Post-50s: mostly sunflower seeds and peanuts, decorated with fruit sugar

Speaking of his wedding, 65-year-old Li Qinghai has a very deep impression: “We held a group wedding in [the] factory with seven other couples.”

Speaking of the wedding candies at that time, Li Qinghai smiled: “It was not long after the opening-up and people needed sugar tickets to buy sugar in the planned economy period.” The sugar for a family every month was even not enough for relatives and friends, so the wedding candies at that times were mostly sunflower seeds and peanuts, decorated with fruit sugar.

Post-60s: creamy candy was the most popular and some were printed with Chinese character “xi” (wedding)

“The most common wedding candies at that time were White Rabbit Creamy Candy and Wowo Creamy Candy later.” Speaking of the wedding 26 years ago, 52-year-old Yang Chaolan said it was very simple compared with the weddings now.

The economic condition in 1992 was much better than the past, so we prepared a wedding feast with more than ten tables for relatives and friends. “Most of the wedding candies were White Rabbit Creamy Candies, but not separate for everyone,” said Yang Chaolan. There was a large tray of sunflower seeds and peanuts and a large tray of candies on every table, including creamy candy and fruit sugar, and some were printed with Chinese character “Xi”.

Post-70s/80s: a bag or box for everyone, chocolate and cigarette becoming ‘standard configuration’

As for the wedding of post-70s/80s, many people entered into the 21st century. There was no big change in wedding candies in this period, but there was a big change in the package. The wedding candies were packaged in plastic, cloth bag or handkerchief and everyone had one bag. Around 2005, cardboard or iron boxes for wedding candies were popular. The main change was in the diverse packages.

The wedding candies gradually had ‘standard configuration’, not only including fruit or creamy candies. Most of them were double chocolates, cigarettes or other double candies.

Post-90s: tea, honey, earphones, tie, succulents and other personalized wedding candies with the couple’s emotional sustenance

Xiong Feifei got married in last January and she put Bluetooth earphones and USB cables in her wedding candies, and the candies for the male and female were different. “The wedding candies packages for the female include Bluetooth earphones and honey, while those for the male include ties and USB cables. Of course, both include candies.”

Wang Sisi, 27 years old this year, received a special wedding candy this March – a wooden box containing succulents, chocolates, invitation card, etc. “I have also received wedding candies packaged in a tea canister.” (Translated by Huang Juan, Fathom Language Limited)