Just 6 weeks after our "Western" wedding in Niagara Falls, came the 2nd, Chinese culture wedding ceremony.  Below, you'll find the illustrated description of the day's events previous to the "Tea ceremony":

    At noon, the groomsmen gathered at the Holiday Inn in the Chinatown section of Manhattan where a limo awaited.  We packed ourselves in and traveled to Brooklyn where Cindy awaited with her bridesmaids,

Sharon (child of Lillian, a friend), Cindy, and the DePaola sisters who served as bridesmaids
(Cindy once provided child care for the youngest two girls)

friends, and relatives.

Cindy's sister Wendy, Mom, Cindy, Dad, and brother Mark
 
 

As per the Americanized version of the Chinese tradition, when the men arrive they are denied entry.  To gain entry, the groom must prove himself worthy of the love of his woman by engaging in a battle of wits with those who block the door, and doing various tasks (saying "I love you." in 9 languages, getting signatures from passersby saying that it is all right for the couple to get married, doing push-ups, etc.).

Upon our arrival, Herman Silmon (the Best Man) exited the limousine and proclaimed my arrival in glorified terms. 
Herm proclaims the groom's arrival to Cindy's mom and Lillian (left)

He was followed by my brother Mike who presented the home with a gift (red flower vase).  Juan (Kookie) Silva then presented himself to the the guardians of the bride, comparing me to the various parts of an elephant (I'll spare you the comparison with the trunk).

 Rich Manzell (also our entertainer for the evening) presented various gifts from me...(99 pennies, 9 pieces of chocolate, etc) which were quickly rejected as too paltry for a dowry.

Finally, despite the efforts of my bold men to gain my entry without my presence, the gals demanded my appearance.  I emerged from the limo bearing rare and precious gifts, and walked to the door.

Sharon, holding her lollipop gift, watches as Tom presents awesome presents.

 We verbally sparred until I decided to yell my love poem up the inner staircase to where Cindy awaited on the second floor.  She demanded a show of my love.

I went to the front yard where I sung "Have I told you lately that I love you?" to my lovely gal who watched from the window.

 My crooning won her heart and I was admitted to the home.  Bounding up the steps, I was stopped by her mother and friend Lillian who refused me entry until I said "I love you" in several languages.  Prepared days ahead of time, I pulled out my notes and proclaimed my amour in French, English, Spanish, Tagalog (thanks Kookie), Russian, Cantonese (thanks to Mark, Cindy's brother), Mandarin (thanks to Wendy, Cindy's sister), Japanese, "Street slang", and Pig Latin.

Oddly, Lillian, Anna (a daughter of Cindy's Uncle Paul), and Cindy's mom find humor in Tom's pronunciation of "I love you" in Cantonese.

The bedroom door opened where I was enthralled by the site of my beautiful bride.  We embraced and went downstairs for the luncheon feast.

Next was a visit to the park under the Verazanno Narrows Bridge, connecting Brooklyn to Staten Island.  There we would pose for photos.
Chilly day under the bridge
 

Then back in the limo  for the 1/2 hour ride

to Chinatown for the ceremony.

 
 

Click here to go to the Tea Ceremony (wedding)

 

Click here to go to the reception following the Tea Ceremony

 

Click here to see the studio photos