Couple wed in traditional Foochow ceremony

Nowadays, people register their marriage first, with the wedding ceremony held later. This is the modern way. In fact, on the day you register your marriage, you are considered married.

SIBU: A Foochow couple Elvis Tan and Ivy Ting on Wednesday opted for a traditional wedding ceremony the way their ancestors had done in bygone years.

Clad in Chinese traditional red wedding costumes, Elvis, 30, and Ivy, 25, were in high spirits throughout the ceremony despite a heavy downpour.

Elvis arrived at Ivy’s house around 7.30am to join in some teasing games before he was allowed to meet his wife-to-be.

According to the master- ofceremony Edmund Wong, the games were actually a Cantonese custom, but were incorporated to add fun and liveliness to the occasion.

After a traditional tea ceremony during which the groom-to- be served tea to the bride’s parents Ting Chek Min and Sun Pik Hoon, Elvis and Ivy were driven to the Sibu Foochow Association

Edmund Wong, master-of-ceremony

centennial building to register their wedding.

On arrival, Ivy was carried on a sedan chair by eight men from the car into the building.

According to Wong, the couple decided to have their marriage registered and the wedding ceremony on the same day as this was the way in a Chinese traditional wedding.

He explained: “Nowadays, people register their marriage first, with the wedding ceremony held later.

“This is the modern way. In fact, on the day you register your marriage, you are considered married.

“That’s why Elvis and Ivy opted to have the registration and wedding ceremony on the same day.”

After the registration, Elvis and Ivy proceeded to Elvis’s house with Ivy again carried on a sedan chair.

At the house, the groom’s parents Tan Kah Tong and Law Pik Hoon were served tea by their son and daughter-in-law.

Meanwhile, Elvis said apart from wanting their marriage to be memorable, they had chosen the traditional Chinese wedding ceremony to revive it.

“This tradition is dying. We hope to contribute our bit to rejuvenate it,” he said.

The newlyweds with their friends.

Elvis helping Ivy get down from the sedan chair at the Foochow Association where they are to register their marriage.

The newlyweds serve tea to Elvis’ parents.

Ivy and Elvis ready to register their marriage before the assistant registrar of marriage, Joseph Tang.