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Wedding - Coggle Diagram
Wedding
Important ceremonies
Proposal ceremony (le dam ngo)
It is a simple event where the groom's family visits the bride's home to discuss and officially express their intention for marriage.
The proposal ceremony reflects meticulousness, respect, and a sense of responsibility for the happiness of the couple and their families.
Engagement ceremony (le an hoi)
After discussions and finding an auspicious date, the groom's family prepares the requested offerings, and the groom officially seeks approval to become the bride's husband.
This phase is akin to an engagement and serves as the formal announcement and promise of marriage.
The engagement rituals include various customs such as incense lighting, ancestral worship, introducing relatives, and a Vietnamese wedding tea ceremony with close guests.
Bride procession ceremony (le ruoc dau)
Following the bride-asking rituals at the bride's home, the groom, adorned with a bridal bouquet and ceremonial offerings, formally welcomes the bride to his home.
Traditional Vietnam wedding customs involve exchanging symbolic traditional Vietnamese wedding gifts and offerings representing wishes for the couple's happiness.
Wedding ceremony (le cuoi)
The wedding ceremony is the pinnacle of Vietnam wedding traditions. After completing all rituals in both families, the couple hosts a celebratory feast to announce the joyous news to friends and family.
Attended guests are treated to a lavish meal, fine wine, and betel nuts, while the bride and groom personally visit each table to express gratitude and officially introduce their marital relationship.
Symbol of Vietnamese wedding customs
"Song Hy" word (Double happiness)
Traditional Vietnam weddings beautifully incorporate the symbol of "Song Hy," an emblem of doubled joy formed by combining two characters representing happiness.
Originating from Chinese culture, "Song Hy" signifies the collective joy of both the groom's and bride's families as they unite.
Betel leaves and areca nut (Trau cau)
At the heart of traditional Vietnamese weddings lies the profound symbolism of “trau cau,” where the sturdy trunk represents the groom and the betel leaves embody the bride.
The intertwined vines symbolize a resilient and enduring love, making the betel leaves an indispensable part of the Vietnam wedding ceremony.
Money offering (Tien nap)
Traditional Vietnamese weddings include the custom of presenting money as a gesture of respect from the groom's family to the bride's family.
Wedding rings
The engagement ring symbolizes a unique bond and trust, as the bride accepts it during a proposal.
The wedding ring, exchanged during the marriage ceremony, becomes a tangible symbol of enduring commitment, serving as a constant reminder of the couple's responsibilities to one another.
A glance at dressing in Vietnam wedding traditions
Vietnam wedding dress for groom and bride
The traditional Vietnamese wedding dress for the bride and groom is the “áo dài”.
During engagement and wedding ceremonies, the bride and groom typically wear traditional ao dai to introduce themselves to both sides of the family and ancestors.
For the later part of the Vietnam wedding ceremony, when the couple welcomes guests and participates in the main ceremony, the bride switches to a wedding gown, while the groom opts for a vest.
Vietnam wedding dress for families of groom and bride
Following wedding traditions in Vietnam, both families traditionally wear the Ao dai during the wedding ceremony, occasionally opting for formal modern clothing.
Mothers of the bride and groom typically wear the traditional Ao dai, while the father of the groom may wear a vest with accessories like a tie.
Vietnam wedding dress for groomsmaids and bridesmaids
The attire of groomsmaids and bridesmaids for the wedding ceremony often consists of traditional ao dai, modernized ao dai, or bridesmaids in dresses and groomsmen in white shirts, trousers, and accessories like bowties or neckties. However, couples tend to choose traditional ao dai for their groomsmaids and bridesmaids.
Differences in Vietnam wedding traditions in the three regions
Vietnam wedding traditions in the North
In Northern Vietnam, wedding ceremonies typically follow three main steps: "dam ngo" (proposal ceremony), "an hoi" (engagement ceremony), and "don dau" (bride asking ceremony).
The Northern Vietnam wedding traditions also include a custom where the groom's family requests specific traditional Vietnamese wedding gifts, including betel leaves and young sticky rice cake.
Wedding regulations in the North are the strictest among the three regions. Choosing an auspicious date is crucial, and engagement ceremonies must be held at least one week to ten days before the wedding.
Vietnam wedding traditions in the Central
In Central Vietnam, particularly in the former imperial city of Hue, weddings are characterized by simplicity, frugality, and a focus on ceremonial significance rather than material aspects.
Before the engagement and wedding ceremonies, families often consult Buddhist monks to choose auspicious dates and times.
Engagement ceremonies in Central Vietnam are considered significant gatherings, including rituals such as asking for an auspicious hour, exchanging vows, paying respects to the ancestral altar at the bride's house, receiving the bride, and holding a family union ceremony at the groom's house.
A special tradition of Central Vietnam weddings is a ritual known as "giao boi hap can," where the newlyweds chew betel leaves, symbolizing harmony for the 12 months and 12 years ahead.
Vietnam wedding traditions in the South
While still observing the three essential steps of the proposal ceremony, engagement ceremony, and bride procession ceremony, Southerners might combine the engagement and bride possession ceremonies on the same day for convenience if the families live far apart.
However, a mandatory ritual in southern weddings is the "len den" ceremony. The groom, carrying two large candles, visits the bride's house during the bride procession ceremony. Lighting the candles during the ancestral altar ceremony symbolizes the official declaration of the couple's lifelong commitment.