How to Fill a Chinese Wedding Basket

A Chinese wedding basket is a beautiful item. It is rich in legacy and tradition and the baskets are still used today. You can use a Chinese wedding basket in your own wedding preparations by customizing the basket to both your own needs and with respect to the tradition the basket also carries.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Buy a Chinese wedding basket that is made of bamboo or that has red coloring in it. You want to choose something both visually pleasing, useful and roomy enough for your gift items and something that will last in remembrance of the bride's wedding day.

2. Think of the bride. You want to choose items in the wedding basket that are both necessities for any woman and items that are uniquely suitable for the tastes of the bride. Pick a large variety of items. A book, candles in her favorite scent, toiletries, her favorite make-up brand, a nightie for the wedding night in her favorite color and a journal for her new life as a wife are recommended.

3. Start at the bottom. The wedding basket typically has two areas that can be filled. You want to start with the heaviest items on the bottom. This would be a great place to put in framed photographs, paper weights or coasters. Anything that is heavy should be placed here.

4. Place a journal on top of the bottom section. This should be a beautiful journal that symbolizes the new life the bride will have as a wife. It could be a love or passion themed journal, or simply a beautiful journal that she can use your own imagination to theme for her new life.

5. Close the bottom section, and open the top one. The basket is unique and layered so now filling the top part will be easier.

6. Place a nightie for her honeymoon in top section, and put make-up and toiletries here. Be sure to secure any liquid or perfume so it does not open in heat. You don't want a messy basket on hand for the bride.

7. Add a personalized card to the very top of the basket. This should express your well wishes, true feelings and love for the bride!

8. Tie a red ribbon around the Chinese wedding basket. Since red symbolizes joy and love, it is the main color used in Chinese weddings. It's beautiful, and it will compliment the basket perfectly.

Tips & Warnings

• Use your imagination to add other things to the basket that are significant to the marrying couple.
• Don't include a Chinese wedding basket in your festivities unless you are prepared to learn the traditions and customs that go along with it. One should never include a tradition or custom in a wedding unless it has a special place or purpose!