New York, NY. I hope to marry the man of my dreams and he is Chinese. So it was with great interest that I picked up mother-daughter Theodora and Laura Lau’s Wedding Feng Shui. And as a huge fan of the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC), I am particularly excited that Laura, who married into the Indian Karmarkar family, will read excerpts from her book an IAAC-sponsored event in February.
Laura Lau is very cross-cultural. She states:
My wedding was a blend of Chinese and Indian wedding traditions, and I love how both cultures share a strong sense of symbolism, family and spirituality. My hope with writing Wedding Feng Shui is to have brides think about incorporating cultural traditions in new and creative ways.
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In their book, Laura and Theodora share answers to the most popular wedding questions they have received over the years and teach readers how to customize a wedding based on the bride and groom’s (or groom and groom’s) lunar and solar signs.
Laura’s mother Theodora Lau on her wedding day.
Accompanied by beautiful Chinese calligraphy Wedding Feng Shui introduces readers to their Chinese moon sign, shows them how to use their sign’s natural strengths during the planning process, and predicts challenges leading up to the big day.
My friend Aroon Shivdasani, Executive Director of the Indo-American Arts Council, states:
Vastu springs from the same tradition as Feng Shui, leading to amazing similarities in addressing individuals and their lifestyles through both traditions. A great believer in horoscopes and the ‘other forces’ of nature, Laura’s book allows me to think of the fascinating intersection of Chinese and Indian cultural traditions.
By interweaving traditional and nontraditional elements, Wedding Feng Shui helps brides make every aspect of their wedding personalized and special, from choosing the most auspicious day to selecting the right dress and the luckiest colors, flowers, and symbols.
Chinese horoscopes for every sign also offer essential insights on how to best manage the many relationships that come together with a marriage—the interaction of the couple, in-laws, bridesmaids, groomsmen, vendors, and guests.
Author Laura Lau on her wedding day lives a cross-cultural life guided by the stars.
Some readers might remember this family team’s well-known The Handbook of Chinese Horoscopes. Laura Lau is also co-authored Best-Loved Chinese Proverbs. The daughter of Kenneth and Theodora Lau, Laura is a second generation author on Chinese culture and horoscopes. Born in Hong Kong, she divides her time between Asia and southern California with her husband.
The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) that I have written about repeatedly is a service and resource arts organization charged with the mission of promoting and building the awareness, creation, production, exhibition, publication and performance of Indian and cross-cultural art forms in North America. It is passionate about showcasing, celebrating and building an awareness of artists and artistic disciplines of Indian origin in the performing, literary, visual and folk arts.
The IAAC book reading by Laura Lau, to be followed by a Q&A with the audience, is set for the Aicon Gallery of contemporary Asian art in New York City’s SoHo, February 7, 6:30-8:30 pm. The gallery is located at 35 Great Jones Street.
Wedding Feng Shui: Harper Paperbacks; Trade Paperback Original; $16.99.
See Also by Jim Luce:
Jim Luce on Art
Jim Luce on China
Jim Luce on Gay & Lesbian Issues
Jim Luce on India and Indian-American Culture
Jim Luce on Love
Jim Luce on New York