Weddings in the Vietnamese style
October
28, 2000
Jari had the pleasure to attend the wedding of Mr. Tam and Ms. Hoa that
took place very close our apartment at the Lakeside Hotel. The groom is
a former employee of AITCV and an AIT alumnus from the MBA program.
The wedding guests were welcomed by the groom and the bride at the entrance
of the hotel and in the entrance lobby were an interesting sign telling
that the grooms guests (including us) would go to floor six and brides
guests to floor one. This is with the tradition here that this division
is made, although this was first time in Jari's four weddings that this
distinction was made.
In the sixth floor there was in a hall with seats for around 100 persons,
and we were very happy to have our AITCV staff to make two tables, although
in the beginning we thought that one would be enough.
In Viet Nam you can find in the less expensive restaurants hygienic napkins
that are in a plastic package. Vietnamese people that have been abandoned
to have fire crackers love to open these packages with a good bang (talented
people can produce two quick bangs) and Jari wanted to have some in the
table, but the establishment of this hotel regarded that as too common
commodity and provided only paper napkins. Unfortunately this funny episode
was capture with too much light and these pictures are therefore in B/W.
The bride and groom visited each table to get some good fortune wishes
and the traditional marriage envelopes. The dress of the bride follows
traditional design and the groom is dressed elegantly.
For the couple the wedding is, of course, very important. But when I tried
to ask that at what exact moment they become married, I could not get a
clear answer. As I best understood, they will be approved as a couple later
the same day, when the bride officially enters the groom's parents home.
The food on the wedding followed also today's traditions.
There was a moist salad with seasonal vegetable and nuts, deep-fried squid,
fried chicken, baked fish, cold rice pudding flavored orange with gac fruit.
And at the end, of course, one got a bowl of rise and soup. Desset was
seasonal fruits and main drink was bear or soft drink.
Although the wedding is different to the more religious
weddings with church in the western world, it is in Viet Nam an important
and happy occasion, which is planned carefully and performed with style.
All errata and additional information
of the Vietnamese weddings are gladly acknowledged and added to this page.
Last modified 1 January, 2005
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Mustolan
Mukavat Murut
