Honouring East & West
Our Gifting Guide
Our wedding is a union of two families and two distinct cultures. In the spirit of blending our worlds, we invite you to explore the gifting traditions of both the American Western and Singaporean Chinese cultures below.
Whether you choose to stick to what you know or try something new, we welcome you to celebrate with us in whatever way feels most meaningful to you knowing that your presence is the gift that means the most to us.
Regardless of the method, we are simply grateful you are here to celebrate the blending of our families and the start of our lives together.
Western Tradition
In Western culture, wedding gifts are a way to help the couple establish their new home together. It is about providing practical items or contributions toward their future experiences. Historically this involved physical items like linens, china, or kitchenware.
How it Works
The Registry: Guests can choose items from a curated list (the registry) or contribute to a specific fund (like a honeymoon fund).
The Card: A heartfelt card usually accompanies the gift expressing well-wishes for the couple as well as letting the couple know who the gift is from.
Guests can either choose to send the gift to the couple’s home before the wedding or bring it to leave at the Gift Table on the wedding day. The Gift Table can be found by the reception entrance—this is where physical boxes and cards are placed. There is often a “Card Box” specifically for envelopes.
Chinese Tradition
In Chinese culture, the primary form of gifting is the Angbao (“红包”)—a red envelope containing a monetary gift. The colour red symbolizes luck, life, and happiness. The gift is considered a blessing to the couple to help cover the costs of the wedding banquet and start their life with financial “good fortune.”
How it Works
Near the reception entrance, guests will find a family representative by the Gifts & Signing Table. They will be there with a box and a book—they will collect the Angbaos and record the guests’ names in the ceremonial book log to mark the guest’s blessing.
The Angbao:
If you need them, we will have an assortment of red envelopes available! Just find our family representative by the Gifts & Signing Table when you enter the reception hall during cocktail hour, and they will be able to help you!
Numerology:
· 8 is the best number! In Chinese, it sounds like the word for “wealth” or “prosper,” so any numbers including and/or ending in 8 (e.g., 88, 128) are considered very lucky.
· Avoid 4 at all costs. In Chinese, it sounds like the word for “death,” so any numbers including and/or ending in 4 are considered extremely unlucky.
· Even numbers are generally preferred over odd numbers, symbolizing “pairs.” This goes for both the actual number itself, as well as the number of digits. For example, “8” is good, but “12” is better. “88” is fantastic, but “48” is not okay.