Hokkien Wedding Custom

Cecil Lee, 2002 (C) Geomancy.net

"Lup Chai" is three days before the wedding date.

A. Three Days before Wedding Day

On this "Lup Chai" day, the BRIDEGROOM has to go in the morning to the bride's home to give the following:-

Stick on the Double Wedding paper on each of the following items:-

Description / Quantity
Brandy / TWO bottles
Bride will ask for boxes of cakes or some ask for peanunt bisket (wrapped in red packet) / To be determined by bride's side
Give any Canned food x 6 tins e.g.
Longan
Abalone
Pigs Leg
Lichee
Mushroom
or any other canned food / SIX tins each
For non-christians (Optional): Give Two pairs of red candle-sticks e.g. Dragon and Phoenix pair / ONE set
Give fruits e.g. Mandarin Orange / SIX

For red packet, only on the day of wedding day.

On the Bride's side

Description / Quantity
On receipt of the bridegroom's items, the bride should return ONE BUNCH of Bananas (with the red Double Happiness sticker on it).
The bride should return TWO bottles of `red coloured' drink bottles e.g. 7-UP Cherry bottles with two bottles of Honey.
The bride should return back TWO tins or FOUR tins (as the bridge wish) to the bridegroom the `CANNED' food as mentioned above. And for either the cake or peanunt bisket, return two boxes back to the Bridgegroom.
The bride side should also give back:
SIX mandarin oranges
Optional: return dried red dates (with the red double
happiness sticker on it).
The bride should give one packet of Red packet, (in the past to buy shoes for father and mother in law). Bridegroom must keep it.

B. On the day of the Wedding for Hokkiens to fetch the bride

The Bridegroom would give:-

Description / Quantity
One pigs front leg with meat and skin. For example, a left front leg of the pig. The pig's leg should be placed on a tray with a big piece of red paper.
(For the Cantonese, they instead ask for a whole roasted Pig - Big and nice - ear and tail must be complete - `perfect and nice')
Prepare TWO red packets and place it on the same tray as the pig's leg:
One red packet is meant to symbolise the parents of the bridge looking after her till to-date. This packet the bride must take known as " Leng Bo Gim ".
Another SECOND red packet is for " Pian Kim ". Often, the bride's side do not take it. If taken, means that the parents have `sold' their daughter. (Advisable, that the bride side return this Red packet). / ONE front pig's leg
TWO red packets

C. During Tea Ceremony

Tea ingredients:

Red dates,

dried longan boiled with rock sugar and pandan leaf and place in a tea pot.

D. Optional - Belief

During the wedding, no one should sit or lie on the wedding bed

In the bedroom, if the couple wish to have a `boy' (find a hansome boy) select a relative's son or friend's son. On that day, ask this boy to roll over the wedding bed. And in return give the boy a Red Packet.

E. Decoration in the bedroom (Optional)

Place Double happiness symbol on the bedroom door, the bedroom mirror.

Can also place a plate of : Dried Red datesDried Longanfor sweetness.

Can also place Red packet with 20 cents in the wedding bedroom drawers if any.