SAMPLES OF CLIPART FOR ASIAN WEDDINGS:
 

Wedding clipart and graphics can be very useful when planning your wedding. You should decide on designs early on so that they can match item thoughout. For example, if you have daisies on your invitations, it's nice to have them on the wedding program and perhaps printed on the glassware also.

More great ideas for clipart found here: Wedding Clipart

HONG KONG WEDDINGS:
People in Hong Kong emphasize wedding customs and traditions. It usually takes more time in Hong Kong than in United States to prepare a wedding. Some weddings in United States might be considered casual... whereas a wedding in Hong Kong would almost always be a complex affair, especially the ceremony and the banquet. The ceremony is usually a combination of the western and eastern style. The eastern style ceremony includes traditional Chinese elements and is much more complex than the western style. So the couples usually start to prepare their wedding 1-2 years ahead of time.

CHINESE WEDDINGS:
Chinese emphasize customs and traditions. It is important for them to marry on an auspicious day and, if possible, at an auspicious hour. When a couple decides to get married, both sides of the family will meet together. First, they will decide on the amount of money that the groom should pay for the bride's wedding preparation. Then they will pick the wedding day by looking through the Chinese lunar calendar and the astrological charts, which shows the days that are suitable for the wedding and will bring them luck. In contrast to Chinese, Americans are not superstitions when it comes to choose the wedding date. They will emphasize on practicality throughout the wedding preparation. The bride's family usually pays for the whole wedding. In addition, Chinese will prepare both western and eastern style wedding gowns. The bride usually wears the eastern style-wedding gown at the wedding banquet. It is a robe of red brocade or satin richly embroidered in gold thread and sequins. American, on the other hand, will choose only one kind of wedding gown.

Chinese wedding and American wedding also differ in ceremony. Besides the church ceremony, the traditional tea ceremony is also important to the Chinese. This tradition is often observed after the church ceremony in the main sitting room at the home of the groom's parents. The bride would "kowtow" to the groom's parents the groom greets the bride's parents. The bride then serves tea to the groom's father and mother. In return, the groom's parents give her a valuable gift, such as a piece of jewelry. It is a symbol of acceptance into the family. Then the bride will pour tea and bow to the groom's siblings, starting with the eldest brother and his spouse. One simple way for an American couple to get married is to go to Las Vegas, spend $25 and have a "simple marriage". This process takes less than 2 hours. In contrast to Chinese, Americans have the simple church ceremony.

 The Chinese usually regard the wedding banquet as the important part of the wedding besides the church and tea ceremony. Both sides of the family will be pleased to see more guests to come and more tables to serve the guest. Unlike Americans, they will never serve buffet or refreshment as the wedding banquet. Americans will usually held the banquet at large hotels. On the other hand, the Chinese will usually held the banquet at a large Chinese restaurant. Every meal that is going to serve the guest will be named a special lucky name. Before the banquet start, the guests will come early to the restaurant and play "Mazhong" with other guests. The bride might change into the traditional Chinese wedding outfit or "kwa" when receiving guests. The guest will play jokes on both bride and groom. For instance, they will ask the groom to identify the bride by touching the girls hands without looking at their face. Unlike Chinese, American are more respectful to the wedding. The guests would not play "Mazhong" or any other gambling games at the wedding banquet. They will bless both the bride and the groom and will not play jokes on them.

JAPANESE WEDDINGS
 Japanese weddings are very beautiful and spiritual occasions which encompass aspects of the Far East that appeal to Westerners. Even though old traditions are preserved in Japan to a much larger extent than in many Western countries, Japanese are very fascinated and influenced by Western style. Nowadays, many wedding ceremonies are carried out only partially in the traditional way. The traditional part of a wedding is celebrated in Shinto-style while other parts could contain Christian elements, even if the couple is not Christian.

In Japan, spring and fall are wedding seasons. Wedding traditions tend to vary according to the region, family traditions and the class systems.

Mi-Ai:
Until the turn of the century, the "Mi-Ai" interview of a man and woman was more of a formality than an opportunity to know each other with a view to marriage. When "Mi-Ai" was mere formality, a bridegroom-to-be might be invited to the home of a bride-to-be and, if he were favorably impressed, he would leave behind a fan to indicate his acceptance. The bride-to-be had little chance of expressing her views on the subject.
When practiced today, it is arranged by a go-between to provide the prospective bridegroom and bride an initial opportunity to know each other personally.
A theater, hotel or restaurant may well be used for "Mi-Ai" where the proposed couple and their families meet. The "Mi-Ai" interview is no longer considered to force any compulsory consequence upon either of the parties concerned. It is a practice for parents, go-betweens and friends with a particular view to unite, if desired, a young man and woman, thought out to be ideal partners in marriage. Even when successfully conducted, the man and woman concerned are usually given months to get to know each other and possibly to learn to love each other.

Yui-no:
"Yui-no" is a derived form of "Ii-ire" meaning "to apply". It is said also to mean for families to be united in marriage to dine and drink together. In any case it is an important function in betrothal in Japan. At "Yui-no" gifts are exchanged between the bridegroom-to-be and bride-to-be. The main item to be presented to the bride-to-be is an "Obi", representing female virtue. A "Hakama" skirt is returned to the bridegroom-to-be, expressing fidelity. The "Yui-no" gifts include as many as nine items of happiness and fortune, if formally prepared, in addition to the "Obi" and "Hakama". "Naga-Noshi" is prepared from abalones. It used to be an important and costly item in the old barter trade. It is to express the sincere wishes of a sender, and is widely used in making gifts in Japan.

"Mokuroku" is the list of gifts delivered. Money is exchanged as a ceremonial gift. "Katsuo-bushi" is dried bonito, used in making soup stock and valued highly as preserved food. "Surume" is dried cuttlefish. Both "Surume" and "Katsuo-bushi" are presented to indicate "quality" to last. "Konbu" tangles are included for their strong power of breeding, wishing for happy and healthy generations to follow in the family. "Shiraga" is another name for "Asa", or hemp. Strong fibers are exchanged to signify ties and cooperation in the married life. "Shiraga" phonetically means white hair, expressing wishes for long life together to the newly married. "Suehiro" is a fan, always a symbol of happiness, as it expands to the end, suggesting a better and bigger future. "Yanagi-daru" is a wine cask. It may be replaced by cash, as designated for the purpose of purchasing "Sake" wine. "Sake" casks are usually made of "Sugi" cryptomeria but such as used in "Yui-no" is of willow trees with tender leaves. It is meant to pledge obedience and gentleness in the married life. All these "Yui-no" gifts are accompanied by a list of family members, as they are exchanged between the two families through the go-between on a "lucky" day of the almanac.6

JAPANESE WEDDING CEREMONIES:
In Japan, wedding traditions tend to vary according to the region, family traditions and the class systems. Four types of wedding ceremonies dominate: Shinto (the native Japanese religion), Buddhist, Christian and non-religious. The religious aspects often dictate the 'style' of the ceremony, and therefore, they are often known as Shinto-style or Christian-style weddings, and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs of the couple.2

Shinto-Style Wedding Ceremony:
The Shinto-style ceremony is very traditional and incorporates the best of ancient Japanese traditions. The wedding includes only the immediate families, the "Nakoudo" (go-between) and the priest. The Shinto-style wedding is performed before a Shinto sanctuary set up for the occasion, unless the wedding takes place in a Shinto shrine. It is presided over by a Shinto priest who first holds the purification service of all present. Go-betweens are often selected more for ceremonial purposes from among elderly couples known and close to either or both of the families to be united in marriage. The bride wears a white "Kimono" with an elaborate headdress while the bridegroom wears a black "Kimono" and jacket with a striped "Hakama" (skirt-like pants).
After a ritual by the priest, reporting to elders on the marriage and requesting their lasting favors on the newlyweds, it is now customary for the bridegroom to read an oath to keep faithful and obedient to each other in married life. The oath may be given by the go-between in behalf of the new couple. The "San-San Kudo", or ceremony, of the Three-Times-Three Exchange of nuptial cups is then performed by the bridegroom and bride. The exchange of wedding rings is also a popular practice today. The bridegroom and bride proceed to the sanctuary to offer twigs of the "Sakaki" sacred tree in worship to gods to end the main part of the wedding ceremony. Drinks of "Sake" are then exchanged between members and close relatives of both families to signify their union through the wedding. The Shinto-style wedding is accompanied by traditional music and attended by "Miko", maidens in red and white dresses, who serve "Sake".
It is a short service, simple in procedure but full of solemn atmospheres. Many hotels and restaurants are equipped with a special room for wedding ceremonies.

Christian-style Wedding Ceremony:
The Christian-style wedding is usually a contradiction in terms. It is generally chosen because the image appeals to the couple rather than due to any spiritual belief. The ceremonies are normally based on Protestant services, and are hold in dedicated wedding facilities that are designed like churches but are not active parishes. The actual denomination of the priest is irrelevant to the proceedings.

Buddhist-style Wedding Ceremony:
Buddhist weddings are performed in a temple. Buddhist nuptials, as performed at the Honganji Temple, includes a prayer, the presentation of Buddhist rosaries, an address by the priest, incense burning, drinks of oath and a Buddhist worship by clasping hands. A Buddhist temple used to be a place for funerals, as far as such events in life as birth, marriage and death were concerned. It is still to be seen how far the Buddhist wedding may go with millions of otherwise Buddhist followers found in the country.6

JAPANESE WEDDING RECEPTIONS:
The scale and style of wedding receptions in Japan vary from one end to another, depending on budgets and other factors involved.

The usual procedures in wedding receptions is to have the go-between introduce the bridegroom, bride and their family backgrounds. Sometimes such introductions are made to cover parents of the newlyweds more in length than the principal figures of the occasion.

Red and white is a happy color combination in Japan, as abundantly used in a wedding reception. The soup may have ingredients in such color scheme and ice cream may be served in the same color combination.

A Japanese wedding reception is a colorful affair, particularly with young friends of the bride attending in beautiful "Kimono". Married ladies in black formal dresses have multicolor designs on the "Kimono" skirts to be no less attractive than young maidens. It is really a show for the newlyweds to remember for many years.

Merchandise is never given to Japanese couples as a wedding gift. Instead of a gift, "Goshugi" (money) should be handed to the couple in an envelope, decorated with writing and gold cord tied in a specific knot, at the reception. If "Goshugi" has been already sent to the couple, the guests can just register their names. This is not the common way, however. The amount of "Goshugi" given to the couple depends on the relationship between the giver and the couple. Odd numbers are considered lucky, because they cannot be easily divided by two, something which is considered inappropriate for marriage. Guests receive a gift as they leave, usually something fairly expensive. Following the formal reception, an informal party is held at a restaurant, giving the couple an opportunity to relax and share their celebration with close friends.

Japanese wedding photos and links:

http://www.iipix.com/japan/wedding/
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/2888/celebration-e.html