One and Only Wedding Services Health and Safety Initiatives

To Our Valued Clients,

One and Only Wedding Services is Now Open! We want you to know that our clients and team members' safety and well-being remain our number one priority! We wanted to take a moment to share how our team has been handling the current dilemma. Some of the initiatives we have implemented for health and safety include:

1. Our clients can feel safe and secure in knowing that All Team Members have received Safety, Healthy, and Cleaning/Sanitizing instructions.

2. Masks or cloth face coverings are required for all Team Members, Clients and their Guests at all time. No exceptions.

3. For Gown Fitting Appointments, our Team Members require to wear gloves to help you with your gowns.

4. All Team Members will be screened to ensure they have not been in contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

5. Hand Sanitizers are available and have been located throughout our office.

6. We practice social distancing and maintain 6ft apart. No Touching or Handshaking.

7. We sanitize all surfaces including door handle/knobs, tables, counters, chairs and floors.

8. Virtual Meetings are encouraged.

9. We are now taking in-person meetings by appointment only.

---

One and Only Wedding Services Team has always been committed to take our healthy and safety levels even further. Once again, the safety and well-being of You, Your Guests, and Our Team Members is our number one priority! We have implemented the following:

1. All Team Members are required to wear masks or cloth face coverings at all time.

2. All Team Members sanitize their hands upon entry.

3. All Team Members will be screened to ensure they have not been in contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

4. We sanitize and clean all of our decors, tables, chairs, and equipment before and after every wedding/event.

5. Depending on your wedding setup, some of our Team Members are required to wear gloves while handling any decors that are used for table settings including chargers, plates, utensils, napkins, and etc.

Don't forget to check out our 2020 Wedding Solution for your SPECIAL OFFER during this time.

We look forward to working on your event!

Chinese Wedding Tea Ceremony Guide

What is a tea ceremony?

Tea ceremony is one of the most important events in a traditional Chinese wedding. It symbolizes purity, faith and fertility. It is a formal introduction for the bride and groom to show their respect and gratitude towards their families, especially to their parents for all the years of love and care.

When and Where should the tea ceremony take place?

Traditionally, the tea ceremony for the groom's family is usually done in the morning at the groom's home. The following is the bride's home visit. Then, the tea ceremony for the bride's family is done in the afternoon at the bride's home.

In today's weddings, most bride and groom often have just one ceremony for both sides of the families together. It is commonly held at the family home of the bride or groom, hotel, restaurant, or at your wedding venue.

What do the bride and groom wear at the tea ceremony?

Traditionally, the bride and groom need to dress in red, and their costumes must be embroidered or designed with dragons and phoenix on the dresses. The bride typically wears a red Chinese traditional dress called the Qun Kwa or Kwa, and the groom wears a red Chinese traditional suit called the Changshan.

Nowadays, there are more options for dressing at the tea ceremony. The traditional Chinese Qun Kwa is available in various colors and designs such as gold or light blue, and the groom Changshan is also available in black, gold, and blue as well. Besides Qun Kwa, the bride can also wear a floor or ankle-length Cheongsam or Qipao dress, and the groom can also wear a tux or suit to match with the bride.

What are the bride and groom positions at the tea ceremony?

During a tea ceremony, the groom should stand on the right side, and the bride should be on the left side. Their parents should sit on the chairs and wait for the couples to kneel down and serve tea. The groom then serves the tea first, and the bride goes after the groom. Both the bride and groom serve tea to the same person.

What are the orders at the tea ceremony?

The order at the tea ceremony is very important, and it shows how the bride and groom respect their seniority. The groom's parents will be served first followed by the bride's parents, then the grandparents, the rest of the extended family including uncles/aunties, elder siblings, elder cousins in the order of their seniority.

Below are several things to be considered in preparing for the tea ceremony.

• Before the tea ceremony, the bride and groom can prepare a list of the orders and practice a run through with their relatives.

• It is suggested to plan out the space of the tea ceremony to make sure that there is a good enough space so the parents and families don’t have to move or stand up while receiving the tea.

• The tea cup can be very hot. It’s recommended to let the parents and families know in advance not to hold the cup, but instead, they should hold the saucer.

• Prior to the tea ceremony, the bride and groom assign a person or their maid of honor to hold and prepare the teas. The assigned person then stands next to the bride and groom holding a serving tray with 4 tea cups filled with tea. After each round, she will bring over a new set of tea cups filled with tea for the rest of the families.

• The bride and groom should prepare enough tea to make at least 3 pots of tea.

• The night before the tea ceremony, the bride and groom can pack everything they need so they can be ready to go the next day.

Below are the Steps by Steps guide on the day of wedding.

1. To begin the tea ceremony, the maid of honor or an assigned person prepares a tray with 4 cups filled with tea. She then stands next to the bride and groom. The parents can then sit down on the chairs.

2. The groom stands on the right side, and the bride stands on the left side. When ready, both the bride and groom kneels down and take a cup of tea from the tray.

3. The bride and groom then serve the tea with two hands holding the saucer and bow slightly forward. Typically, the bride and groom say “Mom, please drink the tea.” in Chinese Mandarin, Cantonese, or English.

4. While the tea is served, the parents can hold the saucer to move the cup closer, then they lift the lid slightly to one side and drink the tea.

5. Once they finish drinking the tea, the parents then return the saucer back to the bride and groom by holding it with two hands.

6. In return, the parents give the bride and groom red envelopes or HongBao as a symbol of blessing to the newlywed couples.

7. The bride and groom stay in their kneeling positions for the next round of tea serving.

6 Tips for Camera Shy Couples

Photo Credit: Photographer Rona

Are you a Camera Shy person? I definitely am! Let's face it together. These are a few tips and tricks for you to prepare yourself for your photo shoot session.

1. Be Natural and Be Yourself

Trust me. This is very important to be yourself and relax during your photo shoot session. All of the great photos are produced while you are doing something without noticing a camera in front of you. Just be yourself and be natural. Let the photographer work his magic!

2. Get comfortable with your photographer

Before you step in front of the camera, break the ice and build a good relationship with your photographer. No one likes an awkwardness. So, talk to your photographer. This will help you ease out any stress before your photo shoot session.

3. Emotions, Emotions and Emotions

You just got married! or You are having something that is very excited. Keep thinking about it during your photo shoot session. Nothing is more beautiful than a true smile from your happiness.

4. Communication is the key!

One of the most important aspects of getting a great photo is to communicate about everything related to your photo shoot with your photographer. If you feel less comfortable in this pose, and feel like the other pose is more nature, let him/her know. Tell your photographer about your camera shyness because he/she is there to make sure that you are comfortable and look absolute best in your photos and videos.

5. Have a sibling or friend that you're most comfortable with during your photo session

If you have someone you feel very comfortable with, take them with you during the photo shoot session. They might be your little assistant to help you correct your pose or fix your wardrobe if needed.

6. Lastly, Have A LOT of fun!

It's your photo shoot session, and your photos will be kept for a very long time. So, be happy and just have fun. Enjoy your time with your photography and SMILE!