過去很長時間，中國婚禮的主角都不是兩位新人，而是男方父母。而隨著近幾十年來中國綜合國力的提升，婚禮的焦點也重回夫妻雙方，而婚禮的形式也發生了變化，奢華程度也在不斷提高。
Wedding vows
婚禮誓詞
【經濟學人】
Oversize Cupids in pink, furry outfits hand out heart-shaped balloons with 「I Do」 written on them (in English) at a wedding-themed trade fair in Beijing. Vendors offer romantic photo-shoots of couples under water or at a racetrack, personalised wedding cigarettes, and biscuits with names such as 「Date & Fate」. An emphasis on love is a new addition to Chinese weddings—and shines a pink-filtered spotlight on social change.
在北京一場以婚禮為主題的貿易展會上，粉色超大丘比特身穿毛茸茸的衣服，分發心形氣球，氣球上寫著「I Do」。婚慶商家為新人提供浪漫的水下或賽馬場的婚紗照拍攝服務、個性化的婚禮香菸，以及刻字餅乾，如「Date & Fate（巧遇）」餅乾。對愛情的強調是中式婚禮的一個新元素，粉色聚光燈下聚焦的是社會的變化。For centuries, marriage in China was about ensuring heirs for the groom's family. Ceremonies centred on the groom's kin: couples kowtowed to the man's parents but the woman's relatives were absent. Unusually, both the groom's and the bride's family exchanged money or goods. The more money changed hands, the more opulent the wedding.
幾百年來，中國的婚姻都是為了確保延續新郎家的香火。婚禮儀式以新郎的親屬為中心：新婚夫婦要向男方的父母磕頭，但女方的親屬不能到場。而與此不同的是，新郎和新娘的家人會交換錢或物品。轉手的錢越多，婚禮越奢華。After it came to power in 1949, the Communist Party imposed frugality. Dowries consisted of necessities like bed linen or a bicycle; guests brought their own food coupons. But since the 1980s the extravagance of nuptials has matched the country's rise. Celebrations moved out of homes into hotels. Brides swapped traditional red dresses for white, flouncy meringue-like ones (some now wear both, in sequence).
1949年共產黨執政後開始實行節儉政策。嫁妝包括床單、自行車等生活必需品；賓客們自帶食物券。但自上世紀80年代以來，婚禮的奢侈程度也隨著中國的崛起而不斷提高。婚禮慶祝從家中搬到了酒店，新娘們將傳統的紅色禮服換成了荷葉邊的蛋白酥樣的白色禮服(現在有些人會依次同時穿這兩件禮服)。A large industry has emerged to serve the 13m couples who marry each year. Wedding planners are increasingly common, particularly in cities. A decade ago Cosmo Bride, an American-owned lifestyle magazine, launched a Chinese-language edition in China. An average wedding cost $12,000 in 2011 (the latest year for which such data exist)—the equivalent of more than two years' income for the average urban household. An increase in the average marriage age by 2.5 years since 1990 has given parents (who still usually pay for weddings, despite the earning power of their children) more time to save up.
中國已經出現為每年結婚的1300萬對夫婦提供服務的大型產業。婚禮策劃人越來越普遍，尤其是在城市。十年前，美國人擁有的時尚雜誌《時尚新娘》(Cosmo Bride)在中國推出了中文版本。2011年，一場婚禮的平均花費是12000美元(最新年度數據)，相當於普通城市家庭兩年多的收入。自1990年以來，平均結婚年齡增加了2.5歲，這使得父母們有更多的時間來攢錢。儘管孩子有賺錢的能力，但父母仍然要為婚禮買單。The change in wedding frippery also reflects a fundamental shift in society. For the first time in the history of Chinese family life, the child—rather than ancestors or parents—is regarded as the centre of the family, says Yan Yunxiang of the University of California, Los Angeles. Most newly-weds now are single children, born since the one-child policy was introduced more than 30 years ago. Parents have more to spend if they only have to fork out for one wedding (they usually share costs with the spouse-to-be's family).
婚禮變得華而不實也反映了社會的根本性轉變。洛杉磯加利福尼亞大學的嚴雲翔（音）表示，中國家庭生活的歷史上，孩子第一次被視為家庭的中心，而不是先輩或父母。現在大多數新婚夫婦都是獨生子女，他們是30多年前開始實行獨生子女政策以來出生的。如果父母只需要為一場婚禮買單，他們就會花更多的錢(他們通常與親家分攤婚禮費用)。William Jankowiak of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, who has documented relationships in China for 30 years, says love plays a larger part in young people's lives—both in choice of partner and in their relationships with parents. Love is far more often spoken about. The result is evident in weddings, which now focus on the couple. Both sets of parents are represented, but their position is peripheral. Weddings often feature a day of wedding photos, shot before the event, with the couple in a range of outfits against romantic backgrounds, but with no family members.
拉斯維加斯內華達大學的威廉·簡科維亞克(William Jankowiak)記錄了中國30年的各種關係，他表示，愛情在年輕人的生活中扮演著更重要的角色——無論是在伴侶的選擇上，還是在他們與父母的關係中。與過去相比，愛情更頻繁得被談論。這一結果在現在婚禮上表現得很明顯，婚禮是以兩個新人為焦點，兩邊父母都會出席，但他們只是陪襯。婚禮上通常會展示此前拍婚紗照的一天：新人在浪漫的背景中穿著一系列服飾拍照，但其中沒有他們的家庭成員。聊聊最近很火的「兩頭婚」|泛讀
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