Marriage Ceremonies

Marriage Ceremonies: 

China: In Chinese cultures during a marriage ceremony, the bride will first go through her Bridal Sedan. A Bridal Sedan is where the brides "good luck woman" will lead her to a sedan chair and perform certain rituals that they believed to ward off evil. The bride is then picked up from her home, and taken to the grooms home where they are to do there ceremonial bows to heaven and earth. After they complete these bows, they then have to bow to the grooms parents, and finally to each other. While at the grooms home the bride makes tea and offers it to the grooms family. Acceptance of the tea that the bride made shows that the family has welcomed her into the family. 

USA: In American cultures during a marriage ceremony, brides will typically get ready with their sisters and mother, and bridesmaids if she has any. A bride will usually wear and all white gown, and a veil covering her face. It is said that the reason that women wore veils during their wedding ceremonies was to hide from evil spirits that were trying to ruin the wedding. In American cultures we have another superstition that if the groom were to see his bride before they are married that it will bring bad luck to them. During an American wedding ceremony, people typically get married in a church or at some sort of venue gathered around by both the brides and the grooms family. When the bride comes down the aisle, it is a tradition to have her father "give her away" to the groom to symbolize that she is no longer apart of their household and in a sense belongs to the groom. The ceremony is ended with vows and a kiss by the bride and groom to officially show that they are married. After this initial ceremony, there is usually a party to celebrate the newly married couple. 

Similarities & Differences: 

Both Chinese and American cultures have many unique aspects about them. The similarities that these two cultures share are their superstition of evil spirits. Both of these cultures have certain things that helps them ward off this "evil" and helps protect the bride. These cultures also share their aspect of having gatherings with their families and celebrating the newly married couple. Although the gatherings of the family's vary from each culture. The differences that these two cultures share are that of the Chinese bride having to get more of an acceptance and approval from the grooms family, while that of an American culture, we don't heavily rely on the grooms or brides families "approval", but having the family there does show the support that they have for the new couple. The Chinese traditions and customs show that they are more closed minded and heavily rely on their traditions. In the American culture, there are some traditions that are still held, but for the most part the culture is much more open minded and marriage ceremonies have there own little aspect to them, depending on the person.