The Grand Gift Ceremony (過大禮) is a significant traditional betrothal ritual, serving as a formal engagement announcement, a meeting between both families, and an occasion for the groom’s family to express sincerity. Traditionally, both the groom’s and bride’s families had to prepare numerous items and follow extensive procedures to receive blessings from relatives and friends. However, with changing times, the ceremony has been simplified, reducing the workload for couples planning their weddings. This article provides a streamlined guide to help couples easily prepare for the Grand Gift Ceremony.

Simplified Grand Gift Ceremony Procedures

Traditional procedures involved multiple steps, such as the groom’s family making ancestral offerings and hiring a professional matchmaker (大妗姐), and the bride’s family meticulously counting betrothal gifts. These processes required significant time and resources. Nowadays, many couples prefer simplifying the ceremony to focus more on the wedding day itself.

In the simplified version, both the procedures and required items are reduced. Typically, the groom’s family selects an auspicious date to deliver essential betrothal gifts to the bride’s family. Additionally, instead of returning half of the gifts to the groom’s family as in traditional customs, the bride’s family may offer red envelopes (利是) for the groom’s family to purchase their own return gifts. Though simplified, this version still conveys blessings and gratitude through the symbolic meaning of the gifts while saving time and costs for the couple.

Essential Items for the Simplified Ceremony

In traditional ceremonies, the groom’s family had to prepare up to 20 items, such as coconuts, four types of dried fruits, and wedding cakes. Sourcing all these items could be burdensome for busy couples. The simplified version significantly reduces the number of required items, making wedding preparations more manageable. Below are the essential items for the simplified Grand Gift Ceremony:

• Betrothal Money (禮金): The most important part of the ceremony, where the groom’s family presents a pre-agreed amount in a red envelope to the bride’s family as a token of appreciation.

• Dragon and Phoenix Candles (龍鳳燭): Symbolizing the union of the couple and a happy married life.

• Wedding Cakes (喜餅): The groom’s family may symbolically purchase eight wedding cakes, with the remainder replaced by cake vouchers.

• Gold Jewelry (金器): A "Four-Piece Gold Set" (四飾金), including a necklace, bracelet, ring, and earrings, presented by the groom’s mother to the bride as a welcome gift.

• Red Cloth (紅布): A cloth product, often chosen by the bride and made from a 9.9-foot fabric, symbolizing a lasting marriage (長長久久).

• Wedding Candies (喜糖): Typically includes four types of candies, such as rock sugar and winter melon candy, representing a sweet and enduring marriage.

Shop for Grand Gift Hampers Now

In addition to the essential items, many couples choose to present premium fruit and dried seafood hampers during the ceremony to convey blessings through symbolic meanings. Liyu Hong Kong offers a range of gift hampers, including four, six, eight, and ten-item sets of fruits and dried seafood, allowing couples to share auspicious gifts and wish them a sweet and joyful marriage.