Who Has Had a Wedding Ceremony In China?

[RLS]

I would like to get a general idea of what a "mock" wedding ceremony would cost in China? Since I'm K1, I know the real wedding must be here in the U.S. My SO wants a ceremony for her relatives and friends and I certainly understand that. However, I simply cannot afford another huge expense at this time. Any comments will be appreciated.

[jim_julian]

Does she want a ceremony or is what she is really talking about what we would call in the US a wedding banquet?

 

We contracted with a restaurant for lunch and dinner. We even hired a bus to go out to the town near the family farm and pick up a load of the country friends and relatives. It was a curious mix ... the Army and police officers and their families from the city contrasted with the farm/country folk.

 

If you'd like to see a chronicle of the day go to my website, click on China and then Chongqing wedding banquet.

 

The 100+ guests all brought red envelopes (aka money). You can see a picture of our daughter and a niece logging them in. The money more than covered the expense. I would think that you could expect the same.

[C4Racer]

Not sure what a mock ceremony would cost.

 

What we did (also K1) was to rent a banquet room at a hotel. Have an engagement part for family and friends. Cost about 1750 yuan. for 30 people.

We also had wedding photos taken at one of the professional places.

[RLS]

Great pictures, Jim and thanks. That makes me feel a little better. Thank you too, Michael. Your price seems very reasonable. I think Ivy wanted to do the costume thing as well. Those have to be tailored and that has to add a lot to the cost. Personally, I would rather be dressed like you were, Jim.

[LGR_WEI]

I would like to get a general idea of what a "mock" wedding ceremony would cost in China? Since I'm K1, I know the real wedding must be here in the U.S. My SO wants a ceremony for her relatives and friends and I certainly understand that. However, I simply cannot afford another huge expense at this time. Any comments will be appreciated.

 

 

I just had the chinese wedding 10-2006.

 

The REAL wedding is nothing more than going to the Foreign marriage administration, and filing the paper work needed. We did this at 8am, and picked up the official you are married 'red book' at 330pm.... Well, lets just say at 330pm the book was not ready.. its a long story.

 

Now, at 700pm that same day, I am to be in front of 200 chinese speaking family members. My SO is divorced, and she told me to not worry, her first wedding consisted of 3000 guests. I could not even imagine 3000 people in one room for a wedding.

 

Anyway, we where not at this point married because the 'red book' delay. We proceeded to the Chinese marriage ceremony.

 

We walk out and stand in front of everyone. We had a master of ceremony that talked up a storm. ( in chinese ). At some point we faced each other and said some sweet words ( vowels ). We then held hands and the MC placed the FAKE 'red book' on both our hands and told me to kiss my bride. The red book went into my right pocket. Then while leaving the stage, the MC took the fake red book and gave it back to the correct owner.

 

A little later it was back up on the stage in front of everyone, and my SO parents took me as there son. We hugged, and exchanged bows.

 

None of this is recognized on paper, nor by the US as married at this ceremony. In old Chinese customs, you could be considered marry, but even in our case, the red book was fake at that time.

 

We did get our red book finally 2 days later. The nice thing was, it was dated the day we went in, and the day of the wedding ceremony.

 

Now the cost¡­. The hotel we were in provided meals, drinks, and the room for 3500 RMB. You have to buy cigarettes, candies, and some other stuff, candles, red wine, ¡­. This was about 1000 RMB. The MC was 200RMB.

 

>L

[rogerinca]

I would like to get a general idea of what a "mock" wedding ceremony would cost in China? Since I'm K1, I know the real wedding must be here in the U.S. My SO wants a ceremony for her relatives and friends and I certainly understand that. However, I simply cannot afford another huge expense at this time. Any comments will be appreciated.

 

Ron, as you may recall, I, too, just went through all of this in mid-December, in Guangzhou.

 

I agree with Jim¡¯s thoughts on this. The only difference between real and mock, is the portion which is at the government office (for us Guangzhou) where you recite the government required vows and sign the documents and obtain the marriage registry book. I guess we were lucky, as we were in at 10:00 am and out with our red marriage books in hand, two hours later, at Noon; including all of the document translation from English to Chinese.

 

What you are talking about is a wedding supper/banquet which is the real family/friend celebration. We had ours that evening after our civil ceremony. I wore a suit and she her traditional wedding dress. You can take photos and put together a nice photo album. You can (do as I did) offer your wedding thoughts/vows and feelings about your wife to be. You can make it as special for her and her family as your creativity/budget will allow. I prepared some very special comments about my love for my wife, and had them translated into Chinese. I read a paragraph in English, and my wife¡¯s niece read the same paragraph in Cantonese. By the time I had finished delivering my comments, everyone in the room was in tears and my wife rushed into my arms and gave me a look of pride and love that was incredible. It was a very special moment.

 

The traditional wedding supper or banquet, can be held at a hotel or at a restaurant. My wife preferred the hotel, close to her home, and which had excellent cuisine and very nice banquet rooms. The pricing is normally per table, with usually ten persons per table. We negotiated a price of $100.00 or approx. RMB 780.00 per table. (50 guests = five tables = $500). It came out to about $10. per head. This included a full multi-dish meal, with soup and dessert, red wine, beer, soda, tea, fruit and candies. Also the room was decorated for a wedding banquet and had her family name in large Chinese letters behind the podium. Any guest who wanted hard liquor, paid for it or brought it themselves.

 

As Jim mentioned, the guests will all leave the little red gift envelopes, most with a 100 RMB note or two or more, inside. The gift money not only paid for the [entire] supper, but also a large chunk of our other expenses for the two weeks I was in China. Also keep in mind, GZ is a more expensive city than Nanning. Your per table cost, will most likely be a little less in beautiful green Nanning.

 

Due to the significance in the culture, as well as the close family ties of my wife, it was very important to have this family banquet/celebration in China. This was a very special time for the both of us. Most likely I will have another ceremony here in California after she arrives; however, I am certain the China experience will always remain foremost in my mind. Best wishes !!

[jbray]

We had our wedding at a Hot Put buffet. They restaurant threw in the wedding cake (it was a typical Chinese cake... nothing special). They place where we had our wedding pictures included a wedding dress rental, hair, makeup, and a poster sized portrate... The cost for everything: restaurant (82 people), wedding pictures, my custom suit, her wedding dress (she had 2... One was a free rental, the other was bought), cigerettes, Alcohol, and candy, was around $800... This was in Chengdu. In a larger city, it could cost more. In a smaller city, much less.

 

All the people that came brought money. We probably got about $1500. So, that more than paid for the wedding.

[RLS]

Thanks to all of you. This is great information, not only for me, but for anyone making plans for a wedding or banquet in China. I appreciate your comments and I will let you know how mine came out.

Ron

[Randy W]

. . . At some point we faced each other and said some sweet words ( vowels ). . . .

 

 

After 'A', 'E', 'I', 'O', and 'U', what else is there?

 

 

 

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.

 

 

I just cracked up when I saw this

 

 

Sorry. Sorry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really am very sorry.

[Randy W]

and sometimes, "Why?"

[Guest Duke]

Thanks to all of you. This is great information, not only for me, but for anyone making plans for a wedding or banquet in China. I appreciate your comments and I will let you know how mine came out.

Ron

 

Experiences on this vary. We had a banquet at a nice restaurant for 55 people. I never saw any red envelopes with money, and paid about 1700RMB. Any alchohol was brought in by those who consumed it or was otherwise not included in my bill. We also had a separate ceremony in a local Church. I think it was 300RMB paid to the "minister" who conducted a standard Protestant type ceremony (unofficial, of course) in both English and Mandarin. Both events were scheduled for the day after our actual marriage in China.

 

I would just go along with whatever Ivy plans and be ready with the amount of cash she advises. It shouldn't be a major expense. Think in the low 100's USD.

[ameriken]

When we got the visa, our goal was to be together. The ceremony was not as big an issue as was being together. With all the Visa unknowns and the 90 days, we also knew that there is not enough time to really do a formal wedding here in the US, plus, it is unlikely that all her family could make it to the US due to difficulty of getting a B1 visa, plus cost. Jie was also very understanding that I spent most of my money to come to see her in China, do the visa, etc etc etc.

 

So, we decided, lets take care of the legal and logistical aspect of the visa and AOS, and go to Vegas for a couple of days, have it done via the judge/commissioner, and come back to file the AOS. It was cheap to fly, we found a decent room downtown about 3 blocks from the county offices, and we were in and out of Vegas within 3 days. I also flew my mom out here to witness the ceremony.

 

Although Vegas was not very ceremonious, we do plan to go back to China in 2008 to have a more formal ceremony for her family. We estimate 25 to 50 well chosen people. Including photos, we are estimating under 15000 RMB, ($2000) and I dont know if that is a high or low figure. This also doesnt include airfare, taxis, food,etc. But it gives us time to take care of the more urgent costs such as AOS, etc, and it gives us time to save up money.

 

The whole idea of the visa was getting here to the US so we can begin life together, so that was the primary goal and focus of our money, and the China ceremony is secondary and something that we can relax and take a little more time with.

Edited February 28, 2007 by ameriken (see edit history)

[rogerinca]

When we got the visa, our goal was to be together. The ceremony was not as big an issue as was being together. With all the Visa unknowns and the 90 days, we also knew that there is not enough time to really do a formal wedding here in the US, plus, it is unlikely that all her family could make it to the US due to difficulty of getting a B1 visa, plus cost. Jie was also very understanding that I spent most of my money to come to see her in China, do the visa, etc etc etc.

 

So, we decided, lets take care of the legal and logistical aspect of the visa and AOS, and go to Vegas for a couple of days, have it done via the judge/commissioner, and come back to file the AOS. It was cheap to fly, we found a decent room downtown about 3 blocks from the county offices, and we were in and out of Vegas within 3 days. I also flew my mom out here to witness the ceremony.

 

Although Vegas was not very ceremonious, we do plan to go back to China in 2008 to have a more formal ceremony for her family. We estimate 25 to 50 well chosen people. Including photos, we are estimating under 15000 RMB, ($2000) and I dont know if that is a high or low figure. This also doesnt include airfare, taxis, food,etc. But it gives us time to take care of the more urgent costs such as AOS, etc, and it gives us time to save up money.

 

The whole idea of the visa was getting here to the US so we can begin life together, so that was the primary goal and focus of our money, and the China ceremony is secondary and something that we can relax and take a little more time with.

 

"......we do plan to go back to China in 2008 to have a more formal ceremony for her family. We estimate 25 to 50 well chosen people. Including photos, we are estimating under 15000 RMB, ($2000) and I dont know if that is a high or low figure.....".

 

Hi Ken,

 

In my very humble opinion; even at the high end of the number of people in attendance (50), $2000.00 is very high for China !!! That comes out to $40.00 per/head !! I thought I spent too much at $10.00 per/head, and we had a real gourmet feast, and everyone had a great time !!

 

Again, just my personal experience and opinion, even with an allowance for some photos, for less than $1000.00 you should have a memorable event and a great time !!!

[ameriken]

Again, just my personal experience and opinion, even with an allowance for some photos, for less than $1000.00 you should have a memorable event and a great time !!!

Awesome dude, thanks! Thats great to hear. We should be able to have a really decent event then!

[david_dawei]

I would like to get a general idea of what a "mock" wedding ceremony would cost in China? Since I'm K1, I know the real wedding must be here in the U.S. My SO wants a ceremony for her relatives and friends and I certainly understand that. However, I simply cannot afford another huge expense at this time. Any comments will be appreciated.

Price will probably vary by the restaurant or hall... and you have to be careful not to push to hard on a cheaper location... there could

'face' related issues. See if she can come up with a few options.

 

At ours, we got more 'red envelopes' of money than we paid in the end.. this will vary... but if you have the guts to ask her, you might find out if this traditional aspect will occur... be prepare to duck from the mop coming through the phone.