Family values are very revered here, so the preparation for the wedding are thorough. In modern life, the traditional wedding has gradually changed to save time and money, but the main customs like paying gratitude to the parents and asking one's hand in marriage are still be kept. Traditionally, the bride and her family are responsible for paying for all wedding planning expenses, the brides attire, all floral arrangements, transportation on the wedding day, photo and video fees, travel and lodgings for the officiant if he comes from out of town, lodging for the bridesmaids (if you have offered . Catholic families hold one mass, but Vietnamese Catholics offer mass for ancestral souls year-round. The color choices for o di are also especially important. During the reception, Vietnamese guests often enjoy signing up to sing and dance on stage to celebrate this special event. Each person in line, save for the head couple and groom, will carry fabric-covered trays bearing gifts, usually involving components of a feast; fruit, candy, moon cakes (bnh trung thu), pandan rice cakes with mung bean (bnh xu x), other pandan rice cakes with mung bean (bnh cm), colorful mounds of sticky rice (xi), wine (though Vietnamese people have a fondness for Cognac, so bottles of Remy Martin and Hennessey are acceptable) and if you're lucky, a whole roast suckling pig (heo quay)! The groom and groomsmen will line up in a procession to offer more gifts to the bride and family. This is the part of the wedding where you light incense and candles, bow and pray to your ancestors. This is when the groom and his family come to the brides house on the wedding day to ask for her. All that good food brought in by the groom's side, and whatever feast has been prepared by the bride's side, is set upon by one and all. 15 Traditions Commonly Seen in Chinese Wedding Celebrations, Czech Wedding Traditions to Fill Your Day With Heritage, Malaysian Wedding Traditions That are Rich in History, Say "I Love You" with 136 Love Quotes for Her, The Best Wedding Vow Examples From Real Couples, Relationship Quotes to Make Every Couple Feel All the Feels. Number 13 is not a good number in Vietnam. Apparently the dinner is at one of the most exclusive resorts, so I imagine costs are quite high. "Furthermore, what I've seen with less traditional Vietnamese weddings in America is that often the exchange of rings does not happen during the ceremony at allthe Vietnamese portion of the wedding happens at the beginning of the day and then a more modern American ceremony takes place in the afternoon or evening with a processional, officiant, exchange of vows and rings, and recessional.". You are required to make an appointment online for this service. Those thinking about how much money to give at a wedding will likely take their own financial situation into account. What dos and donts guests should notice when attending a Vietnamese wedding? The wedding procession, known as "the procession to receive the bride," is a time-honored tradition in Vietnam. The average amount of money given in these envelopes typically ranges from $50-$300. For instance, if you're getting married on May 20, your RSVP date should be anywhere from April 22 to May 6. As the engagement ceremony is a major occasion in preparation for the wedding, participants are required to dress formally men in suits and ties and women in the traditional Vietnamese o di. In any case, the date of the l n hi ceremony is chosen by a fortune teller based on the couples birthdays on the lunar calendar, as its believed to bring good luck. It certainly is a nice change from other bland banquet rooms and those Chinese restaurants with low ceilings! Bui explains that "a Vietnamese wedding day starts with the groom's family and friends forming a procession line, traditionally at the groom's house, and parading to the bride's house. The ceremony is significant in Vietnamese culture, as marriage is not only viewed as a union of two people, but also the union of two families." It can be a bit disheartening, but it's also commendable how hard they work to make it into top universities. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. As simple as aforementioned, gift-giving is still an art that transcends geographical boundaries and varies across cultures. Don't send the money without a word. In addition, the procession of gifts to the bride's family (or the mm qu), is another way to pay respect to the bride's family and thank them for raising the bride to the individual she is today. (All previous posts I've read about this are from years ago). The brides family will confirm one last time the wedding and other proceedings. If the couple are spending hundreds of pounds per person on the meal and venue then you might feel . "Interestingly, compared to a western ceremony, there isn't a single moment in time in which the couple crosses over from being 'unmarried' to being 'married' and there isn't any officiant in charge of the proceedings, so each side of the family has to know what to do next," explains Bui. Sometimes red envelopes filled with cash are offered first before presenting the mam qua red tins. Nguyen also explains that historically there was an additional pre-engagement step known as Dm Ng that would take place. Keep it up you guys! What is the legal age to get married in Vietnam? , check out our authentic motorbike tours with professional local guides! ", Overall, a traditional Vietnamese wedding looks very similar to m Hi, the traditional Vietnamese engagement ceremony and engagement party. ", Much like with the m Hi, Bui explains that "the groom's procession will parade up to the door of the bride's house, where an equivalent couple from the bride's family will greet them. At its core, though, a wedding is still a sacred ceremony that binds not only two people, but also two families. Bui explains that "first the parents of the groom, then the parents of the bride, then the bride and groom themselves pray together. Image credit: @thiepcuoi.meoo. Afterward, the bride's family will offer gifts to the couple. Most often when you receive an invitation card to a wedding, itll explicitly invite you, you and your family, or you and your loved one. Photo by Chlo Taranto on Unsplash #3 Minnesota. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. After initial greetings, the bride will be brought out to join the groom to commence the tea and candle ceremony," explains Nguyen. Planning the rehearsal dinner is one of the most important tasks for the mother of the groom to take on. On the internet if you look for average price of the dowry, you mostly find either amounts for Thailand/India or you will find some for Vietnamese brides that are sent to China, but the other numbers you can find seem low to me. Hannah writes and edits articles for The Knot Worldwide, with a focus on real wedding coverage. Such questions are off-limits unless you are really, really close to the marrying couple. In the past, people would. View. If you know them both, you can choose either box. Dont go to a wedding if there is someone in your family had just passed away. Family expectations (11%), how much they'd already spent on attending the wedding (7%), the type of venue (5%) and whether it was a destination wedding (5%) were some other factors people said they would consider when deciding on an amount. How much to spend as a wedding gift? There are many couples who decide to celebrate their engagement a few days or a month before their wedding. The groom's family arrives at the bride's house early in the morning, then the groom's representative would ask the bride's parents to accept their gifts and to give their daughter's hand in marriage to the groom. The most common gift is money, which is placed inside envelopes to not appear too pretentious. After l dm ng comes l n hi, a ceremony that marks the couples official engagement. Vietnamese consider this unlucky thing to the bride and groom. Typical Gifts. "Even with all the customs and tradition, Vietnamese brides are still able to bring their own twist to their weddings. . Thetraditional Vietnamese weddingis one of the most important ceremonies inVietnamese culturewith influence fromConfucianandBuddhist ideologies.It is a significant day not only to the couple involved but also for both families. Guests attending the wedding usually give the couple lucky money in envelopes. The Wedding Ceremonies & Style. Before the main ceremony, the couple will stand by the door, welcoming the guests and take pictures. In short, wedding dress according to Vietnamese tradition, women can wear traditional ao dai, innovative ao dai, and dress (in the style of a gala dinner). The Thnh Hn follows the Vu Quy, but it takes place at the grooms family home. In any case, make sure you have your name and some good wishes written on the envelope, and put it in the box labeled as Nh Trai (Grooms Family) if you are friends with the groom, or Nh Gi (Brides Family) if you are friends with the bride. For a colleague or acquaintance, $50 to $75 is acceptable. The bride was wearing o nht bnh, the . As one of the most traditional wedding customs remaining in todays Vietnamese society, the proposal ceremony is the meeting of the two families where the grooms family will visit the brides family to ask permission for an official relationship of the children with the aim of getting married. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. During the engagement party, the grooms family will have to present monetary gift as part of the ceremony. Bui explains that "after the short wedding ceremony, there is an opportunity for more speeches and bonhomie, and then the couple serves hot tea to their elders; each set of parents, and grandparents if they are there, as well as aunts and uncles. As that is the common procedure of a wedding, if you prefer to present other gifts, you should tell the bride and groom in advance that you want to give them a present instead of money. Once notarized at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate in Vietnam, you must authenticate the notarized signature at the Vietnamese Consular Department at 40 Tran Phu, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi or External Relations Office at . The wedding reception will take place at the grooms house or a restaurant. Decoration Groom and bride 's houses The Rc Du, which leads up to the tea ceremony (or Vu Quy), takes place on the morning of the wedding day when the groom and groomsmen come to the bride's home and officially takes her from the family. It's served family-style and may have a minimum of eight courses." They include, asking for permission to receive the bride, receiving the bride at her house and escorting her to the grooms house . Such questions are off-limits unless you are really, really close to the marrying couple. How much money do you give at a Vietnamese wedding? A family may use all of its worldly goods that can be transferred into money. If you want to give money get some brand new, uncreased $2USD notes as these are classed as lucky. A couple arriving at the grooms house on their wedding day Vietnamese tradition doesn't neatly fall into any of the world's major religions, so the prayers are directed to the ancestors of the couple and involve an altar with lit candles and small offerings of food, sometimes as well as incense sticks that the penitents will clasp in their hands until their silent prayers are done, at which point after an obeisance, they will place the stick of incense in a small censer. Auspicious Wedding Date 2. It is not uncommon for men to wear a suit while attending a Vietnamese wedding, but women usually dont wear formal. ", Some people may be surprised to learn that there isn't a specific moment in Vietnamese ceremonies where an officiant pronounces the couple married. Considering we're family and there are two of us + a toddler, what's an acceptable amount to give in 2015? Couples keep alive many traditional practices while embracing western influences. Understandably, its not uncommon for soon-to-be grooms and brides to find themselves overwhelmed. The wedding is one of the most important traditions of Vietnamese with many customs. Finally, the bride's family will bring out the bride to join the couple together. The engagement in Vietnam is different than in Western countries. 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. Traditional Vietnamese Wedding Gifts Immediate family usually gives more money to the bride and groom and many couples use the money to pay for the entire wedding. The best page to read and getting more knowledge. The groom's family will fill up 'mam qua,' which are red tins that are filled with gifts, known as a dowry in the old days. Therefore, avoid wearing something similar to what the bride will wear and try not to choose white, red, and pastel colors. In this case, the bride will still be taken to the grooms house first to pay tribute to his ancestors, but the wedding ceremony will be held at the wedding centre in front of the guests. Top 10+ flowers you should and shouldn't give Vietnamese people. Although the Christians observed the religious rituals of Christmas. In many cases, they may borrow from various associations. Selecting a wedding date is one of the first steps in planning a wedding. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Once there, they will ask for permission for their son to marry the daughter. Number and gift in Vietnam. One of the bridesmaid ran off the money (30,000$ in cash). How much money do you give as a wedding gift? Depending on the size of this family, this may take some time, but it demonstrates respect and togetherness. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Moreabout usor visit home page, Check out the necessary information for traveling to Vietnam, Airport Arrival Tips at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh), Airport Arrival Tips at Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi). On the day of the wedding, the groom's mother will be accompanied . Massachusetts easily takes the number one spot with a median photographer income of $65,090. Family of the couple and wedding guests may also opt to wear an o di. The main responsibility of the grooms parents is paying for the rehearsal dinner. For men can use a shirt, trousers, possible to add a vest. Many wedding photographers use a photo editor to make it absolutely perfect! 326 reviews. Find more hotels to stay in Vietnam below: Ho Chi Minh Private Tours:Saigon Shore ExcursionsMotorbike City ToursSaigon Food Tours, i Tour Vietnam - Private Tours Ltd. Outside Vietnam +84 986188801Inside Vietnam 0986188801 (English)info@itourvn.com. 4 languages. While Vietnam made economic progress under French rule in the 1900s, it mostly served a small number of wealthy Vietnamese. $100 per guest is recommended since food, drinks, and wedding venue rental alone would cost the couple that much. 1. 3. After the couple is officially announced as husband and wife, a feast is thrown to celebrate the occasion amid cheerful music, and the newlyweds will go from table to table to propose toasts and receive good wishes from guests. Therefore, the traditional Vietnamese wedding costume of a bride must always be the newest and the most gorgeous one. We had two parts of our wedding. Traditionally, they are red envelopes of money, other congratulatory gifts and words of wisdom. However, if you want to bring, say, your partner who isnt invited this can happen if the newlywed couple dont know your partner its recommended that you let them know first. Epic Trips Mini Trips . Cognac and Lots of Food 11. Tea Service and Candle Lighting Ceremony. But the minimum check that's allowed is $50. ", "There is one traditional Vietnamese outfit, the o di, which, for the wedding, is worn by the bride and the groom also, if he is feeling extremely Vietnamese," explains Bui of traditional Vietnamese wedding fashion. You can prepare your own envelope at home, but if you somehow are unable to, there will be empty envelopes next to the money boxes at the weddings reception for you to put your money in. After obtaining permission from the brides family, the groom is then allowed to enter her room and bring her out. Both times I've been here, the food was catered by Furiwa. How much to give at weddings is always a source of debate amongst wedding guests. The second ancestor ceremony. You will find bottles of the most expensive Cognac, stick rice, luxury teas, desserts, fruits and items that symbolize prosperity, wealth and luck. 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Picture frames, towels and kitchen items are traditional. Based on my experience in Vietnam, a typical destination wedding has 40 guests. The average amount is about VND 500,000, but you can put more or less depends on how close you are with the newlywed. The average amount is about VND 500,000, but you can put more or less depends on how close you are with the newlywed. Vietnamese often enjoy drinking beer during the wedding, and some do get drunk, but being drunk in this ceremony would annoy other guests. First, for the first time in Vietnamese history, arranged marriages were abolished, and both men and women were granted the freedom to make their own decisions. Come to share the joy and wish the newlyweds good luck, but refrain from asking questions that are too personal. "The combination of red and gold or all white is reserved only for the couple on the day of the wedding. "When the couple is invited to the guests' wedding in the future, they are expected to do the same in return. I'm after some up-to-date advice on how much dong to give at a Vietnamese wedding. What food is served at a Vietnamese wedding? Traditionally, the date for the engagement is often chosen carefully by both families based on couples birthdays and the time they were given birth according to the Lunar calendar. However, if you want to bring, say, your partner who isnt invited this can happen if the newlywed couple dont know your partner its recommended that you, In Vietnam, it is believed that if you just lose a family member, you should, such as weddings so as not to bring bad luck to the hosts. 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. That is a common thing in all wedding cultures. Some of the essential wedding gifts in Vietnam are the ones bride receives on their wedding day. Vietnamese engagements tend to be very traditional with a lot of customs that tag along. These people are often the brides and grooms relatives or friends. For the afternoon tea ceremony, we tried to keep things traditional Vietnamese, but it was definitely a more modern take. 482 1 6 16. Traditionally, the mother and father of the groom pay for all officiant fees, including the cost of using the church or ceremony location, hiring a minister or officiant and filing for a marriage license.