Vietnam Wedding Ceremony Customs

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According to Vietnamese people, the wedding is the culmination of the process towards marriage and the form of the festival to celebrate the happiness of the bride and the groom. There are many interesting things you should know about Vietnam wedding ceremony. Below is Vietnamese wedding ceremony overview.

A Vietnamese wedding ceremony in the past

Meaning

In terms of the legislation, the relationship between a girl and a boy is recognized and protected by the law after the marriage registration.  However, in the consciousness and national culture, the wedding ceremony is not the marriage form. It  is the time for their relatives, friends and people to officially recognize the couple as husband and wife.

Le xin dau (the groom’s family brings gifts to bride’s to ask to pick up the bride)

The groom’s mother and a family member bring a phoenix wing baptized bete tray l for in a small casket to the bride to ask to take the bride and notice the bride’s side to prepare. After the ceremony, the mother informs the delegation to be willing to pick up the bride.

Le xin dau

Previously, there were some forced marriages. Thus, marriages were so easy to be stopped. Thus, the part was done determine the exact time to pick up the bride or review incidents. Today, because marriages are based on love, the uncertainty is very rare.

Ruoc dau (The groom picks up the bride)

Choosing a good time, the groom’s side comes to pick up the bride. Coming to the bride’s house, what means the procession uses, it is necessary to reorganize. Usually, the procession is led by the representative who is good at communicating and has good reputation, followed by the groom's father, the groom and friends (in Vietnam, the groom’s mother never picks up the bride  even when the bride comes home) . Nowadays, the procession is not crowded.

Ruoc dau

At the bride’ house, the procession is invited to take seats. Both parties introduce together. Then, the representative of the bride stands up and speak a few words with the bride’s side to take the bride. After being allowed by the older people, the groom enters the bride’s room to give a bunch of flowers for the bride and go with the bride to the altar to lit incense sticks and greet parents and relatives. The bride's parents advise the young couple about life, love, and morality of marriage. The representative of the groom thanks on behalf of the groom and would like to pick up the bride.

At the groom’s house after picking up the bride

To welcome the bride, the groom’s side starts to open music to create a the atmosphere. Firstly, the bride and the groom are led by parents to the altar to burn incense sticks and greet relatives. Next, the bride is led into the wedding room, sitting on the bed. Finally, the groom’s side asks the bride’s side and all people to attend the wedding party.

A Vietnamese wedding ceremony

Many families in the cities often "reverse" the process. They do not pick up the bride to the groom’s house. Instead, they move straight to the venue of the wedding (usually a restaurant or a hotel) where all procedures will take place including wedding announcement, wedding ring exchange, wedding cake cut, wine tower pouring and party opening . After, the bride and the groom arrived at the groom’s house to make some rituals.

Symbol

For almost two hundred years, the Vietnamese people have created many different logos for the wedding(as pigeons, lanterns, hearts, and  monograms. However, the symbol of the word “song hy” in Chinese characters (double happiness).

"Song hy" word

Taking the outdoor wedding photography 

In some cities, the bride and the groom go to beautiful outdoor locations to take pictures as souvenirs. With outdoor shooting, the bride and the groom will have valuable photos with the natural landscapes. This movement is now very popular.

A wedding photo

Lai mat ( The ceremony is held some days after the wedding ceremony)

Some days after the wedding ceremony, the bride and the groom (and the groom's parents) go to the bride’s house to greet the bride’s parents. The offerings of the ceremony are capon, glutinous rice, and a  wine bottle.