
Chinese Wedding Timeline and Festive Traditions

He has proposed and you are getting married!!! Are of Chinese descent or simply looking to incorporate Chinese wedding traditions into your wedding day? Then this article is for you. We have compiled a small sample of Chinese wedding traditions as well as an example timeline and menu…all ten courses!!
Chinese wedding days are incredible, with a host of traditions, dress changes, games, and banquet. One of the most common traditions is the Chinese Tea Ceremony.
Chinese Tea Ceremony
Often, both families will perform the hairdressing and capping rituals for the bride and groom. The groom will then travel to the bride’s house, where he will be blocked from entering by the bridesmaids. After a series of tasks, he is allowed to enter the home
Both families are formally introduced through the Tea Ceremony, and often the couple will receive ornate red envelopes (lai see) which may contain money or sometimes jewelry.
Chinese Wedding Dress
It is Chinese tradition for the bride to wear a red dress, known as a qipao. In Chinese culture, red symbolizes happiness, prosperity, and good luck. In modern weddings, the bride will often change into a white wedding dress for the ceremony. As the banquet progresses, there will often be another dress change, and on some occasions, a fourth dress at the end of ceremonies to send off their guests.
Chinese Wedding Banquet
This is a very lavish and usually expensive affair. Once the dinner begins, the bride will change into a traditional red Chinese wedding dress. Many foods are considered symbolic in Chinese culture, such as the whole fish which symbolizes abundance.

Chinese Wedding Timeline
5:00 am | Makeup and Hairstylist Arrive Bridesmaids arrive to Bride’s house |
8:40 am | Family Members arrive |
9:00 am | Groom Arrives at Tea Ceremony Ceremony venue opens for set up Reception venue open for set up Tea Ceremony (until 11 am) Ceremony decor delivery/set-up Photography coverage begins (13-hour duration) |
11:00 am | Tea Ceremony Ends Lunch delivery arrives |
12:00 pm | Bridal party departure for the ceremony |
12:45 pm | Bridal party arrival to Ceremony location |
1:00 pm | All ceremony details set for guest arrival Bride gets dressed |
1:30 pm | Earliest guest arrival Start instrumental background music Officiant arrives |
1:55 pm | Line up the bridal party |
2:00 pm | Ceremony begins |
2:30 pm | Ceremony ends Group Photo & Family Photos |
3:00 pm | Couple Photos |
5:00 pm | Bridal party arrival at Reception All details set for cocktail hour/early guest arrival |
5:30 pm | Cake Delivery Cocktail hour Cocktail hour music begins and then moves into dinner music |
6:55 pm | Emcee asks guests to be seated |
7:00 pm | Reception begins Welcome Speech and introduction of emcee Bridal Party Entrance |
7:05 pm | Newlywed Entrance & First Dance |
7:15 pm | First Course Served; BBQ Platter |
7:25 pm | Toast by the Maid of Honor |
7:30 pm | Second Course: Deep-fried stuffed Crab claws |
7:35 pm | Toast by Bridesmaid |
7:45 pm | Third Course: Bird’s Nest with Scallops |
7:50 pm | Toast by the Best Man |
8:00 pm | Fourth Course: Fish Maw Soup |
8:15 pm | Fifth Course: Lobster with Cream sauce |
8:20 pm | Games: 1 |
8:30 pm | Sixth Course: Crispy Chicken |
8:35 pm | Games: 2 |
8:45 pm | Seventh Course: Braised Abalone Chinese Mushroom |
8:50 pm | Games: 3 |
9:00 pm | Eighth Course: Steamed Tilapia Bride to go change to Chinese dress |
9:10 pm | Thank you by the Newlyweds (Bride changed to Chinese dress) |
9:15 pm | Bridal party will make their rounds Ninth Course: Yee Min |
9:30 pm | Tenth Course: Fried Rice Bride to change to an evening gown |
9:35 pm | Cake cutting (Bride in evening gown) |
9:45 pm | Open dance floor |
9:50 pm | Bouquet Toss/ Garter toss |
10:00 pm | Photography Coverage Finishes |
10:15 pm | Dinner service ends |
12:55 am | Last Dance |
1:00 am | Newlywed send-off Breakdown Begins |
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