New trend in China: playing videogames at the wedding

In a recent video that quickly went viral online, a wedding couple from China broke away from traditional celebrations and instead hosted an esports competition during their wedding, making for a unique ceremony.

As part of this unconventional celebration, the bride and groom called for a League of Legends competition right after the groom’s wedding party gathered in the hotel room. The bride, called Ning, competed against the groom, who was supported by his wedding guests – but she still managed to beat him skillfully.

Gaming played an important role in the couple’s relationship from the very beginning and they enjoy spending a lot of time together in front of a screen. Their shared passion for video games since their school days inspired them to create this unusual wedding design.

The bride won the mini LoL tournament against her groom on their wedding day.
In addition to the victory, winning was supposed to bring in “lucky money” so that both would emerge from the situation as happy winners.

This special wedding arrangement was well received on China’s social networks, where many people praised the couple’s creativity and departure from tradition. Under the video, there are many comments such as “Their wedding is so cool!” and “These young people know how to enjoy their wedding!”.

 

Despite strict regulation in China, the popularity of esports is steadily increasing. According to reports, China has become the world leader in esports with a market volume of over 403 million dollars in 2021.

Common traditions at Chinese weddings

A variety of colorful customs are common at Chinese weddings. These include the organization of door games, in which the groom has to perform various tasks in order to be admitted to the bride. The exchange of symbolic gifts and festive banquets are also widespread.

It is traditional for the groom to give a red envelope gift, known as a hongbao, to the bride on the wedding day. In addition, a matchmaking game is often played in which the groom and his groomsmen negotiate with the bridesmaids to gain access to the bride’s room.

A traditional Chinese wedding ceremony usually starts with the reception of the bride, followed by various rituals such as the tea ceremony, where the couple shows respect and gratitude to their parents and older relatives. This is followed by the wedding banquet and celebration, often accompanied by games and entertainment.

Even though most weddings in China are still very traditional, we may well see more modern and tech-equipped weddings in the future, like this young Chinese couple.

 

Cover and photocredit: Douyin