Singaporebrides | Essentials
March 2011
Matrimonial Heirlooms by Poh Heng
Modern couples are reaching far back into their heritage to enhance their wedding experience. Sweeping the dust off ancient customs, brides and grooms seek new ways to bring back the old. It seems traditions, can be stylish too.
Generations after generations, wedding customs and traditions get more and more simplified, and slowly but surely, they start to lose their significance. It is, therefore, very heartening to see young, modern couples reviving and incorporating long-forgotten practices into their wedding rituals.
In Singapore, brides and grooms planning their weddings know they have a unique set of cultural conventions to follow, according to their specific dialect groups. These conventions determine their wedding process, as well as the items they need to prepare for the traditional proposal and betrothal ceremony. Because of the sheer amount of time and effort required to correctly obtain and prepare these items, many couples have decided to do away with tradition and simply get down to the main business: getting married.
However, due to the probable urging of parents, or even purely out of interest, some couples still do embrace these practices and try to include some of these rituals into their weddings. Drawing inspiration from these modern couples, and from the time-honoured Chinese heritage, a new collection of “treasures” has emerged to offer the best of both worlds to those who want to celebrate their union in style.
Matrimonial Heirlooms, a thoughtfully created set, rich in tradition, eloquently expresses parents’ love and blessings for their children. Eight pendants in 24K gold, each a miniature with its own significance, and a beautifully crafted wooden treasure chest complete the idea. Together, the pendants and the box add up to “nine”: the number that symbolises eternity in Chinese beliefs. Poh Heng presents this unique tradition full of meaning, as befitting heirlooms passed on from generation to generation.
The “Fortune” Comb:
Inspired by the hair-combing ritual, the comb blesses the bride with conjugal bliss and everlasting love.
The “Blissful” Ruler:
A measure of happiness and a symbol of plenty, the ruler represents several offspring.
The “Beautiful” Mirror:
Reflecting the beauty of a woman, the mirror is thought to preserve the bride’s elegance and attractiveness.
The “Happiness” Slippers:
These stand for a harmonious relationship; as the word for “shoes” sounds a lot like the word meaning “harmony” in Mandarin.
The “Happiness” Abacus:
A symbol of prosperity, the abacus represents a well-planned future leading to a comfortable life.
The “Dragon and Phoenix” Scissors:
Fine scissors to traditionally cut silk with symbolise wealth and bless that the bride be well provided for.
The “Prosperity” Rice Bucket:
The embodiment of abundance, the rice bucket is meant to bless that the bride be provided for and the couple be affluent.
The “Wishes” Scales/Sceptre:
Together they represent wish fulfilment; as the Mandarin for “scales” and “sceptre” sounds like “cheng xin ru yi”, meaning “to have whatever you wish for.”
The “Fortune” Chest”:
A reflection of the wealth of the bride’s family, this beautiful chest is also ideal for her to keep her jewellery after marriage.
These Matrimonial Heirlooms are not just mere additions to the jewellery the bride will be receiving as part of her dowry; it bears the hopes and dreams parents have for their daughters to find that fulfilling and lasting marriage. Also, these timeless keepsakes can be handed down for generations to come, marking the start of a legacy that carries with it the unconditional love and blessings from parent to child.
Please visit www.pohheng.com.sg/wedding_intro.aspx for more details on Matrimonial Heirlooms and other wedding jewellery by Poh Heng. Prices upon application.
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