Tea Ceremony & Door Game Photos

Chinese and Vietnamese Wedding Traditions · Southern California

A Tea Ceremony Guide for Southern California Couples

For many of the couples we photograph, the wedding day starts long before the ceremony. It starts at home, with a door game, a tea ceremony and a house full of family. We have photographed these mornings across Los Angeles, Orange County, the Inland Empire and the San Gabriel Valley for Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese speaking families, and no two are ever the same. Some families keep every tradition, others choose the parts that mean the most to them. This guide walks through the morning in order, from the double happiness decor and the bride's qun kwa to the door game, the tea itself and the red umbrella send off, with photos from real One and Only Production tea ceremonies.

Double Happiness Decor and Details

Before anyone arrives, the home gets dressed in red. Double happiness papercuts go up on the front door, the walls and the windows, often with lanterns, couplets and fresh florals. Some families build a full backdrop for the tea, others keep it simple with a sofa for the elders and a red cushion to kneel on.

A red double happiness sign and red welcome mat on a family's front door on the morning of the tea ceremony.
Double happiness papercuts and red ribbon framing the front entry before the door game.
A large red double happiness papercut with couplets above a family's living room cabinet.
Heart shaped double happiness papercut and red couplets on a white wall above two chairs for the elders.
Close up of a red double happiness papercut decorated with pink flowers.
A red double happiness tassel ornament hung over a wall of decorative plates.
A tea ceremony backdrop with red draped chairs and white curtains set up in a family home.
A neon sign, double happiness backdrop and florals set up for a tea ceremony at home.
A painted wedding melon with a double happiness character on the tea ceremony table.
A red lantern hanging among autumn florals outside the family home.
A living room decorated with double happiness papercuts and couplets for the tea ceremony.
A red paper lantern hanging over the staircase in the family home.
A family altar with offerings set up for the tea ceremony.
Plates of traditional pastries and sweets set out on a red tablecloth.
Red double happiness papercuts hanging in the windows overlooking the backyard, photographed by One and Only Production.

The Bride's Qun Kwa

Many brides change into a qun kwa for the tea ceremony, a two piece red gown hand embroidered in gold with dragons and phoenixes. Others wear a red qipao or ao dai. We always save time for close up details of the embroidery, the hair pieces and the red shoes before the door game starts, because by the end of the morning there will be gold on her wrists too.

A bride in a red and gold qun kwa adjusting her hair piece by the window.
The back of a bride's qun kwa and her gold floral hair pins.
Red embroidered wedding shoes resting on a qun kwa with a gold double happiness design.
A bride in a full gold embroidered qun kwa and gold headpiece seated on the sofa.
A bride in a red and gold qipao standing beside double happiness couplets.
A bride in a gold sequined qipao looking down in soft garden light.
A bride in a red embroidered qipao in front of a double happiness papercut.
A bride smiling in her red qipao with a double happiness sign behind her.
A bride in a gold and red qun kwa sitting on a leather sofa.
Close portrait of a bride in her qun kwa touching her earring.
The bride's hands resting on the gold phoenix embroidery of her qun kwa.
Detail of gold bangles and embroidered sleeves on a red qun kwa.
The bride's folded hands and rings against her embroidered qun kwa.
A bride in her qun kwa seen from above with gold hair pins.
The pleated red skirt of a qun kwa as the bride walks across the room.
Close up of the gold dragon and phoenix embroidery on the collar of a qun kwa, photographed by One and Only Production.

The Groom and His Crew

Grooms often wear a changshan, a Chinese style jacket in red or black with dragon embroidery, or a classic suit with a red tie. The groomsmen gather early, because once they reach the bride's door they will need every one of them.

A groom in a black changshan with a red dragon embroidered down the front, standing in a garden.
A groom smiling and straightening the collar of his black and red dragon changshan.
A groom in a dark suit and red tie standing in the hallway before the door game.
A groom in a red and white changshan in the family living room.
The groom and his groomsmen lined up in a hotel hallway on their way to the bride's door.
A groom and his groomsmen in matching black changshan posing together.
A groom in a red jacket holding the bride's bouquet before the door game.
A groom in a cream and red changshan standing by the window.
A groom seated under a double happiness painting in his traditional outfit, photographed by One and Only Production.

Gift Trays and the Groom's Arrival

In many Vietnamese and Chinese families, the groom's side arrives with a procession of red covered gift trays carried by family members and groomsmen. The trays can hold tea, fruit, wine, cakes, jewelry and sometimes a whole roast pig, and they are presented to the bride's family before the groom can take her home.

The groom's family walking up the street carrying red covered gift trays.
Groomsmen in suits carrying red gift trays toward the bride's home.
Gift trays with a roast pig and red covered boxes set out for the bride's family.
The groom placing a red gift tray beneath a double happiness papercut.
Family members lining up in the courtyard with red gift trays for the procession.
Bridesmaids in lavender ao dai receiving gift trays from the groom's procession.
The two families exchanging red gift trays during the procession.
Both sides of the family holding red gift trays in a line during the procession.
A roast pig decorated with flowers presented as a wedding gift.
Red wrapped gifts from the groom's family lined up on the counter, photographed by One and Only Production.

The Door Game

This is where the bridesmaids take over. The groom and his groomsmen have to earn their way through the door with red envelopes, push ups, quizzes about the bride and whatever other challenges the bridesmaids dream up. It is loud and silly and usually our favorite part of the morning to photograph. When the door finally opens, the groom lifts the bride's veil to see her for the first time.

The groom and groomsmen in barong shirts waiting on the driveway before the door game.
Groomsmen bent over laughing as they take on the first door game challenge.
The groom and his groomsmen huddled together planning their way past the bridesmaids.
The groom and a groomsman counting red envelopes for the bridesmaids.
Bridesmaids holding up signs and red envelopes behind the door.
A groom in a red changshan and his groomsmen waiting outside the hotel suite door.
A groom in his red changshan doing push ups on the floor for the bridesmaids.
A groomsman lying flat on the hallway floor during a door game challenge.
Bridesmaids showing off the red envelopes they collected from the groomsmen.
The bridesmaids lined up and laughing at the door.
A groom holding up a red card at the door with his groomsmen beside him.
A family member standing by a large double happiness papercut as the groom's side arrives.
A red ribbon and double happiness sign blocking the bride's door.
The groom and groomsmen pushing red envelopes through the door to the bridesmaids.
The bride's family laughing as the groom makes it to the door.
The groom and his groomsmen celebrating with the bride after getting through the door game.
A bride waiting on the bed in her qun kwa holding a fan before the groom arrives.
The groom slipping the bride's red shoe onto her foot after the door game.
The groom lifting the red veil from the bride's embroidered qun kwa, photographed by One and Only Production.

The Tea Set

The tea set is often a gift from the bride's family, a red porcelain pot and cups painted with double happiness that the couple keeps for years. Many families sweeten the tea with red dates, lotus seeds or longan as a wish for a sweet marriage.

A red double happiness teapot and stacked cups ready for the tea ceremony.
Four red double happiness teacups on a round red tray.
Two teacups filled with tea on a red tray before serving.
A bridesmaid carrying a red tray with two double happiness teacups.
Three red teacups on a decorative tray for the tea ceremony.
A traditional clay teapot and cups set out on a carved wooden tray.
Red and white double happiness teacups beside gold bangles.
A bowl of sweet soup prepared for the tea ceremony.
A bridesmaid in a red qipao holding the tea tray.
A relative carrying the tea tray across the room, photographed by One and Only Production.

Serving Tea to the Elders

The couple kneels or bows and offers tea to each family member in order, usually starting with parents and grandparents and then aunts, uncles and older cousins. Each elder takes a sip, offers a few words of blessing and welcomes the couple into the family. Many families hold two tea ceremonies, one at the bride's home and one at the groom's.

A bride and groom in red serving tea to their grandmother during the tea ceremony.
The bride and groom offering tea to a relative during the tea ceremony.
A bride and groom kneeling to serve tea to the groom's parents.
An elder sipping tea from the bride and groom during the tea ceremony.
A bride in her qun kwa kneeling on a red cushion to serve tea.
A bride hugging her parent after serving tea.
Red envelopes being handed to the couple after a cup of tea.
A bride and groom serving tea to an aunt and uncle in the living room.
The couple holding an elder's hands as he gives his blessing.
A groom presenting tea to grandparents seated on the sofa.
A grandmother smiling after receiving tea from the couple.
A bride and groom serving tea to an elder under red decorations.
A bride and groom kneeling side by side under a double happiness papercut.
Family gathered around as the bride and groom serve tea at home.
A bride and groom serving tea to an elder seated by the window.
A grandfather accepting tea from the couple during the tea ceremony.
A grandmother smiling on the sofa after the tea ceremony.
A bride and groom in red holding teacups as they wait to serve the next relative.
A bride and groom in red qun kwa serving tea to their parents on the sofa.
An elder in a gold jacket sipping the tea served by the couple, photographed by One and Only Production.

Gold Jewelry and Red Envelopes

In return for the tea, the elders give gifts, traditionally gold jewelry and red envelopes. Dragon and phoenix bangles, necklaces and earrings go on the bride right then and there, so by the end of the ceremony she is wearing her family's blessings.

Gold dragon and phoenix bangles beside red double happiness teacups.
A stack of thick gold wedding bangles on red embroidered fabric.
Two gold rings resting in a small dish on a red double happiness cloth.
A flat lay of gold jewelry, red envelopes and invitations for the tea ceremony.
Gold bangles and pendants laid out on a floral flat lay.
A gold necklace and earrings displayed in a red jewelry box.
Three red jewelry boxes holding gold gifts for the bride.
An elaborate gold necklace resting on the couple's wedding invitation.
Family members' hands gathered around the bride's wrist as a gold bangle goes on.
A relative presenting a red gift card holding gold to the couple.
Red envelopes held in the bride's hands after the tea ceremony, photographed by One and Only Production.

The Red Umbrella Send Off

When it is time to leave her family home, a bridesmaid or relative holds a red umbrella over the bride to shelter her as she steps outside and starts her new chapter. It is a short walk, but it makes for one of the best photos of the morning.

A bridesmaid holding a red umbrella over the bride as she leaves the house.
A red umbrella shading the bride as she steps toward the car.
The bride and groom walking under a red umbrella in front of the house.
The couple leaving the front door under a red umbrella with family behind them.
A bride in red standing in a doorway framed by red couplets.
The bride and groom sharing a kiss in the doorway between red couplets.
A red umbrella and red runner waiting at the family's front door.
The bride and groom walking out under a red umbrella with family following.
The wedding party walking down the driveway under a red umbrella, photographed by One and Only Production.

Portraits in Traditional Attire

We always try to save a few minutes for portraits while the couple is still in their traditional outfits, before they change for the ceremony or reception. Red embroidery against the double happiness decor at home makes for photos families keep for generations.

A groom kissing the bride's forehead as she holds a fan in front of a double happiness sign.
A couple in matching red ao dai standing in front of their tea ceremony backdrop.
A bride and groom in red traditional attire posing in the living room.
A bride leaning in to kiss the groom on a red runner after the tea ceremony.
A couple laughing with their dog in front of double happiness papercuts.
A bride and groom in red qun kwa and changshan sitting close together.
A bride and groom in red embroidered attire holding the bouquet.
A bride in a gold qun kwa seated on the sofa under double happiness decor.
A bride and groom holding hands in front of a double happiness backdrop.
A couple in red standing under a rainbow umbrella in the backyard.
Close up of the couple's hands against a red dragon jacket and gold embroidered dress.
A bride in a red qipao holding the groom's arm, photographed by One and Only Production.

Planning a Tea Ceremony?

A tea ceremony moves fast, with a lot of family and a lot of small moments, so it helps to have a team that knows the traditions and the order of events. One and Only Production is a photo and video team based in West Covina, serving Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. Take a look at our wedding portfolio, then tell us about your family's traditions and your plans for the day.

Check Your Date