Newlyweds born in the 1990s and 2000s are rebelling against traditional wedding customs.
Parades of high-end cars, lavish banquets and flamboyant emcees—staples of many Chinese wedding ceremonies—have been ditched, and a growing number of young couples are opting for more streamlined procedures, personalized touches and a laid-back approach that prioritizes their own individuality rather than rituals.
婚礼场地：麦当劳 海底捞 电影院
A key part of a Chinese wedding is the banquet featuring a long, meat-heavy menu of auspicious dishes. A recent viral video, however, displayed a wedding being held at a McDonald's in Guangdong province.
The newlyweds were seen taking pictures holding auspicious paper-cuts and French fries or at the fast-food chain. Inside, the restaurant was decorated with balloons and cartoon-themed posters, and gave off a birthday party vibe.
On the table were hamburgers, French fries, sodas and other typical McDonald's items. The bride was seen with guests playing Jenga.
The video aroused envy among some netizens, who applauded her choice and shared their ideal wedding venues ranging from hotpot chain Haidilao to karaoke bars.
Some wondered how the couple succeeded to convince their parents to accept such an unorthodox wedding.
"I wanted to hold a party that catered to young people like me, so I only invited friends around my age. Traditional banquets are expensive and actually taste bad so I chose Haidilao. My guests all gave me a thumbs-up for the choice," said one user on social media platform Xiaohongshu.
图源：小红书@爱吃蛋炒饭
婚礼菜单：奶茶辣条少不了
No Chinese wedding is complete without an alcoholic drink, but some young couples are preferring to toast with milk tea.
"Complete relaxation at my wedding and let's toast with a cup of milk tea," said fashion blogger Tracy, who shared her wedding pictures on social media. "The signature red package, coupled with my favorite flavor of oolong tea with a hint of flowers, is a perfect match for my wedding. All I want for the occasion is chill and happiness."
图源：小红书@吹小姐Tracy
Spicy wheat-based strips, a popular snack among Chinese young people, also known as latiao, have also been swept into weddings in recent years, prompting one industry-leading brand to launch a campaign that gifted latiao to wedding planners.
According to the company, more than 2,000 newlyweds have used its spicy strips as snacks on banquet tables and props in wedding games, or included them in gift boxes for guests.
婚礼流程：没有接亲宣誓
打完招呼直接干饭
For some young people labeling themselves as passionate eaters or having social phobia, they believe most customary steps at a wedding banquet—kneeling before parents and saying vows, exchanging rings and sharing a glass of wine—are redundant. The ceremony should be reduced to its barest form—a food party, they say.
"We are two people with social phobia born after the 1995, and our wedding followed a minimalistic format—no ceremony, no jieqin (fetching the bride from her home and escorting her to the banquet), no bridesmaids or groomsmen and no emcee. We went on stage, uttered some words, and about a minute later, we began digging in," said one blogger.
She added that she saved a large sum of money thanks to the simple ceremony, and her parents were supportive. "After all, we just want to live our life as we wish," she said.
Some have kept the tradition of playing a video recounting the newlyweds journey to love and marriage. But instead of adopting a sentimental style, they incorporate elements from hit television dramas such as Empresses in the Palace, or Eternal Love, as well as time-honored classics Journey to the West. Most importantly, they pick up their chopsticks right afterward.
There are a variety of approaches for young couples to commence a marriage. Some have turned their wedding venue into an amusement park or a plot of farmland, and some have introduced popular items such as scratch cards and blind boxes to the solemn occasion. Some couples have even chosen to skip the ceremony completely and carry on their life as usual.
Reasons for these couples going rogue on wedding rituals follow a similar arc—they don't want the hassle or exorbitant expense, or they want this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to follow their own desires, rather than older generation's expectations.
实习生：杨雅琳 贺逸潇
来源：惠州广播电视台 定焦One
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