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Asian-themed weddings are on the rise, and at first this
might come as a surprise. After all, nothing could seem further from the Laura
Ashley vision we get when thinking of a wedding.
And in fact, that's one of the forces behind the rising popularity of the
Asian-themed wedding: how it turns things upside-down. In fact, in a
Chinese-style wedding, white is bad (it's the color of death) and red and black
are good (they're the colors of luck and prosperity).
You might wonder whether brides that plan Asian-themed weddings are Asian (or
marrying someone who is). The answer is, sometimes. Surprisingly often, they
aren't, and the choice is purely aesthetic.
Today's trends break down into two main types of Asian-themed weddings: the
Japanese or "Zen" style, which values simplicity and nature, and the more
riotous Chinese style, which bristles with bright colors and shiny fabrics.
Although either choice may surprise some older guests, the bride may find her
personal values deeply expressed in the Asian-themed wedding. After all, the
usual wedding is a certain kind of pageant: the couple pretends to be royalty
for a day, and lavishly entertain a large party - seemingly without a care,
though they rack up huge debt to do so.
Brides drawn to the Zen-style ceremony often want to avoid the "royalty
pageant" and simplify the ceremony (ironically, this can result in greater
elegance for the price tag). This type of bride might read "voluntary
simplicity" books, care about the environment, enjoy an uncluttered house or
apartment with a handful of Japanese accents (Shoji lanterns and screens, for
example) and find herself attracted to natural materials. She may feel freed by
a simpler wedding gown, and carry an unfussy bouquet of calla lilies. Her
centerpieces might be lanterns surrounded by black and white stones. For
favors, she might give out fortune cookies placed in take-out boxes and topped
off with chopsticks.
Other brides find aspects of tradition stifling, so they mix up their ceremony
with Chinese-style zest. This bride might dress her bridesmaids in glowing red
(or slinky black!) Cheongsams, dresses with high collars and slit sides. She'll
hand them parasols instead of nosegays, and pass out chopsticks for their hair.
Her own gown might be of gorgeous brocade in red, orange or gold. Perhaps
she'll wrap up the ceremony with a butterfly release and hand out lucky bamboo
stalks as wedding favors. This bride doesn't mind charting her own course in
social affairs, and she loves the Chinese devotion to parents and children.
In either case, the Asian-themed wedding is a great way to tie your ceremony to
your personal values. Perhaps the thought of such a wedding crossed your mind,
but you thought you had to be Asian? The fact is, Asian traditions and trends
have been shaping Americans deeply since the 1960s. Maybe it's time to ask
yourself this: which type of Asian-themed bride are you?
About the Author
Blake Kritzberg is the proprietor of
http://www.just-wedding-favors.com . Visit the site for easy,
elegant, unusual, and affordable wedding favor ideas, wedding favor FAQ, and
free wedding screensaver. This article may be freely reprinted so long as this
resource box and URL are preserved.
Reprinted from ArticleCity.com