Alvin & Kitty - The Tea Ceremony

We now come to the Tea Ceremony.  This ceremony, I think, is the Chinese equivalent to the Muslim nikah.

It starts with the couple offering tea to the groom's parents.  During this ceremony, it is important for the persons to whom the tea is being offered to be recognised by their proper Chinese title.  The title for 'father-in-law' sounded, to me at least, like how I pronounce 'bean curd' in Chinese, so I shall not attempt to repeat it here.

 

 

 Of course - Ang Pows are the order of the day.

 Mrs Wee also presented her daughter-in-law with a necklace.  Here Jacy is helping Kitty put it on.

 

Its then the turn of all the clan elders to be served tea.  Each take their turn in order of seniority.

 

 

 

Then it is Alvin and Kitty's turn to receive tea from the younger members of the clan.

 

 

Now Kitty has officially been 'inducted' into the Wee clan.

What's next, if not Malaysia's favorite pass-time.

EAT.

 

 

 

 

Apart from myself, I only saw Reza Ali (my si-fu in photography) who would require food to be halal.  Yet the Wee's had catered halal food, minus beef, so that any visitor will not have to be left out of the feast.  (Vegetarians were catered for separately.)

Politicians talk, but people like the Wee's walk 1Malaysia.

 

Alvin & Kitty - Blessings

The ceremony commences with paying homage to the guardian deities.

The elder Mr. Wee was the Master of Ceremonies, and he walked the couple through all the rites.

 

 

 

Then the couple were brought into the house where homage was paid to the Wee and Lim ancestors.

 

 

 

Divine blessings for the couple and all the assembly was also prayed for.

 

 

 

 

This next part of the ceremony, I didn't quite understand.  I'll need to check it out with Mr. Wee when I meet him.

 

 

 

 

 

Rest assured though, if it is a Chinese ceremony, every action, every item used and every rite performed will be full of symbolism.

 

Alvin & Kitty - The arrival

We received a phone call to say that the couple and entourage had left the bride's residence.

 

Everyone got ready to welcome them.

 

Most important - the Ang Pows (packets with money) are ready.

 

There comes the car.  It really is a noisy affair.  All the cars in the convoy honking to let the whole neighborhood know that a wedding was in progress.  No need for kompangs (hand held drums) I guess.

The couple had arrived.

 

While the couple were arriving, the Wees were getting the alters ready (lighting the candles and joss sticks) for the ceremony.

 

 

 The rest of the arrivals had to wait until everything was just ready.

 

 

An occasion like this must be recorded for posterity....

 

.... including me the 'self-appointed' photographer.

 

Now that everything is set, the couple can be let out of the 'wedding carriage'.

 

Ang Pows were the order of the day.

 

Finally, the couple were 'home'.

Next, we will be attending the ceremony honoring the gods and ancestors.