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A photo story of the morning activities from the groom’s perspective can be viewed at:
http://shenli.multiply.com/photos/album/37
This is how the groom’s morning went:
Morning wake up. The Tai Kum Ce arrives and the traditional ceremonies begin. First up, the mother of the groom feeds him a special “tong sui” that she made the day before. It’s made of a clear sweet soup with pink, marble-sized, glutinous balls.
Earlier in the week, both C and I had to help my mother-in-law make the glutinous balls as part of a unity ceremony.
Guests of the groom arrive to witness his preparations and have breakfast at his house, including his Heng Tais. These are his loyal brothers who will help him get through the challenges set up by the bride’s “sisters” once he arrives at the bride’s house.
Among the guests is a Japanese family that has very close ties with my in laws dating back from C’s grandfather’s days. Although not part of our tradition, they presented him with the wedding gifts after his “breakfast” ceremony. One gift was a Japanese “Ang Pow” ornately wrapped in gold origami paper. It was so lovely, we couldn’t bear to open it for days after the wedding.
After a few photos with the Japanese family, C went up to get dressed while his Heng Tais ate breakfast and put on the finishing touches to the bridal car.
The next part of the ceremony required C to light some incense and bow to the external altar set up outside the house for their deity. This was repeated for the internal altar which is kept in memory of their ancestors. Following that, the parents of the groom have to help him put on his coat – this is apparently a significant tradition. His father will pin the corsage onto his jacket and his mother will hand him the bouquet.
Finally, the three of them leave the house together arm in arm (not unlike the way C and I will later enter the house). They see him to his car and wave him off as he drives away to pick up his bride.
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