The wedding banquet

To begin with, there are usually many courses in a banquet. Another reason for so much food is to symbolize abundance and also the family's wealth. Also, all the food is served whole (including the chicken's feet and head; the fish with its eyes, fin and tail; the lobster with its head and tail) because serving only certain pieces is considered 'broken.'
The banquet is served family style, usually with a lazy susan in the middle of the table (and hence, no room for centerpieces). There are also the requisite pots of tea and bottles of soda in the middle (7-Up is usually there because the translation of it means 'happiness'.

Meaning of some dishes:

• Roast suckling pig with crispy skin - this symbolizes virginity
• Shark's fin (for prosperity) or bird's nest soup (symbolizing youthfulness and long life): both are Chinese delicacies and take hours of preparation so it is usually very tasty!
• Lobster and chicken are sometimes served together at wedding banquet to indicate that the dragon and the phoenix are harmonious and represent that the Yin and Yang elements in this family is balanced.
• Braised abalone, sea cucumber, and vegetable: long leafy greens are often served whole to wish long life.
• Whole steamed fish (symbolizing abundance): the fish is never flipped (deriving from old fisherman's superstition of flipping the fish like flipping a boat) but the waiter will usually de-bone it for each table when it arrives.
• Fried rice and noodles, often served as a pair symbolize long life.
• Red bean soup (red for good luck and the red bean has a meaning associated with friendship. This sweet dessert soup sometimes has lotus seeds added to it to 'wish the blessing of successive sons.