Hi Ben, I used to live in Northen-China. As far as I know, I'd like to give you some information as per your question here. In China, giving money or possessions to the parents of brides as "bride price" varies from areas as well as time. It used widely to be a custom in the old time of China, but not current time. In Northen-China, grooms need not give anything to brides' parents as "bride price". If grooms are very rich and willing to give something on their own intiative, sometimes it will be accepted and finally the money will be given to brides as dowry, but sometimes it will be refused as some brides' parents feel it sort of insulting. Both grooms side and brides side will hold wedding banquets separately. Brides side pay their own banquests. They serve their close relatives and friends on the banquests. And currently it is customary for these attendants to offer a mount of money to the hosts, varying from RMB100 to RMB1000. Normally the hosts will receive lots of money from their guests, sometimes it is even double times to the barget, but at least it will balance the barget.
