A Chinese bride typically changes her wedding dress
2 to 3 times during the event. First, she wears a red traditional dress for the tea ceremony, lasting about 1-2 hours. Then, she changes into a white gown for the main ceremony and banquet, which can last 4-6 hours. Finally, she may wear a banquet dress for the evening, especially for a more relaxed celebration.
Initial Traditional Attire
The first attire that is traditionally worn in a Chinese wedding is considered an essential ingredient in the wedding. A few of the most traditional choices a bride can wear are a
red qipao or
cheongsam. This is a very culturally symbolic dress because it features a lot of
red, which is associated with
good luck and
happiness. A
red dress wards off
evil spirits and invites
blessings. They wear a
red qipao for the
tea ceremony, which is one important component in a wedding celebration. This could take about
30 minutes up to
one hour, depending on the number of family members and the depth of the ritual. In this part of the day, brides wear the
qipao for
3-4 hours while they go through a formal interchanging with their elders by offering tea to
parents and
grandparents as a respect gesture.
The
material used in making the
qipao varies, though
silk and
brocade are some of the most popular. These fabrics are rich in texture and sheen, adding to the
luxurious feel of the outfit. The price of a high-quality
silk qipao with detailed
embroidery and a better-known designer ranges from
300 to 1,500 dollars. The
embroidery often includes symbolic motifs such as
phoenixes,
dragons, and
peonies, which represent
marital harmony,
strength, and
fertility, respectively. Sometimes, the
embroidery work itself increases the overall cost of the dress. A
qipao, for example, with hand-stitched
gold threadwork in it could raise its price by
500 to 800 dollars.
Qipaos are usually tailored to fit because with this dress, the perfect fit will bring out the figure of the bride. The usual
collar is
high, and the
silhouette should be fitting. It may also include a
side slit to make walking easy without affecting the bride's
posture and
elegance. The
size range for the
qipao usually runs from
extra small to
extra-large, with some places offering
custom sizing. The prices of
custom tailoring range from
100 to 400 dollars, depending on the intricacy of the design and the type of service opted for.
Most brides prefer to wear a
qipao at the start of their ceremonies, usually in the
morning or
early afternoon, because this garment is both
culturally significant and
comfortable. However, comfort can sometimes be an issue, especially with the very
body-hugging nature of a
qipao dress. For this reason, some brides may opt for
qipaos in lighter fabrics like
satin, which have a bit more breathing room than heavier
silks. A
satin qipao costs on average about
10-20% less than its
silk counterpart. For instance, the
red qipao is only worn for about
4-5 hours during all the traditional events at the wedding. Then, in the formal
banquet, the bride usually changes into a
white gown.
Wedding Gown Change
The main change of
wedding apparel, usually
white, is considered a major transition within a
Chinese wedding, often right after the traditional
tea ceremony and morning rituals. This change of clothes bears great symbolic meanings;
white symbolizes
purity and a
new start to life together. In a traditional
Chinese wedding, after the
tea ceremony, which can take as long as
30 minutes to
1 hour, depending on the number of
guests, the
bride will change into her
wedding gown for a formal
wedding ceremony or
banquet, which could last from several
hours to sometimes even up to
5 hours or more, depending on the scale of the
reception and the
events involved in the process.
Wedding dresses have a very wide
price range, but usually, the
tailored ones are much more expensive than those available on the rack. Generally, a
wedding dress in
China will cost between
$1,000 and
$3,000, based on the
designer, the
material, and
decorations. For example,
high-end designer gowns can have prices as high as
$5,000 to
$10,000. These gowns are made of luxurious fabrics such as
satin or
tulle with extensive
lacework and
beading. It takes a few months to make them, and
brides are often involved in the creation process, including choosing
fabric,
cut, and
embellishments. In contrast, the less expensive versions can be lower than
$200 to
$500 for simpler, ready-to-wear dresses.
The kind of
fabric used to make the
wedding gown also matters in terms of the
price and
comfort of the gown. Some of the common
fabrics used in making
wedding gowns include
satin,
chiffon, and
lace, all popular for their feel and appearance.
Satin is the most commonly used fabric since it has a very luxurious sheen and smoothness.
Satin wedding gowns cost more in comparison with others because of the intricacies in the making of this kind of fabric. For instance, a
satin gown can be pricier than a
chiffon one, lighter and less constraining than satin but less formal, by about
20 to 30%. Whereas
lace gowns, though equally a wonder in texture and very detailed, tend to raise the price since working the fabric is painstakingly and detailedly intricate in stitching.
Symbol of New Beginnings
This change of
attire in the celebration of a
Chinese wedding denotes more than just a simple fashion make-over. Changing into a
white gown, which is traditionally associated with
purity and
new starts, marks a fresh chapter in a
bride's life. Normally, the change of the
wedding gown takes place after completion of one of the most important parts of the day: the
tea ceremony, which is usually performed in the
morning. It may take as long as
one hour, where the
bride and
groom show respect to their
elders by serving them
tea. Once done, the
bride would be given the change into her
white wedding dress and start the formal rejoicing of the
marriage bond tie-up.
New beginnings are deep within the symbolism of
white embedded. While the color
red may be dominant in the culture of the
Chinese to symbolize
luck and
prosperity,
white is a fresh beginning, a clean slate, and the
purity of the couple's
union. In
Western wedding traditions, too,
white is viewed as a color of
chastity, and that crosses over to
Chinese weddings where the
bride's white gown represents her commitment to entering a new phase of life. This is all the more significant since traditional
Chinese weddings are far more inclined toward the color
red. This convention of turning to
white, starting in the
20th century, is carried on with around
70-80% of modern
brides now wearing a
white wedding dress as a badge of
modernity and fresh starts.
The
price of the
wedding dress itself also appeals to that notion of
new beginning. For a
bride, a
wedding gown is often an investment in her future. Very many
brides spend a lot of money on just the right dress. The average
price for a
wedding gown in
China ranges from
10,000 to 20,000 yuan, but for those who want a
designer label or individually designed, the sky's the limit:
80,000 yuan upwards. While a high-quality
designer gown with
lace and
beading can cost upwards of
$5,000, off-the-rack items from a reputable
brand cost around
$1,500. These prices signify how much this token of transition is valued, in which the
gown is an extension of a physical covering but acts also as something very personal—a
bride's journey of self and her
transformation.
In addition to the
gown itself,
accessories and
makeup round out the
bride's new beginning. Most
brides wear a
veil, which can be as inexpensive as
$100 for a simple design or as expensive as
$2,000 or more for an elaborate,
custom-made creation with
embroidery or
crystals. The
veil is often symbolic and may bring forth the notion of leaving
single life and entering into
married life; thus, most of the time, it is worn during the
ceremony and later discarded to mark the full coming into her new role. The
bridal accessories are by no means cheap; the average spending of a
bride on
accessories alone lies in the range of
$300-$1,500, depending on the style and preference. This reinforces the idea of the
wedding day being a
new beginning, one in which the
bride financially and symbolically invests in.
Banquet Dress
The
Chinese wedding banquet dress is the second big change of
attire a
bride goes through, after first wearing the traditional
red dress and then the
wedding gown. It is worn to the
wedding banquet, a big celebration with
family and
friends that may last from
4 to 6 hours, depending on the size and the number of
guests. It is typically a big
dinner affair with courses, speeches, and
entertainment. A
banquet wedding dress should, therefore, be
elegant but
practical enough for the times of extended rejoicing without sacrificing the
bride's best looks throughout the evening.
The
cost of the
banquet dress varies considerably depending on whether it is made to measure or bought off the rack. On average, a
banquet dress costs in the range of
$500 to $3,000. Some
brides prefer to wear a more luxurious outfit, especially if the
wedding reception is going to be in a
high-class venue or if your
family wants an extravagant celebration of such an occasion. A heavy
beading and
quality fabric designer banquet dress with detailed
embroidery may cost as high as
$4,000 or more. For example, a
gown with luxurious
fabrics like
satin,
silk chiffon, or
tulle, detailed with
crystal or
pearl embellishments, would fall into the higher price category. For a cheaper
banquet dress, a simple
A-line dress costing around
$500 to $1,000 can also be made of
chiffon or
polyester.
The
style of the
banquet dress may also be very different; many
brides wear dresses that are far less traditional than the
wedding gown—something utterly
modern or
trendy. Others would instead prefer to wear a
sleeveless dress or
strapless-neckline gown to give them more freedom for
dancing and
mingling around. The price of an average
sleeveless dress intended for a
banquet varies between
$700 and
$2,000, depending on the
material and certain
design features. Another popular variety is something that can be taken off the dress, like a detachable
train or
bolero jacket, which allows the
bride to change her outfit at the
reception. This adds about
10-20% to the price of a
wedding dress because it involves extra
tailoring and
design features.
Different for Different Events
Also in
Chinese weddings, the
attire of the
bride tends to change with whatever
event or
ceremony is to take place. Each time she changes her
dress, it has a particular implication, mirroring the importance of the different stages of
celebration. One of the most evident changes occurs between the events of the
morning tea ceremony, the
wedding ceremony, and the
banquet, each of which also requires a different type of
dress to correspond with its
cultural significance.
Most of the time, the
morning tea ceremony—when the
bride and
groom serve their
elders tea, as a mark of respect—requires a more traditional outfit.
Brides wear a
red qipao or
cheongsam for that part of the day, as it is highly rooted in their culture that the
color red signifies
good luck,
happiness, and
protection from evil spirits. Prices for a
qipao range from
$300 to $2,000, dependent on the
material—
silk or
brocade—and the degree of
customization, with higher prices paid when the design is more elaborate. As a rule, a traditional
dress is worn for about
2-3 hours because the very ceremony of
tea may take up to
30 minutes to an hour while the
bride needs to greet several
relatives. The design of the
qipao can vary, with simpler designs costing less and ornate ones with intricate
embroidery (often in
gold or
silver thread) commanding a higher price.
As the day progresses into the main
wedding ceremony and
reception, the
bride usually changes into a
white wedding gown, signaling the start of the formal celebration.
Wedding dresses: between
$1,000 and
$3,500 US dollars; high-end
designer wedding dresses can exceed well over
$10,000 US dollars. The
wedding gown may be quite different from what was worn earlier in the day. For example, the
gown is much more
formal and would include
lace,
beading, or
crystal to make it even more dressy and ceremonial. Actually, the
wedding gown can be worn for
4-6 hours during the
ceremony and the
banquet. Some
brides prefer multiple changes, even
gowns with
removable parts, like a
train or
sleeves, in order to adjust to different parts of the
celebration. For a
designer wedding gown that has some intricate features, like
lace and
embroidery, the price could be added to as much as
50% to add extra
luxury to the
bride's appearance.
This includes the change into a
banqueting dress after the
wedding, usually in the
evening reception, which closes the events for the day. It can range from
$500 to $3,000, contingent upon the
style,
fabric, and
embellishments. With this event, being mainly a grand feast with
200 to 500 guests,
brides wear attire that is more relaxed and
glamorous.
Formal attire for the
banquet should be striking yet serviceable so the
bride may join her
guests and partake in any
dancing or other interactive activities. It is usual to wear
dresses with detachable parts for such an occasion, such as a removable
train or
bolero, for ease in movement. For instance, a
banquet dress with a removable
train could ask for an additional
$200 to $500 because of the extra
tailoring it requires.
Cultural Significance of Red
Red is a color invested with considerable
symbolic meaning in
Chinese culture, most evident in a
wedding. According to popular belief, the color represents
good luck,
happiness, and
prosperity and thus plays an important part in the dressing of the
bride and
groom and in
wedding decorations. Among the most iconic, a
Chinese wedding would include the
bride in
red, acting as a powerful
cultural symbol throughout the entire
ceremony. Traditionally, the
bride wore a
qipao or
cheongsam in
red, a color treasured from Ancient
Chinese beliefs that would ward off
evil spirits and bring
positive energy into the
marriage. It is intended to fill the couple's new life with
joy,
wealth, and
harmonious relations.
The color
red in a
Chinese wedding is not limited to the
bride's attire; rather, it overflows in the event itself. For instance, the color is common in the
decorations—
lanterns,
banners, and
flowers—all with the intention of attracting
good fortune. The prevalence of
red here is
symbolic of a very
prosperous and
happy future. The average cost for
wedding decor that would involve
red could range from
500 to 5,000 dollars, depending on the magnitude of the
wedding and the quality of the
materials used. Extensive preparations featuring
red curtains,
flowers in the form of
bouquets of red roses, and even
red-colored food reinforce this belief that
red will bring
good fortune and
joy to the marrying couple.
The color
red features in the signification of one of the most critical elements of the
Chinese wedding, the
rite of tea ceremony. In this most solemn moment of a
Chinese wedding,
red plays a focal role, wherein the marrying couple would serve
tea to their
parents and other older
relatives out of
respect. In this rite, the
bride would wear a
red qipao. This portion of the
marriage might take up to
30 minutes to an hour. The
red dress is expected to honor
family heritage inasmuch as the
bride and the
groom are happy and prosperous.
Red is believed to drive away all
bad luck and
evil spirits, so it will be quite an appropriate color for such a moment. A
red qipao to wear for the
tea ceremony may range from
$300 to $2,000 depending on the
complexity of the design and the
quality of the fabric. The presence of
gold or
silver embroidery often enhances the
symbolic meaning of these
metallic threads, which respectively stand for
wealth and
good luck.
Customized Dress Choices
The
weddings have seen
Chinese brides go for
bespoke dress choices as an important trend. These dresses allow them to create a unique and personalized look that brings out one's style and
cultural preference.
Bespoke wedding dresses are, therefore, gaining increasing popularity in
China as an indicator of modern wedding trends whereby brides cannot just settle for
off-the-rack options but seek
custom designs incorporating both traditional and contemporary elements. These
custom-made gowns are mostly well-fitted to the brides' bodies, flattery assured, and uniquely designed to stand out from others with special features, such as
embroidery,
beadwork, or
lace. The price of
wedding gowns in
China that are
custom-designed by famous designers varies between
$1,500 and
$5,000, depending on famous designers and complicated designs. Adding one other detail, such as
hand-stitched embroidery to a gown or a personalized motif, might add
$1,000 to
$2,000.
The reason that most brides opt for
bespoke dresses is because they desire the gowns to be original and unique, with some personal connotation. Most brides like
customized designs with
heirlooms from their families,
colors, or some selected
symbols in their cultures. For example, a bride would choose a gown with
embroideries of
phoenixes or
dragons, as they are traditional
Chinese symbols to denote
marital harmony and
strength. Many symbolic designs added to the body or at the gown's
train not only enhance its aesthetic appeal but also give it depth in meaning—that which can never be given to store-bought dresses. An original gown with detailed
embroidery can be
$500 to $3,000 depending on the intricateness of the project from that of a standard design.
In addition to the traditional elements of the gown, most brides prefer
hybrid designs incorporating the
Western aspect of the attire with the
Chinese traditions. For instance, the modern
bridal gown may incorporate the traditional color of
red into the
white wedding gown. This design combines the cultural emphasis of
red with the Western meaning of
white and has become very popular with brides who want to celebrate their
heritage along with a more
globalized wedding tradition. The prices for such
fusion dresses range from
$2,000 to
$4,000, depending on the
designer and
materials used. A
bespoke gown that incorporates both
red and
white fabrics or merges a traditional
qipao outline with a
Western-style ball gown design could take several months to create, with
fittings spread over
2-4 months.