I hope that was helpful! I offer tea ceremony coverage with Wedding Collections. Contact me for a detailed price list and we’ll set up a time to speak about creating the photos you’ve always dreamed of.
In Love,
Carina
The tea ceremony originates from tradition in China, where serving tea when guests come is very traditional propriety. It is a significant way to show respects. In a wedding, such an act is to show respect and gratitude to parents for all the years of love and care.
Groom house > Bride’s house – before the wedding ceremony
Traditionally, the tea ceremony for the groom’s family is conducted in the morning, with the ceremony for the bride’s family conducted subsequently bride’s home visit.
What this means for photography is that you have to take into account the time in moving between the Groom and Bride’s homes as well as . the photographer’s. Doing it this way means you should be comfortable adding an extra hour.
All at one location – before or after the wedding ceremony
Nowadays, newlyweds often decide to have just one ceremony for both sides together. If both parties’ families are less traditional, you can place more importance on the act of the tea ceremony rather than the locations.
I offer tea ceremony coverage with Wedding Collections. Contact me for a detailed price list.
A couple of tips for deciding where to hold the ceremony:
It’s rare to don traditional dress in this day and age. I recommend allocating time for a mini portrait session to capture a few classic portraits.
What to wear: If you are having two separate tea ceremonies, then you will likely be in your wedding attire (gown and suit) for the tea ceremony for the groom’s family and in a Qua or cheongsam for the bride’s side.
Couples who are having one session of tea ceremony for both sides of their families often stay in traditional dress (Qua or a cheongsam) for the entire tea ceremony.
Allocate more than enough time: If you want formal group photos, allow plenty of time for the different family groups. Gathering people for portraits is like herding cats.
This is not a must-have list!
Organise positions: The groom should stand on the right and the bride should be on the left side. Their parents should sit on chairs and wait for the new couples’ kneel and tea serving. The groom serves the tea first, the bride after. Both the bride and groom serve tea to the same person.
Communicate order of serving: The order of serving tea is very important. It shows how the couple respects their seniority.
Tips for the couple:
I hope that was helpful! I offer tea ceremony coverage with Wedding Collections. Contact me for a detailed price list and we’ll set up a time to speak about creating the photos you’ve always dreamed of.
In Love,
Carina