When Mrs Bernice Argent got married last December, her parents insisted on one traditional Chinese custom - the guo da li ceremony, during which the groom and his family present the bride's family with gifts as an expression of sincerity and a promise to care for the bride.

The 32-year-old, who is in the export business, says with a laugh: "I had no clue about this. I didn't want to look clueless in front of my parents and I wanted to help my husband."