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Chinese Wedding Checklist

16 items across 3 categories to plan your Chinese wedding, in the order they come up.

Pre-Wedding Preparation

These are the things to prepare in the weeks and days before the wedding.

Pre-Wedding

Prepare Betrothal Gifts (Guo Da Li)
The groom's family traditionally gives gifts to the bride's family, which may include cakes, tea, wine, jewelry and money. The specific items and amounts vary by dialect group and family tradition. Cantonese, Hokkien and Teochew customs differ significantly, so ask your families what they expect.
Book Tea Ceremony Location
Reserve space for the tea ceremonies at both families' homes or at a suitable venue.
Order Traditional Tea Sets
Buy red tea sets with double happiness symbols for the ceremonies.
Book Wedding Banquet Venue
Reserve a restaurant for an 8–12 course traditional banquet. Popular Chinese restaurants fill up quickly for auspicious dates, so book early.
Select Banquet Menu
Choose dishes that include symbolic items, such as whole fish, lobster and chicken (dragon and phoenix), and lotus seed dessert soup.
Order Wedding Qipao / Qun Kwa
Order or rent a traditional red wedding dress for the tea ceremonies. The Qun Kwa is the traditional Cantonese bridal gown with gold embroidery. The qipao or cheongsam is more commonly worn outside Cantonese communities.
Plan Door Games
The bridesmaids prepare challenges and games for the groom.
Prepare Red Envelopes
Get red envelopes in several sizes, and withdraw new, crisp bills to put in them for gifts and the door games.

These are the items you need for the An Chuang ceremony.

Ceremony

Purchase New Red Bedding
Buy new red sheets, pillowcases and a duvet cover with a double happiness motif.
Get Fertility Items
Get dates, peanuts, lotus seeds and longans. Together their names form a phrase that sounds like "may you have a precious child soon" in Chinese.
Invite Good Luck Woman
Ask a happily married woman who has living children to set up the bed.
Get Pomelo Leaves
The leaves are used to cleanse the room before the ceremony. This is a Cantonese tradition, and customs vary by community.

These are the items you need on the wedding day itself.

Wedding Day

Confirm Hair and Makeup Artist
Check that your makeup artist knows the schedule and has experience with Chinese bridal styles.
Decorate Wedding Cars
Add flowers, ribbons and double happiness symbols to the cars in the convoy.
Set Up Tea Ceremony Area
Prepare red kneeling cushions, the tea set, and seating for the elders in order of seniority.
Prepare Door Game Supplies
Check that the bridesmaids have all the game materials and the red envelopes for the groom's challenge.

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Elsker turns this checklist into an interactive planning tool with budget tracking, guest management, and built-in Chinese tradition support.