An online wedding platform could now help couples in Hong Kong arranging their marriage celebration much easier. The start-up points couples to different vendors, including printers for wedding invitations, wedding dress shops, as well as banqueting venues.
The 31-year-old Jerome Tam Chung-lam along with other two people developed the start-up called Our Big Day, and it will be officially launched this coming Valentine's Day, February 14, the South China Morning Post reported.
Tam said the online wedding platform aims at the Hong Kong market - hosting about 50,000 weddings each year. The amount of money generated from giving lai see to the bride and groom is HK$19 billion per year - based on the average reception having 250 guests. That's an example of information the start-up provides.
But aside from the technicals, the app also advises other Chinese wedding traditions and customs. One particular tradition, for instance, is the tea ceremony. In here, the bride and groom need to kneel in front of their elders and serve them a cup of tea as a sign of respect, fertility, and stability.
Another tradition is about hair combing, the mother of the bride will comb her daughter's hair the night before or the morning before the wedding, while auspicious sayings are recited. This reportedly signifies the transition of the daughter into adulthood.
Tam said that there's a lot of information about wedding ceremonies and all of them were scattered on the internet. To make it easier, the start-up gathers all the information and tips regarding these traditions in traditional Chinese and English, and then their meanings were explained.
As for how the app works, couples need to sign up at Our Big Day, and they can input their wedding day, as well as their budget. And then, they can make their personalized website, wherein they can create a virtual to-do list to get themselves organized.
Tam explains that upon signing up, couples should decide on make-up artists, videographers, and photographers. They will then help couples choosing the right vendor by providing recommendations based on their budgets.
The app will especially be useful in collecting lai see from relatives and guests securely and safely via PayPal. Tam noted they're aiming to eventually include other financial transaction apps like WeChat and Alipay. Tam is also keen on promoting vendors, many of whom were freelancers. He said they would be carefully scrutinized for the quality of their works before being listed on Our Big Day.
The online wedding platform will be free to use once launched. When couples sign up with one of its vendors, the start-up will get a percentage of the sale, while there will be an extra fee for those planning for premium services.
