Photo courtesy of Molly Majher Photography
Bright lessons of virtue thou wilt bring;
We’ll feast, and thy praises I will sing;
My love to thee still shall cling.
“The Meeting of the Bride,” Ancient Chinese poem
Love is meant to last forever. At Historic Rosemont, we celebrate this truth by hosting a variety of cultural weddings. In recognition of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we want to highlight our most recent fusion wedding blending Chinese and American heritages.
Emma wed the love of her life, Ruohan, on May 14, 2022 at the Rosemont Manor. Emma, an American, wove her fiancé’s Chinese heritage throughout her special day. Underneath her white ball gown, she wore red shoes embroidered with Chinese symbols. Lion dancers from the Choy Wun Dance Troupe led the newlyweds and guests from the East Lawn to the Carriage House for the reception.
The couple gave their guests hand-painted fans displaying mandarin ducks, a Chinese symbol associated with unending commitment, as wedding favors. Additionally, the couple had a neon sign displaying “the Double Happiness” symbol, the shuāngxǐ, which is a common icon in Chinese weddings. Emma and Ruohan also presented their guests with a firework show, the noise of which wards off evil spirits according to Chinese tradition.
Incorporating elements of your heritage in your wedding can be daunting due to concern for guests’ comfort, or even coming across as too traditional. An important fact to remember is that your wedding day is just that—your wedding day. It is a day that celebrates the love between you and your spouse.
Embrace who you are and where you both come from at Historic Rosemont to celebrate love, which is meant to last forever.
References:
“15 Traditions Commonly Seen in Chinese Wedding Celebrations,” The Knot. https://www.theknot.com/content/ancient-chinese-wedding-traditions.
“How mandarin ducks became a Chinese symbol of love,” South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3111303/how-mandarin-ducks-became-chinese-symbol-love.
William Jennings, The Shi King, the Old “Poetry Classic” of the Chinese: A Close Metrical Translation, with Annotations, published in 1891, p. 255.
“Tradition with a Twist at Chinese Weddings,” NPR. https://www.npr.org/2007/08/10/12693770/tradition-with-a-twist-at-chinese-weddings.