Wedding Season in Fuyang

Three designers in Eliot's office decided to get engaged this past month. Why they all decided to do it within two weeks of each other, we're not quite sure, but since one of the guys, Jackie, is from Fuyang he had his wedding here and we were lucky enough to get to go as well.

We weren't sure what to expect and we didn't even really know how we were to dress so we just decided to go with what we know (I believe I was probably was overdressed). When we arrived we were taken to the upstairs of someone's 4 story house. The only parts of the house that were furnished were the first 2 floors and the 3rd and 4th floors were completely empty of any furniture at all. So they used one of those floors to set up several tables for the guest to sit and eat at.

There was no ceremony at all. We're not sure if they did it on a different day or if Chinese weddings just don't have ceremonies. So we all kind of hung around the main room and watched the people cooking down below on the front patio. I was asked by a couple of the bridesmaids (?) to get my picture taken with them. This happens a lot in China and a lot more in Fuyang because they don't see very many foreigners and I was the only foreign girl at the wedding. After that the bride even wanted her picture taken with me so I had Eliot take a picture of us as well.

Once the food was ready we all sat down to eat and they just kept bringing in more and more food it. Then several guests went around to different tables and cheersed the people sitting at that table. Whenever someone came to our table we made them cheers everyone one by one. It's always customary in China to try and get people as drunk as possible, so we were just carrying on tradition. In a while the bride and groom came around and cheersed each of the tables and the groom also went around with a big bowl of cigarettes to pass out.

Pretty soon the room was empty and it seemed that the foreigners were the only ones still sitting and eating/drinking. It was the weirdest thing, as soon as everyone was done eating they got up and left and the wedding was over after only about 2 hours. But it was really cool to be a part of it and to see how two people getting married is celebrated in China.