did her Western ceremony first, the Chinese tea ceremony during cocktail hour, and the Korean ceremony during the reception. She was busy!


I am contemplating doing the Korean ceremony before the Western ceremony so I am not changing in and out of my white dress. I plan to wear my wedding dress for the reception. We were thinking of doing a Welcome Hour with drinks before the Western ceremony. We'd do the Korean ceremony in the middle of this Welcome Hour
If you're serving 15 couples, you may want to do it during cocktail hour so guests can mingle and eat if they get bored of watching you

View Quoted Comment Our initial plan is to do the tea ceremony at 1pm, then change, first look, family pictures etc. then the western ceremony at 4:30 and so on. I’m already having anxiety about cramming it all in one day! Thanks Willow!

Tea ceremony takes place in the morning. Your groom waits with his groomsmen and other male family at another location (can be another room). You and your family and bridesmaids wait in your room for the groom to collect you. The catch is that he has to bargin with the bridesmaids, otherwise they won't open the door! This usually take 15-20 minutes and there is lucky money exchanged (must be with 8 or 9 in the sum ie 888 or 999 etc) for fun it can be 88$ or 8$ etc. the bridesmaids split the money in the end. It's so much fun! The groom and groomsmen must do tricks and answer questions to finally be deemed worth of you. Your groom may even read a love poem or song. This happens at the brides family home. Most people do this at the venue or hotel now. After the groom wins, the tea ceremony takes place.

Tea ceremony is strictly for family and only your elder family (cousins and siblings do not take part!). You need 2 red cushions, and a red tea service. Each person or couple who is to be honored sits in front of the bridal couple. The bride and groom kneel in front of the brides parents (on red cushions) offer each person tea while thanking them and in return you receive jewellery and red envelopes, (You must inform the families that you are doing the tea ceremony. they need time to purchase wedding envelopes and jewellery, it would be very embarrassing for them if you don't.) Each elder family member on the bride's side does the same. Normally, you would then go back to the groom's home where his parents would be waiting leaving the bride's family behind. However, you could just continue with the groom's family. Shouldn't take very long. This is a sacred part of the ceremony so I underline how important it is not to do a ceremony with anyone outside of immediate elder family members. Your guests won't be present.
I love the tea ceremony, it's such an intimate time between the bridal couple and their families.
You will wear your red dress for the tea ceremony. After, you may change into your white dress. It is very common for Chinese brides to change up to 5 times during the wedding. His side of the family will most likely give you red envelopes throughout the evening. We don't do registries, saves any confusion. Hope this helps!

Cantonese here! We are doing our tea ceremony between 9-10am (auspicious time for that day). Then we will go to the hotel at 2pm for our Western wedding with ceremony starts at 5-5:30pm. I will be wearing my red dress for tea ceremony, and white dress for Western one. I have seen some people wear the red dress as a reception dress as well so the guests can see it too. Congratulations!

Taiwanese- Chinese. My brother and sister and law did a tea ceremony after their first look photos and before the ceremony. She wore a traditional chipao for the tea ceremony and then a white dress for the rest of the wedding ceremony and reception. I think we will likely do the same timeline!

Https://eastmeetsdress.com/pages/the-ultimate-chinese-wedding-tea-ceremony-guide
This was rather helpful for me while figuring out how to plan the tea ceremony.

I'm having the tea ceremony in the morning around like 11am (wedding is around 3-4) wearing the red dress. Then after I am eating lunch, changing into my wedding dress and running over to the wedding venue to do a first look around 2:30 pm. We talked about doing the tea ceremony at the venue but that would have made it feel rushed as we can't start setting up until 2pm.

Oh make sure you designate two or three people to help you with tea. Having someone take the used empty cups away and other bringing fresh cups and tea to you will make things go much smoother and save you a lot of time. I'm having my bridesmaids do this so we don't have to stop partway through to wait for cups and hot water. The third we are having hold the red envelopes for us after they have been given by family members.

View Quoted Comment I love the idea of doing the games. He does not. I just think it’s such a fun tradition! Thanks for your help!

View Quoted Comment Very helpful, thank you so much for the detailed response!!

View Quoted Comment Oh man, I didn’t realize there was an auspicious time also! Thanks for the help! I think that will be my plan for dresses also. Congrats to you too!

View Quoted Comment That definitely makes sense. We are doing everything at our venue which definitely makes it easier to not have to worry about travel time etc. but your timeline sounds perfect!!

View Quoted Comment Ah yes, I’ve already designated my sisters to do this job!! Haha thanks for the advice!