Marriage is a crucial milestone in life and wedding decorations help to make it a memorable one.
If you are of Chinese descent or wish to incorporate Chinese wedding decorations to your wedding, here are 7 amazing decorative ideas that will make your wedding more stylish and, at the same time, will comply with the traditional Chinese wedding theme.
1. Colours
Red plays an essential role in Chinese weddings. In Chinese culture, red symbolizes success, loyalty, honour, happiness and love. Hence, it is not surprising that red is widely used—red invitations, red wedding dresses, red bridal chamber bedding and red envelopes.
Suppose you are also adding red decorations and red lanterns on the walls, it means you are earning a double fortune for your wedding day.
Meanwhile, you can also consider the colour gold as it represents wealth and prosperity for the Chinese community.
However, unlike most Western weddings, white-coloured decorations are avoided, as in ancient Chinese traditions, white was usually associated with funerals.
2. The Double Happiness Symbol
The double happiness symbol is a traditional Chinese symbol that dates back to the Tang Dynasty and which has always been considered as one of the most famous good luck charms in the Chinese culture. It consists of two copies of the Chinese character, “Xi,” which means happiness.
This symbol has become an auspicious decoration symbol in wedding ceremonies as it stands for conjugal bliss and long and healthy marriage. It can be seen almost everywhere such as on the bride and bridegroom’s clothing, wall decorations and red envelopes.
3. Phoenix and Dragon Symbols
In Chinese culture, the dragon and the phoenix are two of the most powerful celestial animals. The dragon represents the male ‘yang’ while the phoenix symbolizes the female “yin.” Together, they form the perfect combination in Feng Shui, the traditional Chinese concept associated with harmonizing an individual’s environment.
The dragon brings prosperity and success while the phoenix represents the feminine qualities of beauty, inspiration and grace. When paired together, these two powerful symbols complement each other perfectly and bring marital bliss. They ensure that a newly-wed couple is blessed with everlasting love, marital happiness and prosperity.
This celestial couple of dragon and phoenix explains why Chinese grooms often wear suits with a dragon symbol while the brides wear wedding dresses with a phoenix embroidered upon the garment.
4. Lanterns
In ancient China, lanterns were used as sources of light and for Buddhist worship. However, today lanterns symbolize good luck, joy and national pride for China. The most common type of lanterns used is the red hanging lanterns widely used in wedding and birth ceremonies as it represents vitality and good energy. They can be hung outside the doorway of houses or in the wedding backdrop to chase away evil spirits.
5. Flowers
In Chinese culture, flowers have different and powerful meanings. Some specific flowers carry very apt meanings for a wedding such as lilies, which symbolize happy union and orchids that represent both love and fortune. Other flowers can also be used. For instance, peonies, one of China’s most appreciated flowers, represent beauty and wealth while the lotus symbolizes sincerity and purity. These flowers can be used as table centrepieces, decorations on the ceremony backdrop or bouquets for the bride.
6. Porcelain Vases
Porcelain was invented in China during the Tang dynasty and was valued by the Europeans for its beauty, smoothness and durability. Chinese porcelain makers often imprinted religious symbols of luck on porcelain vases and hence these vases can be used as a part of your wedding decor.
7. Dessert
Did you know that you can use desserts as a part of the wedding decor for a Chinese-themed wedding?
For instance, cakes such as the double happiness cookies and the world-famous ‘White Rabbit’ Chinese candy can be displayed on wedding tables as decorations.
The traditional Chinese wedding pastries called the “Xi Bings” are usually given as one of the betrothal gifts to the bride’s family, symbolizing the groom’s gratitude towards that family. However, these small pastries can also be put on display as wedding table decorations.
If you are already planning a Chinese-themed wedding, will you consider these ideas? Please share your opinions!
