过大礼 Betrothal

Finally we successful complete our Chinese traditional wedding ceremony, I can only say - no easy, really no easy to complete this wedding. Because there are elderly people at home, so my mother and my mother in law dare not simply done in the preparation, both of them had to think hard and review back their own wedding ceremony in the past, so that can help us to complete this tranditional ceremony. My mother kept calling her 2nd sister, just to asked and make sure clear about all the chinese rules during the wedding. Besides, my mother in law and my mother always discuss in the phone, just afraid forget some chinese rules, or did some thing wrong during the wedding. Now when I think back, during this period of preparation, no only we are stress, but them too!! wahah I really fell thank you to both of them...Thank you and Thank you!!

Okie back to the topic Betrothal (Up to a month and at least three days before the wedding day, the groom and a friend or a matchmaker will deliver the betrothal gifts on the auspicious date chosen). Our betrothal day is on 22/12/2008, 10 am. Mr.Quah and his aunt will delivery the betrothal gifts to our house. My mother remind me no to come out from my room, when they are coming. But I want to take pictures, so my mother let me off, after they reach my house 15 minutes later. But she warn me not talking nonsense when they are there (because I always talking nonsense in the public) wahahaha!!

A result, the whole process was quite serious. When they came to my house, I hide myself in my room. Mr.Quah and his aunt had to open the door by thenself, (of course we unlock the door..haha). Then, they put all the betrothal gifts on the table. Then, my mother can come out and serve them two cup of Milo. They use black and red big basket to carry all the stuff, the betrothal gifts included, two bottles of brandy, gold jewellery from groom's parent to the bride, dragon and phoenix candles, bride's powder and the red string, 4 boxes of cookies, betelnuts, and "old leaves" and 28 oranges.

终于我们的华人传统婚礼成功完成了，一句话可以完全形容 - 不简单，真的不简单。因为家中有老人，所以我妈妈和家婆在筹备过大礼等等的东西都不敢马虎，尽量凭着以前她们自己婚礼的记忆帮我们完成这些仪式。我妈妈还不停地打电话给我二姨妈，和二舅妈问明白这些仪式需要的东西和细节。我家婆也时常和我妈妈通电话，互相讨论，还有提醒对方，深怕做少或者做错某些细节。回想起来，这段时间，除了我们俩压力之外，她们俩也很压力。真的很谢谢她们~

我们在 22/12/2008 早上10点，过大礼。Mr.Quah和他伯母一起来。我妈妈千交代我不可以出来看。但是我想要拍照，所以，妈妈允许我过15分钟后才可以下来，但是不可以乱说话 (因为我时常乱说话) 哈哈哈！

结果，整个过程还蛮严肃的。他们准时到我家，我紧张的躲在房间里。Mr.Quah和他伯母是自己开门进来的，(当然之前是没把门锁上的)。然后把东西放在我们的饭桌上。然后，我妈妈才能出面，冲了两杯Milo chocolate招待他们。他们用黑红色的大篮拿来了，两瓶名酒，娉金，金器，龙凤蜡烛，给新娘开面的粉还有线,４盒子的喜饼，槟榔，和老叶，当然少不了28粒大吉(橙)。

Bride's side will return gifts too. Mom prepare some kaya pao (is a type of steamed bun), and kaya mean rich in Malay word. I guess this is represent to wish the groom will have a lot of wealth in the future, so that the daughter will also have a better life. Ha ha! We are also return two bottles of orange soda, brown sugar ( to worship to the God), and the chinese tranditional women's underwear with red color eggs.

我们女方就要回礼，最多的是卡亚包(Kaya pao)代表有钱的意思，我想是希望新郎将来有钱，这样自己的女儿也有好日子过吧。哈哈！我们也回他们两瓶橙味汽水，黑糖(放在神座供奉)，肚套(以前女性的内衣)里放红鸡蛋等等，还有回一些娉金。