Continuing on from my last post is part 2 of our Hong Kong wedding! Featuring the tea ceremony with my in-laws, the extended family, as well as parts of our banquet. I have been over these photos a hundred times and as much as I want to post every single one, it's just not possible. Ah! 
After we had finished the tea ceremony with my parents and headed over to Kane's Grandma (who conveniently lives just around the block!) we were welcomed into her house by many family members - some who I'd met previously, and some I hadn't. Everyone was so lovely and welcoming and I felt truly like I had been given a place in this amazing family.
Once we arrived, we paid our respects to the ancestors. There is this gorgeous shine Kane's Grandma keeps with photos & tea cups and burning incense. We bowed, offered tea, and received red envelopes in return. (If you're not familiar with red envelopes, or red packet money, it's a Chinese tradition. They are a gift given during celebrations, weddings and CNY. The red symbolises good luck and wards of evil spirits. Usually its only married couples that offer them to you. )

We then performed the tea ceremony with Grandma, where she presented me with two gold bangles.  They are the most perfectly beautiful bracelets and I feel I had great honour in wearing them. We laughed as she gave her speech afterwards, hoping that we'll have good fortune, and make lots of babies!!

Kane's parents were next, and they surprised us with a few gifts. Kane received a medal, which was the 'Year Of The Dog'. Apparently they are quite hard to come by, so he was very happy with it! I received two more gold bangles from my mother in law and a pearl necklace which is so beautiful. I think it was my favourite thing I wore all night! We continued with the tea ceremony with a few other family members before stopping just before 12pm, & going back to Kane's parents apartment for lunch with the family and film crew. 

I finally had a bit of time to reply back to a few messages, and relax and have something to eat. It's funny how having a permanent smile plastered on your face for an hour can start to hurt, but I guarantee by the end of the night - we both had very sore faces! I had about an two hours to unwind and fill my tummy with yummy pizza, however Kane had to leave a bit earlier to go check into our hotel for the night at the Mira Hotel. 
Finally we headed to the banquet venue which was at the BP International Hotel, a family favourite as Kane's mother is a member there. We arrived to see the crew hanging decorations, and putting the final touches up on the stage. I can say, that I have never, in my life, seen anything that looked so regal and like it was from a different time. We decided to not go with the usual pretty backdrops that most couples use for their weddings- we went entirely different. 
The stage was a blaze of red and gold satin, and in the middle of the stage was a stand that held the 'Imperial Edict'. An Imperial Edict was something that was used back in the Chinese Dynasty's by the Emperor to make orders the law. This was basically a little bit of fun, and we opened the Edict up during our speeches and found both sets of parents had written well wishes for us. A very interesting and fun idea! We were also told our stage decorations was something the entire hotel staff had not seen before. So that was special, and kudos to all the crew for making it happen!

We made an exchange of rings, and finally got to eat a bit of food before I changed costumes numerous times during the course of the night. We spent a lot of time standing and taking photos on stage with all our family members, and I may have just got a bit clucky when gorgeous baby cousins were bought up on stage and would just stare at me. But lucky me even got a kiss, so I was happy!

The night finally came to a close at around 11pm, and it was so sad to see everyone go as it had been a truly amazing night. One I will remember always. But at the same time I was feeling for my face and feeling for my poor feet! Luckily it was a short walk to the Mira Hotel, but a refreshing one to be out in the night, with people still bustling around, and staring at me in my purple lace cheongsam and red and gold shoes.
The hotel was a good relief, and I found out the Kane, the sneaky thing, had upgraded up to a suite when he checked in earlier in the day! It was divine, and I spent a good amount of time soaking in the bubble bath! 
I have many many photos and video and memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life, and somehow I wish I could do it all again, but alas, once is enough :) It may not be a Chinese wedding in September, but it's the big one, and I can't wait for the day to arrive! Just under 6 months to go!

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After the tea ceremony, K's family and relatives all went out for a Shanghai lunch at one of the plazas in Ma On Shan. I tried a lot of different food that I haven't eaten before, some very nice, some not so much! Although it was a really nice opportunity to meet with all the family again. 
We left at around 1.30pm from the restaurant to head home to get ready for part 2 of the day which was the church ceremony. We had about an hour to get dressed and ready, before being taken by car by one of K's relatives to the church. There was a session going on in the church when we got there so we had to wait around an hour in the holding room before we could go in. Once we got in, it was actually quite large. I don't know what I was expecting, but being in Hong Kong I expected something smaller! Haha. But it was decorated very nicely and I realized that it matched the Brides bouquet.
Once the official ceremony began, which was in Cantonese (I couldn't understand) so K translated all the important parts for me. Matthew wore a grey & black trimmed suit, and Blanche wore was really beautiful, and covered in tiny crystals. I did particularity love her veil, it suited her very very well! 
The whole ceremony was cute and they had a lot of praise for each other in their speeches. K & I also got a special thank you for coming all the way from Australia, so that was lovely to be included in their speech which was unexpected :)

Once the ceremony was completed and the happy couple were now 'husband & wife', most of the guests were loaded onto a bus that took us to the reception at the Langham hotel. I don't think I've ever seen such an elaborate reception venue before. There were 30 tables for over 300 guests, a Tiffany blue backdrop for photos, and the napkin holders were covered in rhinestones. Not to mention the TASTY snacks that were going around, I was definitely in food heaven!

The menu had about 10 different courses on it, I think by the 7th I was over food, but still tried as many as I could, even the really bad sounding ones, which I'm pretty proud of as I'm not a big seafood eater. K's brother bought along a flash light (which later that week I bought) and did some videography of the night. I've seen video clips of it and it's amazing what he does. (I'm pretty happy I bought the same flash light as him so now I can do more (and better!) photography! (It was used on these photos of K & me below!

The night went on until about 12.15am, which considering I'd been up since 7.30am and doing a lot of running around, I was SO tired by the time and thankful for a warm bed and a huggable fiance! I still think I was very lucky to be invited to such a great event, and I'm thankful I got to see it, and it know what I will experience in March next year, maybe not on such a grand scale but at least close to it. I have so many good memories of this day that I'm sure I will keep with me for the rest of my life as the first HK wedding I've been to!

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This weekend, my parents and I spent the weekend with K in Melbourne. We had a busy weekend planned - shopping and looking at display houses, followed by dinner with K's Auntie & Uncle on Saturday. And today, K & I and my parents went to our reception venue open day - at Gum Gully Farm, in the Dandenong Ranges. We attended the open day last year before we were engaged, and decided then and there that this was the place we'd be getting married in. It was a perfect sunny day for everyone to have a look around and talk to caterers, car hire, and cake makers. Gum Gully Farm is about a 40 minute drive from the city, and everything on the farm was handmade by the owners in 1998. It started off as a hobby farm with animals, but when people started asking to have their wedding there - it became a wedding venue. And its SO popular!  

The best thing about this venue, is they have two options for a ceremony. You can either have it outside under the vines which bloom in the spring months, or you can use the chapel which is also handcrafted, as another choice or a backup wet weather option. I loved the chapel, it's so beautiful, and with the pretty stain glassed window, its perfect. 

Not only is this venue 'oh so rustic', from the simple decor, and baby animals running around - but a lot of what you see in the venue is already included, so it's very economical. 

It was a great weekend, and it was nice to have some time with my parents, which I haven't had much lately, so I was very happy. And I think they enjoyed themselves as well, and loved the venue as well!

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