Originally, Chinese brides are suppose to go back for a home visit three days after their wedding, but nowadays, the home visit are done within the same day. From the groom’s house, the bride changed to another wedding outfit, usually Kwa, for the home visit, to represent the passing of three days. Of course, they will have to bring back gifts to the bride’s house, which are a roasted pig and mandarin oranges.
At the bride’s place, the couple will have to serve tea to the elders of the bride’s family. The tea is preferably served in her mother’s wedding tea set.
After the ceremony, the roasted pig will be divided into 3 portions (head, tail, middle). The middle portion will be kept for the bride’s family while the head and the tail portion will be returned to the groom’s family. A piece of red paper or cloth will be used to wrap the cut section of the pig before it is being brought back to the groom’s family. The mandarin oranges are to be exchanged at the bride’s house and given to the couple to bring back to groom’s family.
Traditionally, the bride’s family are to include sugar canes and a pair of hen and rooster (带路鸡) as part of the return gift. The sugar cane is to wish the couple a happy marriage (甜甜蜜蜜). The chicken couple are to be left under the nuptial bed and the family waits to see which of the pair comes out of the bed first. If the rooster comes out first, it is believed that the couple is due for a boy.
Above information courtesy of House of Etiquette
Other Wedding Traditions for Hakka and Cantonese
Betrothal Gift Ceremony 过大礼 (Guo Da Li)
Setting up Matrimonial Bed 安床 (An Chuang)
Hair Combing Ritual 上头 (Shang Tou)
Fetching the Bride 接新娘 (Jie Xin Niang)
Leaving the Bride’s House 出阁 (Chu Ge)
Entering the groom’s house 过门 (Guo Men)
