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Vietnamese wedding food similar like Chinese
wedding food, has special symbolism: mostly wishes of happiness,
longevity, or fertility. The number of courses is also significant as
same as Chinese culture. At a wedding banquet, eight dishes are usually
served – not including the dessert as a "good luck".
- Nowadays, a wedding banquet starts
with appetizers such as “dragon-phoenix” plates or cold plates
which consist of various sliced meats, jellyfish, and various types
of nuts shaped like dragons and phoenixes and served chilled. In a
marriage, the dragon symbolises the male role while the phoenix
symbolises the female role.
- Roast Suckling Pig. Roasted
pork is a symbol of virginity. (The groom presents a whole roasted
pork to the bride’s family at the engagement party and at the
wedding ceremony in the morning).
- Quail. According to Shu Shu
Costa, the author of Wild Geese and Tea, pigeon has tender meat that
symbolises peace. Quail is offered whole to each guest so each and
every one will also experience a peaceful life.
- Shark’s Fin Soup. Usually
follows the appetizers. The type of soup has some significance, for
example, shark’s fin soup indicates wealth because this delicacy
is very expensive.
- Lobster. Red is the color for
happiness, so serving Lobster would signify joy and celebration.
Also, serving the dish whole, i.e. the whole lobster, would
symbolise completeness.
- Vegetables with Sea Cucumber.
Serving sea cucumber with vegetables is a sign of selflessness
because “sea cucumber” sounds like “good heart” and this
dish wishes the couple to think in a similar way – to avoid
conflict.
- Fish. Serving fish would hope
that the couple will experience a life together with abundance
because “fish”" sounds like “plentiful”.
- Noodles served at the end would
symbolise longevity because noodles come in long strands.
- Sweet Red Bean Soup. Serving
dessert probably wishes the newlyweds a sweet life. The hot sweet
red bean soup should contain lotus seeds and a red beans to wish the
newlyweds a hundred years of togetherness.
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