This Wedding Began With a Tea Ceremony and Ended Somewhere Magical

Some moments in a wedding day arrive quietly, yet hold the deepest meaning. For Anne, that moment came through a tradition carried from her childhood in Taiwan into her wedding at Gabbinbar.

“Hi, I’m Anne. I was one of the brides here, got married earlier this year at Gabbinbar. Here’s a look back at my day.”

Before the ceremony and celebrations began, Anne and Seb honoured a ritual that has long been part of weddings honouring Chinese heritage.

“This is our traditional tea ceremony. I am originally from Taiwan. That’s where my family is from as well.”

The tea ceremony is simple in its form yet profound in its meaning. A gesture of gratitude. A quiet recognition of family.

“For us it was a moment where we could pay our respects to our family and it symbolises the two families coming together.”

Traditionally, the couple serves tea to their parents. In return, the parents offer words of blessing.

“So traditionally you serve the tea to the parents and then the parents will then give you a couple of phrases of blessing.”

For Anne and Seb, the ceremony also became a way for both families to learn from one another. They spent time before the wedding sharing the tradition together.

“For both sides, it’s really important, I guess, to understand the cultural context of the different traditions.”

They watched recordings of tea ceremonies from around the world, letting the meaning behind the ritual unfold naturally. It created its own moment of connection even before the wedding day arrived.

That preparation made the ceremony feel deeper when it finally took place.

“And then that way, I think it then meant a little bit more when we did it.”

One blessing in particular stayed with Anne.

“There’s a saying in Chinese that means sort of, we wish you a hundred years of happiness.”

Her parents spoke those words during the ceremony. Words filled with hope and tradition.

“So that was something that both mum and dad said to me.”

In that moment, emotion took over.

“I could barely get any words out.”

What followed was not conversation but gratitude.

“It was just tears of feeling so grateful and just so happy.”

In the quiet exchange of tea and blessings, two families came together. A ritual carried across generations found its place within a new story beginning at Gabbinbar.