Traditional Chinese Wedding 过大礼/下娉/纳彩

We are in the preparation of my baby sis wedding. My Parents came to me and ask me how and what they need to prepare... Recalling.. Recalling... and flipping my notes...

过大礼 also known as 下娉/纳彩 – the traditional purpose of these gifts is to show the sincerity of the two families and a promise to take good care of the bride. It is a way of showing respect and gratitude to the parents. And the differing traditional items symbolise meanings such as ‘wealth’, ‘abundance of descendants’, ‘sweet and loving marriage’, ‘a good shelter’ and many more.

During my time, which is about 6.5 years ago, my dad requested a 90 yrs old auntie who a very closed old friend of our family to prepare my 过大礼. After my research done online, I brought her to a stall at Chinatown. During that time, there was a temporary market at the greenfield next to MRT station. And these are the items we had gotten as bride family

1. Wedding Ceremony Tea Set ( Deluxe Range ) 孝心茶具
2. Dowry Needle Box Set (includes needle box, 10 colour threads,needle, pin cushion, measuring tape, golden scissor, destiny disc) 百子千孙针线盒
3. A Pair of Premium Prosperity Lamps 添丁床头灯
4. Complete Descendant Pail 5-Piece Set (includes baby bathtub, potty, face washbasin, tray and mug) 子孙桶聚宝盆 
5. Bed Room Slippers ( 2 Pairs )夫妻新拖鞋
6. Face Towel Set 双喜对面巾
7. Lace Red Fan 新娘扇子
8. Prosperity Charcoal 旺炭
9. Table Cloth for Alter 
10. Jewellery Box

on top of these, auntie also gotten 2 double happiness paper bag she says will be useful when returning gifts and many double happiness stickers. My mom also asked me to prepare

11. Bedding - pillows and boosters (2 sets), Comforter Set and Bedsheets

12. New clothes, toiletries and makeup

And my dad prepared me  

13. 4 pcs of diamond jewellery 

And these are the items that groom had to prepared my mother in law prepared everything with JingTai. They even lent us 2 Betrothal Red Baskets:

1. Dragon Candles 1 pair 龙烛一对
2. Phoenix Candle 1 pair风烛一对
3. 4 Treasure Jin Guo x 2 Packets each四京果各两包 (Red Dates, Lily Buds, Dried Longans, Lotus Seeds ) 红枣，百合，桂圆 ，莲子
4. Sweet Ending x 2 Packets each– 甜蜜喜糖各两包 (Rock Sugar & Candied Winter-Melon Strips ） 冰糖 ，蜜饯冬瓜条
5. 5 Colour Auspicious Seeds x 2 Packets 五色豆两包
6. Pig Leg Can x 48 猪脚罐 
7. Mi Lao Biscuits ( Rice ) x 2 Packets 福建米老饼 2包
8. Mi Lao Biscuits ( Sesame ) x 2 Packets 福建麻老饼2包
9. Traditional Peanuts Sugee x 2 Packets 传统福建贡糖
10. Pin Jin Ang Bao 聘金红包 and was wrapped with a red cloth
11. Dragon & Phoenix Tray 龙风托盘
12. Double Happiness Small Stickers x 1 双喜小贴子
13. Hokkien Cake x 48
14. Grandmother's sweet plate for my ah ma. She requested it.

Reference: http://www.chinese-wedding-guide.com/chinese-dowry.html

These are all i can recalled... "Pen" down for future reference....