The Chinese Tea Ceremony Guide

The Chinese tea ceremony is one of the most important parts of a Chinese wedding. It is often done in an intimate setting where couples serve tea as a way to pay...

The Chinese tea ceremony is one of the most important parts of a Chinese wedding. It is often done in an intimate setting where couples serve tea as a way to pay respect and show gratitude towards their families, who in turn bless the newlyweds with words of advice and red envelopes ("lai see"/ "hongbao").

So what happens? Well first, the general rule is that the groom is on the right and the bride on the left. The couple kneels on red cushions placed on the floor whilst serving tea to their families, who will be sitting on chairs. When serving tea, it is vital to serve with two hands and bow slightly forward to ensure the recipient does not have to move forward to receive the tea. The order of serving tea is extremely important, as it shows how the couple respects their seniority. The groom's family should go first followed by the bride's family. It should begin with parents, then grandparents, granduncles/aunts, uncles/aunts, and then elder siblings.

chinese tea ceremony bride groom

Brides can either choose to wear the more traditional Qun Kwa (two-piece Chinese bridal outfits) or red cheongsams for the tea ceremony, the latter being a more modern option. The groom can match by wearing a Zhongshan suit or Tang jacket (in traditional brocade) as we believe it looks best in pictures.

chinese tea ceremony red qipao dress