| Royal weddings are full of protocol but what do guests need to know before sitting down to eat at William and Kate's wedding reception? |
皇室婚禮有很多禮儀規范。那么，參加威廉王子和凱特?米德爾頓婚宴的賓客們都應該注意哪些方面呢？ |
| The reception will be a buffet, so there is no need to worry about place settings. But there will be a sit-down dinner and dance in the evening so it is best to get to grips with table manners well in advance. |
當天午餐招待會的形式是自助餐，因此沒有餐位餐具方面的困擾。但是，傍晚的時候將舉行正式的晚宴和舞會，所以還是事先掌握好餐桌禮儀為佳。 |
| Cutlery dilemma |
餐具：“左”“右”為難 |
| It's quite simple -- start at the outside and work in as the meal progresses. The soup spoon will always be on the extreme right if soup is the first course. It will be second from the right if served as a second course. Dessert cutlery will always be at the top of the place setting with the fork facing right and the spoon above it facing left. |
其實這很簡單——根據上菜的順序，由最外側開始向內依次取用餐具。如果第一道菜品是湯，那么湯匙一定放置在你的最右手邊。而如果湯是第二道菜，那么湯匙就會擺放在你右手邊第二位。甜點專用餐具一般會水平放置在整套餐具的最上方，糕餅叉指向右側，再向上是點心匙，指向左側。 |
| Drinks order |
飲品的順序 |
| Glasses are also placed in the order in which they are used. So, for example, water, champagne, white wine, red wine, dessert wine. A napkin might be placed on the plate or to the left of the forks. |
婚宴上的酒水杯也是按照取用順序擺放的。例如，依次為水、香檳酒、白葡萄酒、紅葡萄酒、餐末甜酒。餐巾可能放置在餐盤中，也可能擺放在餐叉左側。 |
| How to eat |
用餐禮儀 |
| Some dishes require their own etiquette. |
各道菜點的吃法自有講究。 |
| Bread rolls: don't cut with a knife -- break with fingers. |
面包卷：無需用餐刀切開，直接用手指撕著吃。 |
| Soup: tip the bowl and scoop the spoon away from you; sip, don't slurp. |
湯：將湯碗略微傾斜，用湯匙由后往前將湯舀起。小口喝湯，不要發出聲音。 |
| Asparagus: eaten with fingers, start with the head. |
蘆筍：用手拿著，從頭部吃起。 |
| Oysters: use an oyster fork to detach the oyster from its shell. Hold the shell between thumb and first two fingers, place against lower lip and slide the oyster and its juice out of the half shell. Don't swallow it whole. Chew slowly and savour.? |
牡蠣：用專門的牡蠣叉分離殼與肉。用拇指和食指、中指將半扇牡蠣連殼拿起，貼近下唇，將肉和湯汁送入口中。不要整個吞下。慢慢咀嚼回味。? |
| (Source: Debrett's) |
（China.org.cn Rebecca 譯） |
