A wedding ceremony in rural China has a great many customs that are still practiced and are very important. One of our bloggers, Maierwei, who is from Turkey, shared her experience at a Chinese wedding in Henan's rural area. Please join the discussion.

I went to Henan for two days with my boyfriend RJ and best friend NR (an awesome guy from Algeria). Before visiting, RJ had told me that the conditions are not that good in his hometown, and that almost nobody lives in the village anymore. However, we spent a long time in a village in Xinyang city where people were super friendly and nice, and I mean true friendliness by that, as if we had been friends for a long time.

The groom is a cousin of my boyfriend RJ, so the whole extended family was there, which is a very rare occasion. "Even for the New Year some people don't come back," he said.

When we arrived, I could see RJ's excitement. He took my photo with his family. We also walked around the village and met many little (and big) friends. I feel very happy in nature, and a city girl like me is not used to seeing ducks, goats, geese, chicken, cows and many other animals around. First, the wedding ceremony!

The first day, the whole family ate together and played some traditional games, the second day the bride and the groom arrived. There were more games to "trouble" the newlyweds and "prevent" their marriage. It was fun, but interestingly the elderly took care of almost all the stuff, while the young people mostly hung around. Most people who were present at the wedding actually live in cities, not in the village. RJ told me there is almost no one is left in such villages, only the very elderly and some little children.

They had put a red duvet (comforter is what Americans call it, I guess) outside and people walked around it for a LONG time, throwing the candies placed on it. I was surprised and impressed that children caught the candies but didn't keep it all for themselves. When they caught some that landed far away, they brought them to give to other children, usually those who are younger than themselves. Isn't that so thoughtful and cute of them?

Then two youngsters (they were twins) from the village took the duvet over their heads and ran to take it to the "bride's room", who of course is not living there. The people in the village tried to "prevent" them, and were pulling the duvet back. The boy, however, managed to bring it to the room rather quick. Many people running in or out of a very small room of a small house can make it quite chaotic. People being pushed and pulled around also contributes to the danger. My toes were stepped on several times.

The second day, the couple stood hand in hand as an emotional text was read (Like, you'll be parents one day and see your children's marriage, seeing your little baby growing up, going to school, finding work and a spouse, finally it is a remarkable day for a parent, etc). Then the groom held and lifted the bride to take her to the room, and people were trying to "prevent" him from doing so. My guy very actively took part in this! Some people were late in "preventing" and were laughed at a lot. When they were finally in that small room, they sat on the bed with that red duvet on it. Another cousin of RJ’s had an apple tied with a string, and held it between the two. They were both trying to take a bite from the sides, but that guy was tugging the apple away each time they were trying to do so. In the end the groom, angry at his cousin, grabbed the apple from his hand and fiercely bit both sides of it and gave it back to him. It was very funny. Then we all got bites from that apple.

There were around 50 people for the wedding the first day, and maybe 10-15 people less the second day. Still, only one person cooked all the food. Everyone helped with the preparation though. I joined in preparing vegetables, separating pickled garlic (a local delicacy) and washing a kind of preserved egg. Then we peeled the skin and washed them again so that they could cut and serve them. Everybody was telling me not to do anything, but it was lots of fun and better than just sitting there for sure, so I insisted.