Max and Winnie's Wedding Memoir

It was neither taken from a movie you watch on the T.V., nor was the wedding photo’s taken in the Tang Dynasty(618-907)….

The photo’s were not taken in China. They were taken in Penang, the ‘Pearl of Oriental’ in Malaysia on 8 November 2003. It appeared as a surprise to many road onlookers on that day. Traffic was at a standstill to give way to the procession. To many car drivers encountered road blocks by the police, they would never thought this was the cause of the traffic jam to enter Penang Road…..

Characters in the play:

Bridegroom : Max H.J. Loh….. Freelance professional Architect cum soon-to-be owner of

Italian franchised restaurant ‘1920’,The Curve

Bride : Winnie L.B.Toh…Freelance English Teacher/Lecturer…background : professional accountancy

Bride’s mum : Madam Jee Chow Lan…entrepreneur….plastic packaging retailer.

Third lucky woman/Dai Kam Je who accepted the job : Cantonese speaking

Bridesmaid: Wang Huan…..China Student from Legenda College…..

Matchmaker(left)musicians(right)…..from Chinese opera group…..

Accompanying escorts in trishaws :

First Trishaw : Jiang Shang Choo(left) and Dong Xue Jin(right)

China Students from Legenda College

Second Trishaw : Mrs. Lai from Taiwan(left) and Mr. Lai Soo Hwa(right)

It was a play back on Chinese traditional Cultural Wedding, an unorthodox yet traditional and fun wedding ceremony. The wedding ceremony involved using a traditional sedan chair for the bride accompanying with a convoy with friends and relatives being transported with the traditional trishaws. The basic principle of Three Letters (Betrothal Letter, Gift Letter and Wedding Letter) and Six Etiquettes(proposing, birthday matching, presenting betrothal gifts, presenting wedding gifts, picking auspicious wedding date, wedding ceremony) in the Chinese Traditional Wedding were followed.

Betrothal Letter: a formal letter of the engagement.

Gift letter: a letter enclosed to the bride’s family, listing types and quantity of gifts for the wedding.

Wedding Letter: a letter enclosed to the bride’s family to confirm and commemorate the formal acceptance of the bride into the bridegroom's family.

Proposing: The matchmaker would be appointed by the bridegroom’s parents to propose the marriage to the parents of the bride’s parents.

Birthday matching: the matchmaker would ask for the girl's birthday and birth hour record to assure the compatibility of the potential bride and bridegroom.

Presenting betrothal gifts: The bridegroom's family arrange the matchmaker to present betrothal gifts, enclosing the betrothal letter, to the bride's family.

Presenting wedding gifts: the bridegroom's family will send wedding gifts to the bride's family including tea, lotus seeds, longan, red beans, nutmeg, oranges, pomegranate, lily, bridal cakes, wine, ang pow etc.

Picking auspicious wedding date: an auspicious date and hour of Sedan Chair departure would be selected based on an astrology book

Wedding ceremony: On the selected auspicious day, the Sedan Chair will arrive at the bride’s residence to carry her to the bridegroom’s home. This is accompanied by a troop of escorts and musicians, playing happy music all the way to the bridegroom’s home.

When the firecrackers were set off, the bride came out from her residence to depart to the bridegroom's home. On her way to the chair, her mother shielded her with a red parasol and the lucky woman threw rice at the back. The Sedan Chair was lifted by 4 men following the musicians from behind. After the Sedan Chair’s departure, a convoy of escorts in trishaws began their journey to the bridegroom’s residence- one of the oldest

heritage house in Penang. When the parading troop arrived at the bridegroom's, firecrackers were set off to hail the bride's arrival and to drive away evil spirits. The bridegroom then came out to piggyback the bride from the Sedan Chair to enter the house. Before that, he gave ang pow to the bridesmaid to open the curtain of the Sedan Chair. The bride then step over the flaming stove to avoid evils.

The bride and bridegroom were led to the family altar, where the couple paid kotows to Heaven and Earth and the family ancestors successively. Then they bow to each other and were led to the bridal chamber.

The outsiders could only witness the ceremony until this part. This web page shows photo’s of the entire ceremony.