As a wedding photographer in the San Francisco Bay Area, we get to experience many weddings.  One most dont have insight on unless you have participated in one (or you’re Chinese!) are traditional chinese weddings.  Natalie and Jimmy had one over the weekend and being both Chinese and Christian had a mix of both types of wedding.

In the morning during prep, Natalie put on her traditional chinese long dress.  With traditional Chinese weddings there is always a bartering for the bride.  Bridesmaids will barter with the groomsmen to pick up the bride from her home.  In this case there was some bartering and then some games in which to proove ones worth to the bride.  As they passed the tests the awaiting bride was upstairs waiting for the groom.

We then followed a quick Chinese tea ceremony in which both sides of the family are poured tea and then exchange red envelopes for good luck.  This is usually done for the brides family for mom, dad and siblings.  Sometimes it extends to extended family but its all dependent on what your family follows typically.

When that side was all done, friends and family then were met at the church for a traditional church ceremony, and reception.

Great start to our first wedding of 2010!  It was fun!  Congrats to Natalie and Jimmy once again.