What To Do With Your Chinese Wedding Items After Your Big Day?

Table of Content

• Auspicious Beans/Grains
• Descendant Pail Set
• Dowry Sewing Kit
• Wedding Red Packets
• Chinese Wedding Decors
• Guo Da Li Basket
• Wedding Towels
• Abacus/Charcoal

Congratulations on your wedding! Now that your big day is over, what should you do with all the Chinese wedding items you have purchased or collected? Can you dispose, sell or give them away? Some of these items are more than just trinkets; they hold symbolic meaning for your marriage. So, you need to handle them with care and respect. But fear not, we have got some great suggestions on what to do with them! 

1. Auspicious beans/grains

During the Guo Da Li ceremony, the Groom has to prepare auspicious beans/grains as part of his gifts. Each grain symbolises different meaning. For example, some symbolise good fortune, bountiful harvest, fertility or a long-lasting and sweet marriage. You can find the full list of items and their meaning in our Guo Da Li article. These little gems are used for the tang yuan soup base during the tea ceremony. If you have leftovers, why not turn them into a sweet dessert? Yum!

2. Descendant Pail Set

The descendant pail set, is given by the Bride's mom as part of the Dowry. The set symbolises fertility and offspring, so it's important not to throw it away after the wedding. In fact, it's only recommended to dispose these items, after you have a baby. If you are not planning on having children anytime soon, you can save them for future use. The set usually consists of a potty, basin, bathtub, pail and a hot water flask. If you foresee yourself struggling to store the full-sized ones, you can get the miniaturized versions of the descendant pail set instead!

3. Dowry Sewing Kit

A sewing kit is also one of the common items included in a Dowry. In the past, a married woman who had exceptional sewing skills was seen as capable of efficiently managing her household. Keep it for emergencies, you never know when you might need to repair a tear in your shirt or pants.

4. Wedding Red Packets

Ah, the wedding red packets! Who doesn't love these? It's perfectly fine to dispose them, but make sure you have emptied them out first. Alternatively, you can recycle them. Did you know that many banks in Singapore provide red packet recycle bins at their outlets near Chinese New Year? 

5. Chinese Wedding Decors

These can be tossed after the wedding, but you can also give them to others who have weddings coming up. It's a great way to spread the joy and happiness!

6. Guo Da Li Basket

The Guo Da Li basket is a popular item used for decorative purposes during the ceremony. It's probably a waste to purchase them for a one-time use, hence many choose to rent them. If you purchased them, you can rent or sell them on various platforms such as Carousell and groups such as 'Wedding Buy/Sell SG', 'SingaporeBrides BTB GTB' on Telegram and Facebook. Check out our collection of Guo Da Li baskets for rental here too!

7. Wedding Towels

Wedding towels are not just for show. You can use them to wash your face or take to the gym. Opt for a minimalist design so you can easily repurpose them for daily use. 

8. Red Umbrella

The red umbrella is another symbol of fertility in marriage, so it's recommened to keep it until you have children. Using an old, borrowed, or gifted umbrella means giving the luck away.

9. Abacus/Charcoal

Finally, the abacus or charcoal symbolises the Groom's ability to provide for the Bride. It is recommended to keep them at least for a few years, to maintain good luck and prosperity. 

Have more creative ideas on how you can repurpose and recycle them? Do let us know!