In my thesis, Chinese and Western weddings are specifically described in four aspects in the first part, which will be conducive to understand the culture behind the internal specific phenomenon. The second part is based on comparing and analyzing in the differences between Western and Chinese marriage customs, and then pointing out that the main reasons for them. The third part is about the combination of Chinese and Western wedding customs, which reflects the cultural integration. And then propose measures of promoting cultural integration. The last part is the conclusion, the foregoing summary and enhancement, mentioned in the form of this part of the total. 

2. Literature Review 

It is well known that the world trends towards globalization nowadays, and the development of relationships among different countries has become more interlinked. Nevertheless, marriage, one of cross-culture forms, has become more complex in the historical evolution of the marriage culture. Through researches on various weddings, we can get a clearer understanding of human history, and then enhance the complementarities between Chinese and Western culture, so as to reduce conflicts and contradiction of Chinese and Western cultural exchange.

As China's reform and opening up policy was adopted, more and more international communication activities take place in our life. Moreover, the communication between countries is also increasing. But in such a world with rapid development in economy and culture, various scholars have pergent opinions about how the marital culture's difference is formed.

Jia Yuxin in his book Intercultural Communication Research interpreted that culture is the combination of people's thoughts, behaviors and words. He believed that the different national ecology or the natural environment may create its unique culture and mold its own cultural pattern.

Dodd, an expert in cross-cultural communication, gave a more systematic and persuasive exploration with respect to intermarriage as a breakthrough in cross-cultural communication. He recognized the relationship existing in cross-cultural marriage and culture-related phenomena.

These are various opinions about the differences between Chinese and Western marriage cultures. To get the traditional marriage customs as a breakthrough point and focus on cross-cultural communication, it is necessary to discuss the importance of understanding cultural differences to conclude the methods of bridging the gap between Chinese and Western, as well as to promote cultural integration in the communication.源[自-优尔^.论~文'网·www.youerw.com

3. Differences in Chinese and Western Marriage Customs

3.1 Chinese Marriage Customs

3.1.1 Food

The food, which the bride eats, has cultural significance. In traditional weddings, the bride usually has red dates, peanuts, longans and melon seeds. It is meaningful for Chinese to think the Chinese pronunciation of these four foods. When they are said together, it sounds like "Have a baby soon". 

3.1.2 Clothing

Chinese pays no attention to personality but the unity. Chinese regards the color red as the symbol of happiness, success, luck, faith and joy, thus the entire wedding is decorated in red. This is also the representative of the traditional Chinese festivity colors. In the traditional wedding ceremony, besides double Xi characters in red, red scarves, red flowers, the bride and groom must wear the red dressing. Specifically, the bride dressed red Luoyi general, wearing Fengguan(凤冠）, still above a red scarf. The bride's phoenix coronet and robes of rank were covered with beautiful jewelry and embroidery, which were rather beautiful and rich. The groom dressed red long gown mandarin jacket, wearing a red cap along. Meanwhile, it is essential that the dragon pattern on the clothes, which occupies the main position in Chinese traditional wedding dress. According to the China traditional tale, “dragon is a symbol of male, and phoenix is a symbol of female.” Consequently, people embroidered with phoenix patterns in the bride's dress, and the groom wore a red flower at the chest. Majority of girls from honorable families got married, which could choose to wear a phoenix coronet and robes of rank to show their nobleness and glory. While daughters from the common family got married, she also prepared to wear a red dress and a pair of red shoes, with a bridal veil covering her head, not allowed others to see before meeting with her husband. Over years later, people hold their wedding according to the traditional customs.