Grooms generally wear black and a black hat with tassels. Using cups tied together with string, the bride and groom sip wine as they exchange vows. A tea ceremony may be held in which the bride pours tea for her new relatives, starting with the eldest member. Meats, nuts and other foods are shaped into a dragon and the mythical phoenix. Dim sum, or dumplings, are typical hors d'oeuvres.
Desserts often contain lotus seeds for fertility.
The couple may be blessed at home by their parents before the wedding. Brides in many Latin-American countries wear a light blue slip beneath their dresses. The flower girls and ring bearer may be dressed as miniature versions of the bride and groom. A cord, el lazo, is placed around the couple to show that they are bound together for life. The groom gives the bride 13 coins, called arras, as a sign of sharing his wealth with her.