Chinese Wedding!

So, a week and a half a ago Amanda, Christina, and I had the great opportunity to go to our first Chinese wedding. Two of our Chinese friends that live in our building and are also teachers had a wedding and we got invited.

When our friend invited us, we got to talking about pictures and videos of weddings. She said that she didn't have anyone yet to take video or pictures, so we naturally volunteered. Which in the end turned out to be a great choice because it got us involved in the entire wedding process.

So it goes..........

Bride and Groom heading down the aisle!

First, we got up about 8:00 a.m. and had to run down stairs and meet 2 of the groom's friends who threw us in a car and drove us across town to a different campus where the groom teaches and his parents live. At the groom's parents' apartment, we hung out for a bit. They tried to feed us some snacks and food, and we met all the family.

Heading off the the Groom's house: the First time!

Groom with Mom and Dad! (They are so excited)

After about 30 or 40 minutes there, we all trekked down the stairs and all jumped into some cars. We headed back across town to our campus where the groom has to talk, sing, and pay his way into the bride's family's apartment. This part was great: we watched as the groom and his friends worked so hard to get into the family's apartment.

"Let me in! I want my Bride!!"

Once inside, the fun is just beginning: the bride is sitting on the bed with no shoes and the groom has to search all over to find the shoes in order to take the bride with him. In this case, the bride's friends did a great job of hiding them: one was zipped up in the couch pillow! It took them a while to find it!

After he makes a mess of the apartment searching and finds the shoes, everyone takes some pictures and then the perform a tea ceremony with the bride's parents. As a sign of respect, they serve tea to the mom and dad, kinda like asking for their blessing.

He finally found her shoes: now things can really get started.

Tea ceremony with the bride's folks.

Heading out to the groom's folks for the second time.

After we get the bride, we all head back down to the cars and drive back across town to the groom's parents' place.

Now remember: we are the video camera and photographers so this whole time I got a special car with a sun roof so that I could take pictures of all the driving action. Back at the parents' place, more friends meet us and we took a bunch more pictures and video. We hung out there for another 30 or 40 minutes.

Then, yes, you guessed it: back down to the cars, but this time we were headed to the restaurant for a ceremony and lunch.

On the way to the restaurant.

I will do whatever it takes to get the shot.

The bride and groom had a great ceremony with some very Western, traditional aspects and many Chinese aspects. After the ceremony, we enjoyed a great lunch where Amanda and I sat with some relatives because the special room for all the foreigners was full. During the lunch, we had to jump up and take some videos and pictures.

Ceremony.

The meal. These Chinese have great dish stacking skills.

See, we were not just behind the camera all day.

After the lunch, everyone left. The groom and bride had a kind of second meal because, during the first meal, they were running around greeting everyone and thanking everyone. So we got to eat again which was nice! Many of our table mates we already knew and they spoke some English.

At about 2:30, the second lunch wrapped up and we finally got to head home. The groom's best friend threw us in a cab and insisted on walking us across campus, all the way back to our apartment.

Wow, what a day and what an experience. Please be thinking of the new couple as they start their life and campus work for Him together.

Second meal. Lazy Suzan Cam!!