Andy and Stephanie’s Multicultural Wedding

Photographing Andy and Stephanie’s wedding was an absolute joy. Andy has Chinese and Vietnamese heritage and so they incorporated traditional elements from both cultures, as well as western wedding traditions, into their epic wedding day.

The Tea Ceremony

The day began at Andy’s parents house with a traditional Chinese tea ceremony.

Tea ceremonies are decorated with red and gold. Red symbolizes love and happiness while gold represents prosperity and wealth.

The Chinese characters below are known as the “Double Happiness Symbol.” It is two copies of the character for joy, representing the double joy of the two newlyweds.

Chuangmen – Door Games

There is a Chinese wedding tradition, called Chuangmen in which the groom is put to the test. The bride feeds him something sour, something sweet, something bitter, and something spicy. It symbolizes all he will have to go through in marriage and tests his determination.

Watching this was a highlight of the day. All of Andy’s groomsmen participated as well because it was just so fun to have a challenge be a part of the wedding. And Andy was incredibly expressive.

Here we have in order, his faces for sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy.

Serving Tea

After the groom proves his worth by eating the spicy, sweet, bitter, and sour foods the bride and groom serve tea to their relatives as an expression of respect and gratitude. In turn, the recipients present the bride and groom with red envelopes filled with money as a blessing.

The Western Ceremony

Andy and Stephane had their wedding ceremony at the A.D. Bruce Religion Center on the UH campus where they met.

Jessica’s brother Ryan performed the ceremony. It was sweet and sentimental.

Andy and Stephanie often send one another goofy pictures taken from above. They specifically requested this be included in their portraits. One of my favorite things about their wedding is how seemelssly it went from romantic and dreamy to goofy and fun.

The Reception

One of the highlights of Andy and Stephanie’s wedding was the Lion Dance. Lion dancers are a New Year’s tradition, but they also frequently perform at weddings. They are said to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck and blessings.