Chinese Wedding Invites: Where To Buy Them

Planning a Chinese-American wedding? You'll need invitations. Unlike Western wedding invites, Chinese wedding invitations are sent in red envelopes embossed with a double happiness symbol. They're usually sent by the parents of the couple, but modern couples are increasingly choosing to send them out themselves. You can find Chinese wedding invitations on sites like Etsy, Zazzle, Minted, Paperlust, and Wforwedding. These sites offer a range of designs, from traditional to modern, bilingual, and DIY.

Bilingual Chinese-English invitations

There are several options for purchasing bilingual Chinese-English wedding invitations. Etsy, Paperlust, Zazzle, and Minted all offer a variety of Chinese wedding invitations, many of which are bilingual.

When creating bilingual invitations, it is important to consider your audience. If most of your guests speak English, it is best to include both languages with everything written line by line in Chinese and English. If all your guests can read and understand both languages, you could instead opt for a half-and-half approach.

Etsy offers a range of editable and customizable bilingual wedding invitation templates, including some with traditional Chinese characters and others with a more modern style. Paperlust also offers customisable bilingual Chinese wedding invitations and provides free worldwide express shipping on orders over $300 USD.

Zazzle has a large selection of Chinese bilingual wedding invitations, including elegant designs featuring peonies, cherry blossoms, and traditional symbols such as the double happiness symbol. Many of their invitations are currently on sale, with discounts of up to 50%.

Minted also offers Chinese wedding invitations designed by independent artists, with a free 30-minute consultation tailored to your wedding customisation needs.

Red invitation envelopes

Red envelopes are a popular choice for Chinese wedding invitations due to their cultural significance and the emotions they evoke. The bold and vibrant colour commands attention and is believed to symbolise passion, happiness, prosperity, and good fortune.

Etsy offers a wide range of red invitation envelopes, including customisable options. You can find various sizes, such as A7, A6, A2, and #10, with prices as low as $0.15 per envelope. Etsy also provides bilingual Chinese-English wedding invitation templates that can be edited and downloaded instantly.

Office Depot carries the LUX and JAM Paper® brands of invitation envelopes in various shades of red. These envelopes come in standard invitation sizes like A7, A6, A2, and #10, with prices starting at around $0.20 each.

For a more premium option, Envelopes.com offers a range of red envelopes in multiple sizes, such as A7, A6, A2, and #10. While more expensive, these envelopes are crafted with meticulous attention to quality and detail, ensuring your invitations create a lasting impression. Prices start at $0.15 per envelope, with bulk purchases offering further discounts.

Wedding cake cards

On Your Wedding Day Cake Card

This card is an ideal way to send your wishes to the happy couple. It features a simple and elegant design, with a cake illustration on the front and a heartfelt message inside. You can even add a personalised note to make it extra special.

Hand-Painted Watercolour Wedding Cake Design Card

For a truly unique touch, consider this hand-painted watercolour card. The front of the card features a beautiful watercolour painting of a wedding cake, with intricate details and soft colours. It's a work of art in itself and is sure to be cherished by the recipient.

Cake Tasting Scorecard

If you're looking for something a little different, this cake tasting scorecard is a fun and interactive option. It's an instant download, so you can print it out and fill it in with your own ratings and reviews of different cake flavours. It's a great way to add a personal touch and share your favourite cake flavours with the couple.

Be Maid of Honour Cake Card

Asking someone to be your maid of honour is a special moment, and this card makes it even more memorable. The card features a cute illustration of a sponge cake with pink icing and a pink flower on top, along with the message "Will you be my Maid of Honour?" It's a thoughtful way to pop the question to your favourite girl.

Personalised Wedding Cake Card

Make it personal with a customised wedding cake card. You can add the couple's names, the wedding date, and even a photo to create a keepsake that the couple will treasure forever. Choose from a variety of designs, including elegant florals, modern minimalist styles, or traditional Chinese motifs to match the wedding theme.

These wedding cake cards are a delightful way to celebrate love and create lasting memories. Whether you're looking for something simple and heartfelt or want to include a tasty treat, these cards are sure to deliver your wishes in a unique and memorable way.

Red packets

• Amount to Give: The amount you choose to put in the red packets is subjective and depends on your background, the recipient's background, and the nature of your relationship. It is recommended to use even numbers containing 6, 8, or 9, as these are considered auspicious in Chinese culture, while avoiding the number 4, which sounds similar to the word for death.
• Preparing in Advance: It is advisable to prepare red packets with varying cash amounts in advance, especially if you are gifting in countries outside of China, where currency values can vary significantly.
• Milestone Birthdays: Red packets are commonly given during milestone birthdays, typically those ending in 9 for women and 0 for men. It is also customary to give red packets to children who come to pay their respects at such birthday celebrations.
• Optional Occasions: While not mandatory, there are certain situations where giving a red packet is considered thoughtful and generous. For example, if you are unable to attend a wedding or birthday party you were invited to, you can send a red packet to the host in advance or through a friend.
• Non-Red Packet Occasions: There are also occasions where giving cash in a red envelope is not appropriate. For instance, when visiting a friend in the hospital, fruits or nutritious food would be a more suitable gift. Similarly, at funerals, cash is traditionally given in an odd number and delivered in a white or non-red envelope.
• Presentation: When giving a red packet, it is customary to use crisp new bills, preferably fresh from the bank, as this is seen as a respectful gesture.
• Wishes and Blessings: You can add a romantic wish or blessing on the red packet. Popular options include "早生贵子" (zǎoshēng guìzǐ), wishing for early offspring, "白头偕老" (báitóuxiélǎo), wishing for the couple to grow old together, or "永浴爱河" (yǒng yù àihé), a more risqué wish for the couple to bathe in the river of love forever.
• Timing: At weddings, it is customary to give the red packet to the bride or groom right after entering the party or when taking the first picture with them.

Gold and red invitations

Gold and red are a popular colour combination for Chinese wedding invitations. Many online retailers offer a wide range of designs incorporating these colours.

Etsy, for example, offers a Chinese Wedding Card Invitation Template featuring a gold dragon and phoenix design. This template can be printed on traditional gold paper. Another Etsy offering is an acrylic invitation card with a gold foil frame and gold foil monogram, accompanied by a burgundy red envelope.

Zazzle also has a range of gold and red Chinese wedding invitations. One example is the "Red and Gold Indian Style Wedding Invitation", which features a red background and gold border. Zazzle also offers a "Red Gold Floral Chinese Wedding Photo Double Xi Invitation", which features a gold foil border and red floral detailing.

Frequently asked questions