#PERSONAS: THE CHINESE BRIDE > HOW DO PEOPLE GET MARRIED IN CHINA? 💍👰
Per WWD, the Chinese wedding industry is valued at 1.7 trillion yuan as of 2021, and brides in Beijing in China are opting for red & gold glittering phoenixes over white dresses, as one of many cool wedding alternatives. 🐉
Gone are the days when the bride and groom need their parents’ approval to get married. However, Chinese parents still play a major role in their children’s weddings—mostly because the ceremony entails a significant cost. ➡️ The average cost of a wedding in China is a whopping 223,000 yuan ($34,000 US). 🧧💳 Not surprising that you see so many Chinese brides abroad then. 😉
An important question remains today: the “bride price,” which corresponds to the engagement gifts that were part of matrimonial customs in ancient China. The groom’s family had to give a certain amount of money to the bride’s family to make the engagement official. While some people are still attached to this traditional custom, others think that this sum is rather symbolic now and that it should not be excessive. 🎁
Ceremony options: the Western way, the Chinese way, or a mixture of both. 🌎 Here again, opinions differ. Traditional Chinese brides are known to rise at 3 a.m. and celebrate all day long, with 3-4 outfit changes. China is vast, and each region has its own customs; differences also exist between cities & the countryside. And even eloping abroad is widely accepted.
Many Chinese follow “French wedding” style: white dress, tuxedo, rings—replacing the church and priest with a reception hall and master of ceremony—and add in traditional dress (Qipao).
Chinese wedding ceremonies are typically less romantic, focusing on history & tradition.
❤️ Red, originating from the sun cult, is honored because this color is associated with success, loyalty, honor, fertility and love.
💛 Gold is also commonly used as it represents wealth and fortune. ✨
💐Flowers, especially lilies and orchids, symbolizing good fortune, happiness & beauty.
Blending tradition & modernity is en vogue, as China shifts to a more modern wedding.
What are your thoughts?
Sources: WWD / #MarketingChine
Photos: RED
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