Our Wedding Banquet

When we got married, the bulk of our wedding expenses went to food. We decided to hold our wedding reception at Gloria Maris Shark's Fin restaurant in Greenhills Shopping Center. In fact, we didn't really look for other reception venues. I insisted on it, in fact. I wanted a traditional Chinese Lauriat. Although it comes out more expensive than a buffet, the guests do not have to stand up to get their food and would just have to wait for food to be served to them. Well, there's a more important reason, which you'll know in a while :). Anyway, the venue was free since we availed of their reception package. We were lucky to have the whole of the second floor for our reception. It's a big ballroom type area. It helped that the date we picked was not really a popular date for weddings.

This is the menu that we ended up with with (It's a pity I didn't think of having somebody take pictures of the food):

Cold cut combination
Hot chicken salad
Double luck shark's fin soup
Black Mushroom with shell meat abalone
Peking duck
Steamed lapu lapu
Minced duck meat in lettuce leaves
Fried Crab with salt and pepper

Noodles
Dessert

The food was delicious and abundant! And more importantly, they are symbolic. Food served during a Chinese wedding symbolizes something. These are a few of those symbolisms (Thanks to My Little Kanchiu Book for these interpretations):

• Shark's fin soup: indicates wealth because this delicacy is very expensive
• Roast suckling pig (usually included with the cold cuts): symbol of virginity
• Pigeon or peking duck (or other fowl): symbolizes peace
• Crab: red is the color of happiness, so serving crabs or lobsters would signify joy and celebration. Also serving the dish whole would symbolize completeness.
• Fish: Fish or "yu" sounds like "plentiful" in Chinese. Therefore serving fish means wishing the couple a life together with abundance.
• Noodles: Noodles served at end symbolize longevity because noodles come in long strands.
• Dessert: Symbolizes a sweet life for the newlyweds. Sweet lotus paste in sweetened steamed bread symbolizes fertility.
  
• Tea, alcohol and soft drinks are supplied at a Chinese wedding banquet. Offering tea is a sign of respect. Alcohol is served to celebrate the special occasion.
• The number of viands is also significant. There are usually 8 in a Chinese lauriat, not including the noodles or rice and dessert. 8 is the number of prosperity.

Isn't it nice to know that even the food you serve also symbolizes all the good things that you want in your married life? :)

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