Background
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The Chinese Tea Ceremony is a Chinese tradition where the bride and groom serve tea to their
respective families (including parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and other esteemed elders).
The couple receives well wishes and gifts as an act of welcoming either the bride or the groom,
thereby unifying both families
It’s a touching symbol of the coming together of two families and it gives the couple the opportu
nity to acknowledge those who helped raise them
Materials needed
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Stovetop or electric kettle for boiling water (if restaurant doesn’t provide)
A Chinese tea (Black Tea)
Can add red dates (symbolizes luck), lotus seeds (symbolizes the arrival of children)
and lily flower (rhymes with an expression meaning marriage longevity) to the tea
A Chinese tea set (preferably red and cheerful with 喜喜 character)
Symbolic bowls of dried dates, dried longan, nuts, candied lotus seeds (all whole, nothing broken)
Red decorations (Double red happiness decorations)
Two pillows (For Angela and Matt to kneel on)
5-6 chairs (if restaurant doesn’t provide)
Note: Chairs should be moved in and out depending on the size of the group being served,
anywhere from 1 individual to 6 aunts and uncles)
Chinese wedding basket
Lai See / Hong Bao
Bride to wear red satin or silk dress and the groom to wear traditional Chinese red mandarin coll
ar jacket and pants
Roles and Responsibilities
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Tea offerers (bride and groom)
Tea drinkers (the family members being recognized)
Bride’s chaperone / Dai kum jeh (Amy): introduces each of the groups and their relationships to
the bride or groom while also saying auspicious expressions throughout
Tea preppers, runners and servers (Bonnie, Amy, Grace, Susan)
Potentially coordinate moving chairs in/out for the incoming group
Overview of Activities
Introduction / Opening Statement
•Opening statement from the parents of the bride or groom (or Bonnie and Sam)
Overview of the Serving of Tea (For family order, see next section below)
•Tea is offered individually by both the bride and the groom (each individual should receive a total of 2
cups)
•For example, the bride may serve one parent and the groom the other parent, and then
they may switch so that both parents have received one cup of tea each from the bride and groom (two
cups total)
•For more than 2 individuals, the bride and groom should serve a cup of tea together to one individual at
a time
•Phrase for Bonnie and Sam to say (In Chinese, [‘Say Family Name, please have some tea’]
•After receiving and drinking the tea (Note: you do not need to finish the tea), the individual should offer
their gift of lai see and speak a few words to the couple (see common sayings below)
•Asking for lots of babies
•Wishing them a happy marriage
•Wishing them a successful life
•Wishing the couple good health
•Once each group has been fully served, they will leave the chairs for the next group to come up
•Tea preparers to ensure tea is ready for each group, by doing the following:
•Important to make sure the tea is warm, but not hot
•Once the tea is ready, fill the ceremonial pot and walk it to the tea ceremony room
•At the tea ceremony room, pour the tea into the cups for the next round of relatives and give to Bonnie
and Sam
•Potentially need to wash / rinse tea cups in between groups
Family order for serving tea (Additional family to be added based on who is attending)
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Parents of Groom (Sung and Anne Hong)
Parents of Bride (Winston Lieu and Janet Peng)
Grandma of Bride (Man Trinh)
Great Aunts of Bride
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Mymy Trinh – Mei Yi Pao
Trina Trinh – Yong Yi Pao
Aunts and Uncles for Matt
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Sung Hak Chi – Matt’s Father’s Younger Sister
Mi Kyong Hong – Matt’s Father’s Younger Sister-in-law
Yong Im Kim – Matt’s Mother’s Younger Sister
Shin Kang – Matt’s Mother’s Youngest Sister
Aunts and Uncles for Angela
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Vincent Lieu/Nancy Lieu
Andy Lieu/Natalie Chuang
Joel Chan/Mike Gillett
Salina/John To
Amy Banh
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David/Becky Pang
Richard/Christine Banh
Thomas/Connie Peng
Linda/Jimmy Kha
Yly Banh