Nice Thoughts in a Chinese Wedding

To my non-Chinese friends, they sometimes think that Chinese wedding dinners are always lavish and elaborate. Indeed they are, what with an eight course dinner, excluding dessert. And really nice thoughts go with it! For example, the number of dishes here, eight, signifies good luck. A dinner will start with appetizers followed by different dishes, each of which symbolizes something auspicious: The shark fin soup which follows the appetizer for example means wealth. The pork dish which may come in the form of roast suckling pig means virginity. The duck and prawns or lobsters represent happiness and are served whole with head and legs to represent completeness. The chicken means peace while the vegetables with the sea cucumber means good heart which is much needed to avoid conflict between the two newly weds . The fish denotes plentiful and the dessert which always comes last is sweet as in a sweet life. If noodles is served, that means longevity but in Malaysia, I have yet to come across a dinner that serves noodles. A simple dinner at home for friends and relatives is also commonly held prior to the big dinner. Perhaps, the dinner need never be elaborate but the good thoughts behind it do count!

A wedding dinner held at home in Malaysia...