Wedding
Betrothal Preparation
The betrothal gifts are prepared based on the groom dialect groups. If you know the dialect group, click on the button below to see a personalised guide for you.
The groom will deliver the gift to the bride’s family on an auspicious day. Usually, the day is decided after having consulted a Fengshui Master.
The gifts should be delivered at least two weeks before the actual wedding day.
THINGS TO PREPARE:
Betrothal Essential Set:
| Items | Remarks |
| Prosperous Red Basket 红喜礼篮 or Betrothal 2/3 tiers basket | A traditional practice to hold all the ceremony gift items in baskets |
| 1 pair of Dragon Candles 双龙蜡烛 | To be lit up during the actual wedding date by the bride family when the groom leave the house to fetch the bride For Teochew & Hokkien (refer to Note) |
| 1 pair of Phoenix Candles 双凤蜡烛 | To be lit up during the actual wedding date by the groom family when the groom leave the house to fetch the bride For Teochew & Hokkien (refer to Note) |
| Double Happiness Sticker 双喜贴纸 | |
| 2 sets of 9.9ft Red Cloth 红彩两套 | To be hung over the door (1 for groom & 1 for bride) |
| 2 Wine Covers 酒瓶袋一对 | |
| 2 Bottles of Alcohol | Gift for Father-in-law: Hard-Liquor or Red Wine. |
| 4 to 6 Pig Trotter Cans 猪脚罐 | Gift for Mother-in-law (for Hainanese, Hokkien and Teochew) |
| 12 Oranges (Teochew & Hokkien) 18 Oranges (Cantonese & Hakka) | To bring about good luck |
| Double Happiness Bag | |
| Dragon & Phoenix Tray | To place the oranges and red packet |
| Bride Price Red Packet 聘金喜包 | A gift to the parents to thank them for bringing up the bride |
| Nappy money Red Packet 离乳喜包 | To be presented to the bride’s family during actual Wedding Day as a token of appreciation for raising the bride. |
| Open Car Door Red Packet 开车门喜包 | To be presented to the little boy who open the door of the bridal car. |
| 4 Treasure Jin Guo x 2 packets ( Red Dates, Lily Buds, Dried Longans, Lotus Seeds) | To make tea for the tea ceremony |
| Sweet Endings x 2 packets (Rock Sugar, Candied Winter-melon strips) | To make tea for the tea ceremony |
| 2 packets of 5 colour beans | Symbolise abundance and prosperity |
| Teochew Wax + Red Cloth | For Teochew dialect group |
| Traditional Biscuits, Candies and cakes | Depend on the dialect group |
| Charcoal | Symbolise the bride having a good life after marriage |
STEP BY STEP GUIDE ON BETROTHAL DAY
- Together with a female match maker or elderly female relative, the groom will head to the bride home on an auspicious date.
- Place 12 oranges ( with double happiness sticker ) into a Dragon and Phoenix tray.
- Place 2 bottles of alcohol into the organza bags or paste double happiness sticker on both bottles.
- Place the Pin Jin Red Packet together with the tray of oranges.
- Place all the food items into the basket and pass the baskets, alcohol, candles and tray to the Bride’s Parents.
Note
Both pairs of candle to be brought to the Bride’s house, where the Bride’s family will keep the pair of Dragons, and Groom will bring home the pair of Phoenixes.
*For Cantonese and Hakka dialect groups, both the Groom and Bride will use a pair of Dragon & Phoenix candles.