Chinese weddings are very lively and fun affairs where playfulness and teasing are the name of the game. In ancient times, couples were matched and wed very young, so it was necessary for the families to ease tension and anxiety by playing games with them. The tradition of game-playing, which originally helped with sexual education, has survived to today. Often, risqué games are played with heavy sexual innuendo, which is completely normal for a Chinese wedding.
There are two aspects of the wedding day where games are played. The first are called ‘door games’, which are tricks or tasks set on the groom as he attempts to collect the bride from her home on the morning of the wedding. The other games are sexy matches and spirited contests played either during the wedding reception feast or afterwards in the bridal chamber.
Door Games
When the groom arrives to collect the bride, her bridesmaids should give him some tasks to prove his love. These should never insult or belittle the groom and should always be in good fun.
*Recite a poem about his love for his new bride.
*Answer questions about their relationship or her interests.
*Sing love songs loudly.
*Eat some spicy foods.
*Perform physical tasks like push-ups or sprints.
*Make red envelope payments to the bridesmaids
For question games, the groom is punished if he answers incorrectly. Punishments can be funny or teasing, such as drawing on his face with lipstick or forcing him to eat something unsavoury.
Reception/Bridal Chamber Games
The real fun begins during the reception (or bridal chamber), when lively risqué games are played between the bride and the groom, and sometimes the guests. The emcee or a designated games master should oversee each game, choosing fun music to go with each and taking care to choose games that suit the couple. Additionally, the bride should wear an apron or towel during messier games to avoid soiling her expensive dress. All games commence after the bride has changed into her red reception gown.
*Chopstick Into a Bottle – The groom must maneuver a chopstick dangling from a string around his waist into an empty bottle between his legs.
*Who’s the Bride/Groom? – The bride or groom is blindfolded, several guests are lined up, and he/she must identify the spouse by feeling the bodies of the others. Variations can include kissing or smelling.
*Balloon Pop – The groom holds a balloon between his legs, and the bride pops it without using her hands.
*Chicken Part Kiss – Hide random chicken parts under 3 bowls. The bride or groom chooses a bowl and must kiss the corresponding body part on the spouse.
*8 Pennies – Eight pennies are stuck to the bride’s body with double-sided tape. The groom is blind-folded and must feel his way around to find them.
*Love Charade – The groom or bride acts out phrases (typically sexual innuendos) for the spouse to guess. Guests can impose a penalty if the other party doesn’t answer correctly.
*Sweet Bites – Blind-folded, the bride will eat pieces of fruit placed on the groom’s neck and face.
*Tongue Twister – Hang a banana on a string. The couple must get hold of, unpeel and eat it using only their mouths.
*Cherry Necklace – A string of cherries is placed around the bride’s neck and the groom must eat them off.
*Egg Roll – The bride must get down on her knees in front of her husband and roll a hard-boiled egg up one pant leg, through the crotch and down the other side.
*Shoe Game – The couple sits back-to-back and each takes off a shoe. They must answer a series of questions, like “Who is better at cooking?” and “Who will clean the house?” by raising their shoes. It’s especially funny when both of them raise their shoes.