Choosing a beautiful dress for the big day can be extremely stressful for brides the world over. In Chinese culture, however, a wedding dress should not only look stunning but also bring the married couple happiness and longevity.
In most parts of China, brides wear a one-piece cheongsam on their wedding day. In Hong Kong and other parts of southern China, they wear a traditional dress called a qun kua, or kwan kwa in Cantonese.
Qun means dress and kua means jacket. It is a straightforward and accurate description of the simple two-piece ceremonial garment.
The phoenix represents beauty, grace and the Chinese yin, while the dragon represents power, strength and the yang. The two are embroidered together on the dresses to symbolise a long, happy marriage.