During the day the couple did a more traditional marriage celebration of with the families. I don’t understand all of it but it involved going to both the parents homes and the grandparents homes and receiving their blessing and back and forth all day. From the summary I received from the bride’s cousin the bride had five clothing changes throughout the day.
I need to explain the whole Bill going to this wedding being a big deal. In China there is a huge
honor system and having your boss, especially your American Boss, attend your wedding celebration is a HUGE DEAL. It has just been in the past 20 years that the Chinese have begun to incorporate western concepts into their wedding practices and they are very proud of their modernization and ability to provide the new generations this grand celebration. Bill had made the request to put us in the back of the room so that we wouldn’t be a disruption to the activities. After the paparazzi episode earlier that evening it was definitely possible for us to be a disruption.The bride wanted to know if Bill would like to give a speech. NO, we haven’t even decided if Bill will be allowed to even give a speech at his own daughter’s wedding.
Bill and I are escorted into the banquet area and are lead to the front of the room, table to the right of the wedding party. OMG. We are front and center of the entire room. Let the games begin. In walks the MC for the evening, yes, weddings are MC’d like a fashion show. Our MC, I decided to call him Richard since he acted just like Richard Dawson from “Let’s Play Family Feud” fame. He walked the groom to the front of the room and had him stand on the stage. Yes, an actual stage. Richard started telling stories about the groom, all in Chinese so I don’t know what he was saying but the groom was a bit embarrassed so I am sure
of the tone at least. The bride is now standing at the back of the room and all the lights go down, spotlight on bride. The groom walks half way down the aisle and the bride starts walking to meet him, off go the confetti and roman candles. I guess know one got the message that flying paper and fireworks were a fire hazard, fortunately no extinguishers needed. The bride and groom then go to the front of the room and light candles. The first set of candles were a regular pyramid shaped thing and then they couple said a small “prayer” to bless their union. The second candle was vessels in the shape of a heart, the liquid ran from cup to cup but the cool thing was the liquid was some neon glowing stuff that was pink. Pink and Red are popular colors for weddings in China. The couple kisses and the wedding portion of our evening is complete.The couple disappears for a few minutes and then the bride and groom reappear and walk to the front about two thirds of the way the groom picks up the bride and carries her to the front of the room, as an
alternative to carrying her over the threshold. Then something is said about the parents and the parents of the bride and groom join together on the stage. Richard does is saying something and more laughing from the audience. The Bride gives flowers to her in laws and the groom presents flowers to his in laws. Smile, picture ops and groom sits with the family at the table and the bride disappears for another costume change.Then the food comes out. Oh my god, the food. Plate after plate of pork, fish, chicken, turtle soup, eel soup, rice dishes, duck, shrimp – it just kept coming and coming. I lost count around 18 different dishes. Most of it was very good – minus the chicken head that ended up on Bill’s plate or when the guy sitting next to me described the eel as snake. SNAKE. I am so not that girl. Problem with so much food is that when you find something you really enjoyed it was removed from the table to make room for more plates. Oh well. The over abundance of food was a way of the family showing the guest that they were financially well off and able to support the newlyweds.
I didn’t actually get to see the bride and groom get a chance to eat a thing during the evening. As soon as the bride appeared the couple went from table to table to thank everyone for attending their wedding. At each table a couple of toasts to their union were made and then they would be off to the next table. There were 400 guests at this wedding so that alone
took the couple a considerable amount of time. When they arrived at our table Bill and I made our congratulations with a bow to the parents for allowing us to join them in their children’s celebration. A toast to the couple, a toast to the Americans, a toast to family.While the wedding party was wondering the room the MC had started the games portion of our evening. Yes, games. All in Chinese so I am not sure what all them were about, I did get the one where one would say he could drink 3 shots of rice wine, another would shout out “4 shots”, next “6 shots” and on till an older guy (you know it probably was the crazy uncle, we all have one.) said 8 shots. A hush falls over the room and all you here is the whispered “ohhhhhh”. Crazy uncle comes the front of the stage and they bring out the 8 shots of rice wine, for those of you who have not sampled this delight my best comparison is one part lighter fluid, one part black licorice and one part Robostuin, the yucky yellow one not the grape flavored one. Yumm.
Crazy uncle starts drinking – the audience is counting and some gal in her early 20’s gets on stage and helps crazy uncle finish the shots. Everyone laughs and crazy uncle receives his prize of a stuffed HELLO KITTY which he gave to the girl that helped him finish the shots.
My Cajun side did come roaring to live when they were doing this little entertainment. How
funny would it have been for the white chick to stand up and say, “Hang on Pops, I see your 8 shots and raise you 2!” For those of you that can remember my tequila years (damned if I can) you know I would have done it too.The final game of the evening was picking a number; you either heard a happy noise or a bad noise. When you heard a happy noise - you won a stuffed animal. If you heard a bad noise you won a small stuffed animal. Carnival games at a wedding, Ok. Twenty or so numbers were on the screen when it was down to two numbers, Mr. MC approached Bill. I am frozen, my brain is screaming, keep walking, and don’t make eye contact – just keep moving Richard, nothing to see here. Nope, he B-lined straight to Bill -MC Richard says something which translated to something about picking a number. Bill, Mr. Sport, says a little too loudly, “Wu.” Number 5 – can we get a drum roll…..happy noise. Bill now is the proud owner of a large stuffed rabbit. YEAH. Now go away.
The evening has concluded, MC Richard is telling everyone thank you for coming and whatever, whatever. Bill presents the bunny to Mary, the coworker who traveled with us and helped with translation. This was her first wedding too. Mary is surprised but very grateful to have the bunny, the Chinese like the stuffed animals. Bill and I make our way out of the room where the bride and groom are standing with the parents. A second round of handshaking and bowing, I lean over to tell Yolanda that she looks lovely and we are so privileged to be able to join her and her family. Bill and I wonder across the street for a bottle of wine and retire to the room.
After a fitful night of sleep, the bed was like sleeping on a rock and the air conditioning was less than sufficient. The phone rang a little after 8am. Yolanda and her husband were outside of our room. Bill and scrambled for appropriate attire and greeted them at the door. They were stopping by to present us with a gift and to thank us for attending their wedding. It was a large box of breakfast biscuits that were a traditional food for the morning after celebration. They tell us again that our attending was big honor for both of their families and that they really appreciate our joining them.
How great are these people? How much can our families learn from these people about respect and appreciation of others? Yeah, I miss the US, I miss my kids and my family and friends but I am so glad to be able to see this country and have these experiences. Oh, the drive home was just Bill and I, we managed to miss an exit and ended up a couple hours in the wrong direction. Fortunately we can read a map, because we definitely were not getting home by the street signs.
No comments:
Post a Comment