Grand Guangdong Wedding Banquet Customs | Generated by AI
In Guangdong (especially in cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Dongguan, and the Chaoshan area), weddings are traditionally very big social events. People usually invite 200–800 guests (sometimes over 1000), and the banquet is the absolute center of the celebration. Here’s how a typical modern Cantonese/Ghuangdong wedding usually goes in 2025:
Overall Flow of the Wedding Day
- Morning: Gatecrashing games + Tea ceremony (at bride’s home)
- Groom and his “brothers” (groomsmen) go to the bride’s family home.
- Bridesmaids play “gatecrashing” games (funny, sometimes naughty tasks) before letting the groom in.
- Groom picks up the bride, then both kneel to serve tea to bride’s parents and elders → receive red packets (li shi 利是).
- After that, the couple goes to the groom’s home for another quick tea ceremony with his parents.
- Noon–Afternoon: Photo shooting or rest
- Many couples take wedding photos around the city (e.g., Guangzhou Tower, Chimelong, Shenzhen Bay, etc.) or just rest at hotel.
- Evening: The big banquet (most important part)
- Usually starts 6–7 pm, held in a big hotel ballroom or famous restaurant (e.g., Garden Hotel, Asia International, or local “jiujia” 酒家).
- 10–12 round tables minimum, often 30–80 tables.
- 8–12 courses (cold platter + shark fin/abalone-level dishes + whole suckling pig is still common in Guangdong, though some younger couples replace it with other luxury items now).
Key Guangdong Wedding Customs You’ll See
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Red packets are king
Relatives, classmates, colleagues all give red packets (hongbao/利是). The amount matters a lot: classmates/colleagues usually ¥500–2000, close relatives ¥2000–20,000 or more. The couple uses this money to cover the banquet cost (which can easily be ¥300–800 per person × 400 people). -
Table hierarchy
Closest family sits nearest the stage, then relatives, then classmates, colleagues, business partners, etc. Classmates often get one or two full tables. -
No wedding ceremony in front of guests
Unlike Western weddings, there is usually no “vow exchange” or ring exchange during the banquet. Most couples just register at the Civil Affairs Bureau earlier (legal marriage), and the banquet is purely the celebration. - Stage program (very lively)
- Couple enters 2–3 times with different outfits (usually 3 gowns for bride: white wedding dress → red qipao/cheongsam → evening gown/toast dress).
- Toast table by table with baijiu or red wine (yam seng/饮胜 style, but Cantonese version is just “ho sec!” 好事！).
- Friends/classmates often prepare funny games or video montages.
- Some hire professional emcee + live band or DJ.
- Candy & small gifts
When guests leave, they receive wedding candy (usually high-end brands) and sometimes small souvenirs.
Regional Differences Inside Guangdong
- Canton (Guangzhou/Foshan): More international, many couples now skip shark fin, have Western-style cake cutting, photo booths, etc.
- Chaoshan (Shantou, Chaozhou, Jieyang): Even more traditional and extravagant. Still serve shark fin (or replacement), very loud lion dance at the door, more courses (12–14), and red packets are higher.
- Hakka areas: Simpler, sometimes still keep old-style “crying marriage” songs (very rare now).
Cost in 2025 (rough estimate for a “normal” middle-class wedding)
- Banquet: ¥150,000–400,000 RMB (300–600 people)
- Bride’s gowns + grooming: ¥30,000–100,000
- Photography/videography: ¥20,000–60,000
- Car fleet (usually 5–10 same-color luxury cars): ¥5,000–20,000
- Total: easily ¥400,000–1,000,000+
Most of it is covered by red packets if you invite enough people.
In short: Guangdong weddings are basically one huge banquet to show face (minamyan 面子), thank relatives, and let classmates/colleagues network and drink together. The louder and bigger, the more successful it’s considered!