- Portrait photography
- Brides may opt to wear the Peranakan Tradisional wedding attire i.e the formal koon or the informal hock chew with the groom donning the tng-sah beh-kua. additionall they can include the synonymous kebaya and or baju panjang complete with Nyonya period hairdo matched with baju china or the western suit for the groom into the list of photos to be taken. the couple may also elect to shoot the traditional segment in typical Peranakan home interior or sites the traditional segment in typical Peranakan home interior sites as backdrops especially if they are staying in Melaka town. these photos make excellent wedding thank you gift to non-Peranakan freinds.
2. Ann Chng (Decorating the main bedroom and bed)
- This is an event where family members and freinds can be involved. the act of furnishing the bridal bed is to encourage acts of procreation that ultimately leads to the production of progenies. In the past, generative symbols such as comb of banana, yam plant and stackof lemongrass plants were placed near the bed as the bed was dressed. however this inclusion of theses plants have been dispensed with due to the problem associated with sourcing the necessary plants. Perhaps the best segment to enact is the rolling of a young boy on the readied bed as afervent wish that the first born will be a boy to perpetuate the family namae. Upon the completion of the rolling process, a platter of bunga rampay may be placed on the bed to provide sweet fragrant in the room. This is also not to leave the bed unoccupied until the wedding day.
3. Lap Chai (Exchange of wedding gifts)
- The Lap Chai ceremony is normally held on the weekend prior to the actual wedding day which may concide with the prenuptial dinner hosted by the bride's family. This is a convenient arrangement especially if both the bride and groom' family are staying in different states. Officially, the red bunting or chye kee is hung at the main door beginning from this day up to the day after the wedding is over. The hanging of the chai kee indicates that an auspicious occasion is about to occur in that home
- In most instances , both bride and grooms representative had determined and finalized the list of gifts to be exchanged and these gift may differ from family to family. Traditional gifts will include a pair of red candles emblazoned with dragons and another pair attached with the phoenix cutouts. The candles may be dispensed with and replaced with an angpow instead. Also included is the dowry and wang tetek (breast money- money remitted to the bride's mother for her breast -fed milk ), a set clothing, jewellery and foodstuff. a general rule to follow is to return half of what is given and replaced with other similar produce in the case of foodstuff and candles or to be replaced with something similar or same value for articles of clothing and accessories. The dowry is usually returned as accepting dowry is akin to the parent selling their daughter.
4. KhuiTiah (Bridal Shower)
- It is now a common practice to host respective relatives and friend to the bridal shower dinner held in the homes of the parent of the bride and groom the eve of the wedding. Particularly on this very day, the bride and groom are suppose to refrain from contacting one another as a quaint enactment of earlier practice of arranged marriages where the couple were supposedly to had never met until the wedding day.
- This a religious ceremony where the couple individually undergoes the traditional rites of hair combing as a sign of stepping into the world of adulthood. Symbolic articles such as the gantung (rice measure),nyiru (large woven rattan tray), scales , scissors, razor ,comb, ruler, minor , a basin of water and spring of ixora and spring onion formed an integral part the ceremony. the ceremony requires the professional services of the sang-keh-mm (mistress of ceremony) and koo yah (a young boy)to lead the ceremony. for this ceremony , the double tiered sam kai tablle must be raised complete with the necessary votives and prayer paraphernalia.
- There were instances where the bride and groom wore modern suit and gown complimented with modern bridal hairdo for the ceremony . The ceremony may continue onto the Pai Chew (wine liberation) and the veiling ceremony. The Cheo Thau preparation is rather time consuming and requires the aid of experts. coupled with the fact that the ceremony may bescheduled to begin at the uneartly hour between 11pm to 7 am the following morning, it will of no surprise if bridal couple rather forgo the ceremony for a good night sleep.
Wedding day
- Veiling of the bride
- The veiling of the bride is a poignant moment signifying the parent's sadness as the daughter is going to leave their home.after the make up and hair styling session, the bride's parents will affix the veil to her hair and thereafter veil her. The bride will then await the arrival of the groom or may then proceed to the church.
- On the other hand, the parent of the groom will see to the grooming of the groom and to finally help him putting on his coat as symbolical sign of the final grooming accorded to him as a single person under their care. this is also performed in lieu of the Pai Chew (wine liberation)during the traditional Ki Beh (mounting of horse ceremony) as a wish for a safe journey before he embarks on the journey to the bride's house.
2. Chim Pang-unveiling the bride
- The unveiling may be held in the confines of the bedroom or for Christians, in front of the congregation in church. if it is held at home, the couple is encouraged to partake (one red and one white) kueh ee soaked in syrup and then a cup of tea. If an elderly couple with living children and grandchildren is available, they can be invited to feed the kueh ee to the bridal couple with the wish that the bridal couple will together be surrounded with happiness and be blessed with longevity and many descendants. The meaningful event is to be enacted at near the bed or even in the midst of the congregation immediately after unveiling. In the past , this is considered the first meal as husband and wife denoting a sweet beginning.
- The next step is to pay homage or respect to deities. ancestors and elders, whichever applicable . The most suitable actions to pay respect in their modern outfit will be the traditional sembah and sohjah for the bride and groom respectively in both standing and kneeling postures.
- The Sohjah Tiga Hari ceremony showcased in the importance of confusion tenets of rank and file in the family. when everyone understands their position in the family hierarchy, order and peace can be achieved. This ceremony is much feared during olden days as it very taxing on the couple having to stand and kneel continuously for many cycles to many elders on individually couple basis especially in rather extensive families and relatives.
4. Tuang Teh (tea ceremony)
- According to tradition, the couple has to offer tea to the groom's family first and thereafter the bride's. There are variants to the method offering tea to the traditional Peranakan style of having the the person marrying into the family to serve only. the latter version was introduced as the person marrying into the family is treated as an outsider until being formally introduced and offered tea to the elders.
- The Peranakans do not use Chinese do not use Chinese tea for this ceremony. the "tea" is actually a concoction of boiled ang choe (red dates), dried longans and rock sugar.
5. Bikin Dua belas Hari (Twelve Day ceremony)
- The traditional programme of determining the status of bride's virginity has been discarded. However the tradition of visiting the home of the bride after the completion of the formal ceremonies is usually encouraged. The couple will usually change their attire to something less formal, perhaps a kebaya for the bride and long sleeved shirt and tie or chinese tunic for the groom before returning to the bride's home.
6. Refreshment and meals.
- It will be an interesting attempt to offer guests, especially non-peranakan friends from outstation, a glimpse of the delectable spread of the Peranakan Cuisine. Bridal couple should rope in relatives and freinds to secure some of these special Nyonya cakes as refreshment. Amongst cakes synonymous with the Peranakan wedding are pineapple tarts, pilot tekan complimented with the special viscous home made kaya , onde-onde , apom berkuah dipped in the tantalizing pengat pisang mas and kueh dadar topped with the creamy santan.
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