A traditional Vietnamese wedding is a joyful and festive occasion that brings together two families and celebrates the union of a couple. Reds and pinks remain a popular choice for brides while grooms go with blues or blacks. Western practices such as cake cutting and the first dance can also be incorporated, and each party can take as late as after dawn. The most common gift is money, which is placed inside envelopes to not appear too pretentious. The bride stays in her room as a respected figure from the grooms family introduces the groom and his parents. Festival and Other Vietnamese Traditions in Catholic Wedding Traditions The groom can also wear a matching ao dai or a suit, depending on his taste. The engagement ceremony is considered as an announcement to family members and friends about the upcoming wedding. These members will help with the preparation for the wedding and serve as witnesses to the ceremony. The traditional gowns were modeled after the o nht bnh (worn by royalty women and ladies) of Nguyn dynasty members of the court. Traditionally, the groom and his entourage are not allowed in until the bride's family believe they are ready to do so, and bad luck may fall on the young couple if the groom does not wait until the approval. Prayer at the Altar. In fact, it's nothing short of unusual for the tea served to actually not be that, but rather this alcoholic beverage. The groom and his family. Decorations in the ceremony, from the clothing to the gifts received usually will include lanterns, doves, initials of the couple, among other things. Heres what to know about the traditional Vietnamese wedding gifts. Each ceremony team member will be given a red envelope with money inside, which shows the gratitude and good luck from the newlywed couple. Its an official sign, saying that the girlfriend and the boyfriend are now fiance. Both ceremonies ended with a wedding reception to farewell the two families and guests showing up in the ceremony. A candle ceremony will follow, symbolizing the joining of the bride and groom and the joining of the two families. Unlike many events that will occur during the actual wedding, the proposal is very informal; only immediate family members (mostly the parents) are involved and arrangements were done over drinks and food; the groom's family traditionally will provide the wine, sweets, betel leaves and areca nuts as a symbol of their agreement. By tradition from Nguyn dynasty, the gowns of the bride had many layers, including pink (hng), blue or green (xanh), and the outermost layer was black. Commonly, future brides tend to embroider a couple of lovebirds by herself, known as chim Uyen Uong, and hand them to their grooms when the ceremony happens. Yes, all the rules and rituals can be tiresome at times, but they are done in hopes that the newlyweds will have a happy, fulfilling life together, and witnessing them is a way to be part of their lives and convey your best hopes for their future. Vietnamese Wedding Celebration A traditional marriage day ends with a restaurant meal or dinner at the brides house, with live music and bright decorations and Immediate family usually gives more money to the bride and groom and many couples use the money to pay for the entire wedding. After the two families reach a consensus, the grooms family will deliver two gift boxes to the brides. Image credit: @thiepcuoi.meoo. It gives the bride a chance to wear a white wedding dress and the groom to wear a tuxedo. you need to know to make sure everything goes smoothly. The couple may exchange rings then. Decorating some fresh flowers is also a great idea to conduct to elevate the romantic levels significantly. However, in the last few decades, the practice of arranged marriages became obsolete, and the engagement ceremony is barely practiced. But the utensils shouldnt include a knife or scissors because it means the tool to kill the vibe or cut the relationship. The to-be husband and wife kowtow to the ancestors, praying for good fortune and wealth for their life later on. Even if the two families already know each other beforehand, the mans parents bringing gifts over for the proposal is seen as a gesture of respect. Do not wait. The marriage ceremony includes asking permission to receive the bride, receiving the bride at her house, and bringing the bride to the grooms Tiec ruou means the wine treat, and its a must-join for everyone! 6 months before the wedding, an engagement party will be held to announce the couples upcoming nuptials. Being the (sometimes overly) friendly folks that we are, we Vietnamese folks can sometimes get carried away in conversations and ask questions that go into too much detail. These gifts are similar to those of the engagement: betel leaves and areca nuts, wines, fruits, cakes, tea The persons hold these trays are also carefully chosen, usually they are happily married couples. A wedding by the beach is favored by many young couples, thanks to the romantic and natural vibes it brings to the wedding. Discussing the finances of the wedding is not a good idea. Traditionally speaking, the proposal ceremony known in Vietnamese as l dm ng is when the mans family visits the womans to introduce themselves, and ask for the approval of the young couples relationship with the aim of getting married. On this occasion, the lady guests can pick a cocktail or formal long dress or a nice ao dai. For Westerners, buffet weddings are not an uncommon thing when it comes to weddings. Some regions will replace the cake with roasted pork. Confetti also popped out in significant moments, which somewhat resembled the tradition of throwing rice in the West. Vietnamese Tea Ceremony - Vietnamese Wedding Culture Commonly, future brides tend to embroider a couple of lovebirds by herself, known as. The day of a persons death even becomes a celebrated family holiday. However, this practice has long been abandoned. Thetraditional Vietnamese weddingis one of the most important ceremonies inVietnamese culturewith influence fromConfucianandBuddhist ideologies. Before he officially gets the green light to see his bride, a groom must show the gifts to her family members. In front of all their guests, the parents will give blessings and advice to the couple, and give speeches to confirm the amalgamation of the two families. The major difference is the large number of guests that gather in Vietnamese weddings. The troop is usually led by a couple that is most wealthy and successful among the relatives, this means to wish the to-be-wed couples a blessing life together in the future. In the old day, the amount of gifts prepared showed how much the grooms family valued their new bride and was also a way to flaunt their wealth, but again, today it is more of a formality and is often agreed upon by both families beforehand. In the past, the groom's mother might not take part in the procession as a sign that she would not be a threat to the future bride; she would even "hide" for a short period upon the bride's welcoming to the groom's home. Such a procedure can last for days. . After the ceremony, the bride is considered to have joined the grooms family, and she will follow her soon-to-be husband to his house to proceed with the next step: l thnh hn the official wedding ceremony. The number of gift boxes is always odd, except for the roasted pig, and the quantity in each box is even to one another. However, to make the wedding even more special, try to add some melodious songs. Jewelry, typically an engagement ring, a pair of earrings, and at least one circular gold necklace called a king, will then be placed onto the future bride. While literacy in these scripts during feudalistic times was restricted mostly to scholars, officials and other members of the elite, characters such as these have always played an aesthetic role in important occasions such as weddings. If you cannot come to someones wedding, just inform them, with whatever reasons. Often, this part of the ceremony can span days. at ceremony time). During the party, the groom and bride and the in-laws will go to every table to drink, take pictures and receive blessings, and express their gratitude for the guests attendance. Western practices such as cake cutting and the first dance. , such as When are you going to have a baby? or How much are you spending on your honeymoon? you get the idea. L dm ng the Vietnamese proposal ceremony, L n hi the Vietnamese engagement ceremony, This event is the next step after the proposal, an engagement ceremony or the. Its often ideal if the dress code is included in the wedding invitation and sent to the guests beforehand. One such infusion is the bride wearing both a Western wedding dress and an o di during the wedding and reception. The reception ceremony is the official welcome and confirmation of the brides joining the new family, after which they can head to the grooms house, their own home or drive their way to the honeymoon. It is also on this day that gifts for the bride and groom are exchanged. The progress is quite similar to that of the wedding, but the setting is often more casual. If you wonder why its red and odd numbers, then here would be the explanation: These two factors are believed to be lucky for young couples on their wedding day. While the couple's at it, the guests will typically present them with envelopes packing money. After the exchange, both of them will serve Green Tea or Chrysanthemum Tea to every family member, starting with the eldest family members. If your wedding is fast approaching, now's the time to focus on nothing else but planning your reception! You should estimate your travel time and come to the wedding around this time frame as it will be awkward to arrive when they are walking down the aisle to the stage. In the past, when marriages were commonly arranged by the parents or the extended family, this ceremony was used to begin preparations for the wedding, and the future bride was traditionally not present during the event. Once that has been dealt with, a bride's mother escorts her to her husband-to-be. 1. WebMy fiance and I originally planned to do a bi-lingual wedding invitation (in Vietnamese and English) but his parents told us that they want the invitation in English only. Upon arrival, the groom and his family will ask for permission to marry. Traditional Vietnamese Wedding If you dont know, a traditional Vietnamese wedding ceremony takes place at both the bride and grooms homes in front of the ancestor altars at home of both families. Vietnamese wedding traditions and customs, such as Tea and Candle Ceremony, are dedicated to the beloved couple and their elders and ancestors. Due to the strong cultural values, this substitution or omission is not always made, however. This is typically decided by a Buddhist monk, Spiritual leader, or fortune teller due to the spiritual nature of the occasion, and the date is based on the couple's horoscopes; because of this, the proposal may last for a few days to finalize plans and dates. That means no shorts and sleeveless shirts, and even short-sleeved shirts are best avoided. Some days before the wedding, they will visit the bride and her family with round lacquered boxes known as betrothal presents. [4] Nowadays, the wedding outfits can vary in colors. The wedding day is the culmination of several months worth of preparation. The wedding cost: Discussing the finances of the wedding is not a good idea. The average amount is usually VND500,000 (~USD21.59), but you can choose to give more or less depending on your financial situation and how well you know the newlyweds. The ceremony is just the beginning of what awaits you - life together with your significant other. The representative of the first side will explain their purpose of being there and their request for the future bride's hand in marriage. If the marriage is interracial, the Vietnamese bride or groom will also incorporate their spouse's culture by wearing their family's traditional clothing in addition or even merging some of the traditions from the other culture into the wedding ceremony. They strongly believe in this date and time so the grooms family and relatives must come on time. Traditionally, gifting is made in the form of money inside a red envelope or card. At this time, the bride's family would confirm the wedding and further proceedings would take place. simple relocation to this beautiful country, The 5 Essential Elements of a Bridal o Di, Imaginative and Fabulous Wedding Venue Ideas. After all, preparing for a wedding that can involve hundreds of guests is a daunting task, so do your part to let the groom and bride know how many people will be present so as not to catch them by surprise. Traditionally, future brides would embroider a pair of lovebirds, known as chim uyn ng, and give them to their fianc during the ceremony. Simultaneously, the gift boxes from the groom will be handed to the brides team. Both couples wear the Ao Dai during the traditional Wedding Ceremony and the gatherings when they greet and thank their visitors. They will go table by table, giving toasts and paying respects to the most important person sitting at each table. The official wedding ceremony or l thnh hn then commences, when an emcee who could be an acquaintance asked by the couple to perform the task, or a hired service provider introduces both families to the guests, provides a brief recap of the couples history together, and instructs the couple to perform rituals such as exchanging wedding rings and drinking together. The groomsmen will carry such boxes, often prepared in odd numbers such as 5, 7, or 9. Fourth stage: This is the grateful moment. It stands for five yin and yang elements, indicating that the bond between husband and wife cannot be broken. Women would wear the female variation of the headpiece while men would wear the male one, which is smaller and simpler than the bride's. Usually, each table selects a representative to give a quick congratulatory toast to the bride and groom.[5]. Once everyone has sipped on some tea, newlyweds receive money and jewelry. The ceremonys ending is marked by burning dragon and phoenix candles embodying the fusion of two families. For some families, wine is served instead of tea. In HCMC typically people will go about 1-2 hours later than the invited time (i.e. The leading couple should enter the house first with a tray with wine. Likewise, the bride will also ask her unmarried female friends and relatives to become her gift receivers. Men could be in their suits or men traditionalAo Dai. Image credit: Trng ng Palace. Next, a representative would introduce members from both families, including the groom, the bride, and their parents.
