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Chinese Weddings
calli0pe00
member
Are chinese takeout container favors considered tacky at a chinese wedding?
The chinese takeout box, although fun and kitschy, I think is kind of weird as a favor at a chinese wedding. I mean, the takeout box to me represents a nation of people who are crazy hard workers and a lot of them work in restaraunts and work long hours just to survive, and I dont want my family's first exposure to the chinese culture be epitomized by a takeout box. Am I thinking too much about this? Is it popular to give them out at chinese weddings? Is my FI's family going to think I'm super tacky? (I realize that I do not have to choose this as my favor, but I am rather curious about how other people handle it.)
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Re: Are chinese takeout container favors considered tacky at a chinese wedding?
I think I have seen Chinese take-out boxes at Chinese weddings, though. Some are really cute, but I just don't feel comfortable using them in my wedding as they don't really represent me and I really don't want my FI's family to be exposed to that. lol
A cool favor that FI and I are planning on doing is having my uncles write people's name in Chinese and Cambodian on a scroll.
On the other hand, much like fortune cookies - take-out boxes aren't really Chinese. They're pretty American. (I've never seen them in Canada either.) So if you're looking for a way to represent your fi's culture, it's not really the most authentic way to do so.
And finally... if you don't like the idea for whatever reason, don't do it. Simple.
Baby #2: Surprise BFP 9.19.12, EDD 5.24.13, natural m/c 10.19.13 at 9w
I'll add that my best friend gave Chinese takeout box favors at her 430 guest Chinese wedding and no one around voiced anything negative about it. Another option might be dim sum steamers. I used those at my wedding to tie in the dim sum hor d'oeuvre theme we were doing.
I really like the dim sum bamboo steamer idea. Some people disagree on this, but I'd like a beautiful pair of chopsticks as favors, and perhaps include instruction cards on how to use them. Another idea, and this might be a bit expensive, is jade that can be hung on a red string. I'm probably not describing it well though.
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[QUOTE]<strong>Thank you to junelley, jenandchris, and lanajade!</strong> Your commments were so helpful! I'm definitely going to stay away from it, I know that we can find something else so much more charming. :)
Posted by starletontherise[/QUOTE]
And what of the rest of us who didn't exactly agree with you... what are we, chopped liver? Harumph.
Baby #2: Surprise BFP 9.19.12, EDD 5.24.13, natural m/c 10.19.13 at 9w
It's your wedding, you should do whatever you like! But by you already asking the question, you seem to be hesitant anyway and wanted some validation from us. Hope we can help you find other favors that can represent Chinese culture.
It never entered my mind that ppl would view them as tacky. I bought them b/c I thought they looked much more substantial than cellophane bags - not b/c I wanted to incorporate my Asian background or introduce my heritage to my Jewish inlaws...
As a former sociology major, I am as tree-hugging as they come. Yet, I have never reached the domain of social consciousness as you have. I think you are over-analyzing the situation. But like others have said, it's your wedding and you should do what is best for you.
I would like to note that even the most authentic Chinese restaurants use these takeout containers. I'm talking about the hole in the whole restaurants that only have Chinese language menus and Chinese signs on the storefront...the ones that don't cater to Americanized taste buds. I was just at a Chinatown dim sum restaurant yesterday and not once did I notice the old Chinese ladies harping about the Americanization of Chinese food and culture, as they filled their takeout containers with goodies....
[QUOTE]I would like to note that even the most authentic Chinese restaurants use these takeout containers. I'm talking about the hole in the whole restaurants that only have Chinese language menus and Chinese signs on the storefront...the ones that don't cater to Americanized taste buds. I was just at a Chinatown dim sum restaurant yesterday and not once did I notice the old Chinese ladies harping about the Americanization of Chinese food and culture, as they filled their takeout containers with goodies....
Posted by foolforfood[/QUOTE]
My comment about them being "American" was simply in reference to the fact that I've never seen them in Asia, or even in Canada. Therefore my assumption is that they're an American phenomenon, but that's not to say that only "Americanized" places use them.
Baby #2: Surprise BFP 9.19.12, EDD 5.24.13, natural m/c 10.19.13 at 9w
Take-out boxes don't work for me because I find my family's racist/stereo-typical comments irritating.
[QUOTE]I Take-out boxes don't work for me because I find my family's racist/stereo-typical comments irritating.
Posted by jenandcris[/QUOTE]
Ditto this. My FILs have made several racist/stereotypical comments which I find extremely irritating, hence my strong feeling against take-out boxes, etc. for my wedding.
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Are chinese takeout container favors considered tacky at a chinese wedding? : And what of the rest of us who didn't exactly agree with you... what are we, chopped liver? Harumph.
Posted by ring_pop[/QUOTE]
I am thankful to <u><em>everyone</em></u> who posted. Having a discussion is great in this "knottie" community. The people who I singled out was because I felt that they understood my situation best. This is obviously a case by case thing, because as other people have said, they are choosing to not do it based on how their family has negative sterotypes. As I said, my family has a very low understanding of chinese culture and I do not want to further their learning by giving them, what they think they already know. I can see how in other situations and especially if neither person is chinese (the couple), this favor would be fine. What I am trying to point out is that as someone who is embracing the chinese culture as now a part of my life, I would love to banish the take out boxes in favor of something a lot more represntative of China.
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What part of China is your FI's family from? You love the idea of bamboo steamers, right? From my understanding, these steamers originate from Eastern China. They don't exactly represent the traditions of all Chinese.
Also, was your FI born in the states? Even if he's an immigrant, I'm sure he considers himself to be Chinese American, rather than Chinese. If that's the case, you don't need to tread so softly around the topic of ethic authenticity.
I'm Chinese and FI is caucasian. We're having a chinese reception which will be very new and novel to his family.
Personally, I think you should do whatever is comfortable and appeals to you and your FI. There are so many different regions with their own traditions and take on what's 'authentic Chinese'. At the end of the night, your friends and family are there to celebrate your marriage and not to pick apart your choices for a wedding favor.
[QUOTE]I'm doing the mini chinese takeout box and filling it with chocolate drizzled fortune cookies. Tacky? Maybe, but I like the idea :) I'm Chinese and FI is caucasian. We're having a chinese reception which will be very new and novel to his family. Personally, I think you should do whatever is comfortable and appeals to you and your FI. There are so many different regions with their own traditions and take on what's 'authentic Chinese'. At the end of the night, your friends and family are there to celebrate your marriage and not to pick apart your choices for a wedding favor.
Posted by mp0807[/QUOTE]
Nicely put! :)
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