The Tea Ceremony

Saturday April 30, 2011. Morning. Bellevue, Washington

This day was one year to the day that Alan and I first started dating. This will make it easier for me to remember. (Alan has no problem remembering these sorts of things.)

First we had the bartering for the bride.

Andrew (my little brother) represented my family in the bartering process.

What happens is. Alan and some of his family wait outside Alan's house. Traditionally they would come to the brides home first, but seeing as we were in Bellevue…this was not possible and we just made due. Then Alan knocks on the door of his house. Andrew opens the door and Alan places a hong bao or red pocket with money on the plate of oranges. Andrew opens the pocket counts the money and places it back on the plate of oranges if he feels it is not enough. Alan then goes back outside and puts more money in the hong bao and then knocks on the door again. The process is repeated until the Bride’s family is satisfied with the price. I think I ended up being worth around $35. Lol Alan was very happy to see me again. I think Andrew was being a shrewd trader.

(this is the hong bao)

(Alan waiting. With Brandon (his brother-law-), Marlena (his sister), Wendy (his other sister and Brandon's wife) (Clair their daughter), and Matt (Brandon's brother).

walking up the stairs

The exchange begins

Andrew counts

Obviously he is not satisfied with the ammount

Alan takes it out

Counts out more money

The onlookers

Andrew counts the new amount after several exchanges. He is satisfied.

Victory Hug

Then we proceeded to the tea ceremony

It is a wedding ceremony. Basically a welcoming into the family. This is where I learn how to address my new relatives by their proper names in Chinese. It is different then just Aunt and Uncle. But it is kind of complicated and I am not sure exactly how it worked. They wish us luck and tell us to have a baby with in a year and have love for 10,000 years. Then they give us a hong bao with money and then we stand up together. We kneel for those who are of the older generation, but for our married siblings we stand and serve them tea. There was a lot of kneeling and standing and we couldn’t use our hands to stand up. That was a bit tricky and quite the work out.

My parents

Alan's parents

His Aunt and Uncle (this was the hard part of standing up altogether)

Alan's sister Wendy and her husband Brandon

My brother Ben and his wife Lindsy

Then we got to eat food. There was a lot of it.

My nephew Wyatt really liked the fresh fortune cookies and he ate a lot. He liked to have his grandma read to him what they meant.

Then Alan and I fed each other some special dessert as husband and wife. It had some pink things in it as well as quail eggs. I liked the pink things, but I wasn’t too fond of the quail eggs. At least I tried them though, Alan wouldn’t even take a bite of the quail egg!

There were tons of cute kids there

(Alan's cousin)

The Three Ninjas (Sons of Katelyn and Greg Shriber, Will, Gram, Henry)

Their younger brother Owen and his grandpa Paul Shriber

My nephew Wyatt and his mom Lindsy

Lots of family and friends came.

Matt Shriber and Wendy (Alan's sister...this is actually during the bartering)

Alan's other cousin

Alan's sister Marlena and Owen Shriber

Wendy (Alan's sister) and Claire

This is my younger brothers Andrew and Luke who showing off his new iPhone 4. Wyatt and Matt are my nephews.

My oldest brother Ben and his daughter Thea. Please note the foot that is by her head!

My Grandma Patty Alice Goff

My bridesmaid and best friend Charla and my other best friend Leland who happens to be her fiance.

My two friends Laura and Jennifer from high school and elementary school. Laura drove six hours from the east side of Washington to be there and Jennifer road a bus from ugene to get there too. I felt so loved and it meant a lot to have them there for my Chinese wedding ceremony.

My bridesmaids. Marlena (Alan's sister), Elisa (old roomie and best friend came the night before. She is in medical school and is super busy i am so glad she came!) and Charla (she drove with Leland from Utah! Also so glad she came!)

Our formal chinese wedding photo.

Alan's mother Sue and me.

My parents, Bruce and Karen

Alan's parents Ryan and Sue and some other relatives, I forgot their names.

Daniel and his fiance Heidi soon to be wife!

Duncan at the wedding reception. I know this is not the most flattering picture of Duncan, but I looked through all the pictures thoroughly and it seems that at these events, Duncan avoided the camera very successfully. He was at the banquet and the tea ceremony. That is one of Alan's groomsmen sitting next to Duncan.

And that was the tea ceremony.

The end.