Little Baba’s Wedding Guide for the Bridegroom

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Lap Chai Ceremony One day, while my brother and our whole family were very busy preparing gifts for his wedding ceremony, I became very curious about what these gifts represent. The preparations include a lot of gifts for the bride for the gift exchange ceremony. So while my brother was taking a break, I approached him and asked some questions about his wedding preparations. Little Baba: Brother, what gifts are you preparing? Brother: I am preparing 4 trays of gifts. The first tray contains jewellery and a red packet. The second one contains raw pig trotter. The third one contains oranges. The fourth one contains cloth. Little Baba: Wow! That's a lot of gifts! Does each gift carry a different meaning? Brother: Yes! Each gift carries a different meaning. Let me tell you what the gifts in each tray represent!

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Bakul Siah The gifts for the bride are put into Bakul Siah which are wedding baskets used by Peranakans. Bakul Siah are used to transport valuable gifts for the gift exchange before the wedding day.

Peranakan Pedia Lap  Chai    

Chye  Kee  

         Kerosang        Bakul  Siah  

Peranakan  wedding  gift  exchange  ceremony    A  red  banner  held  at  the  main  door  from  the  day  the  Lap  Chai  ceremony  started  until  the  day  after  the  wedding  is  over    A  set  of  3  brooches  used  to  secure  a  blouse  called  the  kebaya.    A  wedding  basket  used  by  Peranakans  to  transport  wedding  gifts  

Wedding gifts from the bridegroom

Once the bride’s family receives the gifts sent by the bridegroom’s family, the bride’s family would replace the bridegroom’s gifts with theirs, which are to be returned to the bridegroom’s family in a Bakul Siah. Tray 1: Jewellery and a Red Packet The jewellery set contains a Kerosang (a set of 3 brooches), earrings, bracelets, belt and buckle and a ring. The red packet is a token sum of dowry money. The amount in the red packet is a multiple of six as it is an auspicious number. All these items would be covered with a batik handkerchief which was removed with a flourish when the tray was presented to his bride's family. Tray 2: Raw Pig Trotter Raw pig trotter is an important sacrificial meat to the Peranakans and is used in special occasions. It is used as an acknowledgement that the bridegroom’s family is receiving a virginal bride. Tray 3: Oranges A pair of candles, two bottles of brandy and 12 oranges to the bride’s family. The candles are marked with the phoenix. The candles are lit on the deity altar of the bride's family during the wedding. Brandy symbolised the bridegroom. Oranges are given as gifts for its auspicious colour. The number of oranges (six or its multiples) and its round shape symbolise good wishes for a full and long life. Tray 4: Cloth Pieces of cloth are given to the bride to make a full set of clothing. The bride is anticipated to change these to finished garments.

Collect you own butterflies stamps at The Peranakan Museum!

Did you know?

Embroidered Kneepads Embroidered kneepads are for the bride to protect her knees during the tea ceremony as she has to kneel down to offer tea to her parents, in-laws, senior relatives and ancestors as a sign of respect.