You Are What You Eat
July 11th, 2008 @ 2:22 pm by Mrs. Daffodil
These are snapshots of some of the yummy dishes we served at our big fat Chinese wedding!
You are what you eat… or at least that seems to be the hope in some circles! When it comes to Chinese wedding banquets, every course served is symbolic of some kind of special wish for the couple. Though I originally envisioned a Southern-style yet modern glam reception and having a Chinese banquet separately, we melded the two visions due to parental preferences (and budget constraints too 
) . This meant we would have quite an eclectic group of guests in attendance. For some of our colleagues and friends, it would be their first Chinese wedding! So I thought it would be helpful to create menus, to orient them to the symbolism and also to help them enjoy the full experience!
With the help of my trusty friend, Google, I found several sites that were great in terms of helping me to piece together the meanings behind each course. I’ve included a few of them at the bottom. I used the same template I used on my programs, except I made these double sided.
In case these come in handy, here are a few examples of what we included on our menu!
A little intro we provided: Tonight’s family style dinner will feature traditional Chinese cuisine. In Chinese culture, the wedding banquet is full of symbols wishing the couple a life of abundance and happiness. We will be serving eight courses this evening. In Chinese, the number eight sounds like “good luck.”
Mandarin Cold Cut Supreme (the appetizer): A selection of sliced meats, jellyfish, and nuts. This dish, also called a “Dragon and Phoenix Plate,” symbolizes the balance between male and female. In Chinese tradition, the dragon is symbolic of “male” and phoenix of “female.” The dish also symbolizes fertility, as the word for “peanut” in Chinese sounds similar to the word for “giving birth.”
Maine Lobster in Supreme Sauce (pictured above!): In Chinese culture, the color red is a symbol of happiness. Thus, serving lobster signifies joy and celebration.
Steamed Fish: In Chinese, the word “fish” sounds like “plentiful.” This dish wishes the couple a life of abundance.
Golden Fried Shrimp Ball (also pictured above!): This dish symbolizes happiness and well-being, as the Chinese word for shrimp sounds like the sound of laughter.
Chicken with Ham and Vegetable: The tender meat of fowl symbolizes peace, wishing the couple a life of harmony.
Just a sampling of all the yummy and symbolic foods we served! And here are a few helpful websites!
About.com
CHCP website
EHow
Someone’s 6th grade lesson plan on China!
A random intro to China site
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4 Responses to “You Are What You Eat”
I’m hungry now, and I just want you to know this is your fault. Dang it where the hell is my slimfast?!?!
Miss Daffodil,
Also a lobster & chicken dish is always served because the lobster symbolizes a dragon (male) and the chicken symbolizes a phoenix (female). Thought you’d like to add that to the program too! Sounds fantastic! Enjoy!
This is so clever! Did you find a chinese restaurant that does catering? Are there many restaurants that provide this service?
Mrs. Daffodil, San Francisco/Los Angeles
Age and Occupation: 26, Nonprofit Strategy Consultant
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Resident Physician
Engagement Date: December 29, 2006
Wedding Date: May, 2008
Blogging Since: August, 2007
Venue: Church w/ floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Valley; Westin in downtown LA
About Me: I moved around a lot growing up, but consider myself a Southerner at heart. I love scrapbooking, dancing, doggies, and diet coke. I am all about personalizing everything and hence, I'm a DIY bride who is just loving the entire wedding planning process! Mr. Daffodil and I met in our college fellowship group and were "just friends" for three years before we started dating. We've been together for four years now and can't wait to get married in sunny SoCal, Mr. Daffodil's hometown.
My mouth is watering and salivating for food. LUNCH TIME!
Your menus were beautiful!