In traditional Chinese marriage, it is customary for the groom to send a carriage to carry the bride from her family home to his. The day and very hour of a marriage are important and are often decided by a fortune teller for it is believed that joining on a bad hour would bring a horrible future for the couple. Being late for the sacred hour is considered to be a disaster for the whole family. Skilled mechanists have combined a traditional bridal carriage with the power of the steam engine to ensure the timely arrival of the bride, all the while displaying the wealth of the family.