Weddingbee boards

They absolutely always show up late, even if the ceremony/reception location is the same.  I think it's a generational thing, traditional old-school people, ironically, don't really care about the wedding ceremony. 

I'm not Chinese, but in my Asian culture, the ceremony part is usually held at the bride & groom's parents' homes with just close family members, so I think Asian guests don't put as much weight on the attending the ceremony, especially if you are having an Americanized one. 

Plus, they are probably your parents' friend of a friend of a friend and don't know the bride & groom. They just show up for the party to make sure they give you your money envelope!

I think it's definitely OK to order less chairs, and know that some people might have to stand (especially if the ceremony is short).  But if the cost of the chairs isn't going to break your budget, I'd err on the safe side and order enough.

Be forewarned!  Asian people suck at RSVPing because they just don't do that for any event.  So be ready for extra people to attend who didn't respond, or RSVPd for 1 person then showed up with 3 add'l guests.  The only surprise guests I had were all Asian, of course.

YES YES YES!  THEY ARE ALWAYS LATE & NEVER EVER EVER RSVP!

Being Vietnamese/Chinese does not help the situation either!  =)  I have been to a gazillion asian weddings and they are never on time.  There was a wedding I went to in December that was supposed to start at 7...they didn't even serve the first dish out until 8:30 because people were still coming in at that time!  It's frustrating, but there is really not much you can do about it.  Except if you really wanted people to show up at 7, invite them to come at 6, so that they actually show up on time.

I am a stickler for arriving on time.  But if I know I'm going to an asian wedding, I don't come early; I come an hour late (only because I will have to sit and wait while my stomach is growling due to hunger while I wait for the late comers).  But if it's an American wedding, then I will arrive on time.

I agree with SoCalBeachGirl- if it doesn't break the bank, then rent the full number of chairs you need.  But if it's too expensive, then maybe just order 20 less (cause it's not really noticable anyways if a few stand).

This is also known as ASIAN TIME! 

My experience has only been with South Asians, but speaking in broad sweeping sterotypes I've found that if they know they are going to a wedding outside their own culture they will be on time or only a little late b/c they know that's what's expected, but if it's to an event in the South Asian community they will be late b/c they know everyone else will be late and the event won't start on time anyway so why be there "early?"

I love love love weddings! Church weddings, outdoor weddings, out of my culture weddings, beach weddings<-- outdoor LoL... I will be there. Being Asian and knowing that we NEVER make it to any function on time I make it a point to be at these types of events on type. Maybe I'm just one of those one in a million person that knows how much weddings cost and that it's not some house party that you show up to whenever you want. The only wedding I arrived to late was because there was a major accident on the freeway. I love my culture but for our weddings it feels like nobody cares. "We show up whenever we want." One of the weddings I was in the the bridal party has to greet the guest when they walk it to the restaurant. When there's no set time for dinner people strolled in from 6-9pm! It was very frustrating!

Does your family know it's going to be an Americanized wedding? Maybe they'll make it a point to make it on time. gLuck!

I think I may be in the minority on this one...but for my wedding, I had a tea ceremony a few hours before my western ceremony (at the hotel a few hundred feet from the venue) and ironically about 90% of the guests showed up for the tea ceremony and the remaining 10% were at the venue in time for the western ceremony.  So I don't think All Asians Run Late, I just think you may need to put in some cushioning time for those that you anticipate may/may not show up.  But I don't think having the "late comers" stand for your ceremony would be bad.  I know if I showed up late and ended up having to stand, it would be my own fault so it would not reflect badly on the bride/grooom.

my family is split half late and half early - with most if not all the women being late while the men sit and wait for us!!  so not all of us asians ar always late! heeheehee

if this "no-show" is a trend in ceremonies in your cirlce of in your family, then i dont see why you should have to pay for empty chairs???

good luck ahd happy (on-time) planning! heehehee

I'd have to agree with most, Asians are late.  My family is on eternal FILIPINO time!  meaning an hour late.  ugh.     

Wow, I've never heard that.  I'm chinese and it's a huge issue if you're running 15 minutes late.  We always have to call to let people know.  No one was late to my wedding.  Actually most of my family showed up a bit early.  Same with the rehearsal.    I wasn't allowed out of the bridal room, but I know that the groom went out and was talking before the ceremony to some of my parent's chinese friends.  Which indicates they were there before the ceremony started.   

I think it also depends on how important they think the event is.  If it's just some casual affair to them, they won't care about being on time.  I had a garden wedding, but the invitation was marked Black tie optional.

I went to a chinese banquet this past saturday.  The invite said 6 pm, and seeing how I am chinese and knew these events never started on time I decided to show up at 630 (feeling guilty already!) ...but the banquet didn't start till  8pm!  We didn't start eating till 830!  I was beyond hungry and grumpy!!

yeah they are always late, most of my family probably won't show up to the cermony... I was upset at first but I learned to just accept it, don't get stressed out by these things.  ^_^