MODERN VIETNAMESE WEDDINGS
Typically, there are two main stages for a modern Vietnamese wedding. The first one is the engagement ceremony. Traditionally, it occurs half a year or so before the wedding, but nowadays, the Engagement Ceremony usually occurs on the same day before the Marriage Ceremony.
The Engagement Ceremony is to introduce the bride and the groom to the two families. Thus, attendees for the ceremony are family members and/or close friends of the bride and the groom. The ceremony rituals are: the groom’s family will bring gifts to the bride’s home. The offerings consist of various items, such as betel leaves, areca nuts, “bánhcốm”, lotus jam, fruits, tea, etc.
Typically, the groom’s side will have male attendees carrying the gifts, which can be rather heavy. When they arrive at the bride’s home, they will be greeted by the bride’s attendants, who are usually all female. Then, the groom’s family will hand the gifts over to the bride’s family.
The groom’s family then enter the house and the bride and groom will pray to the altars, exchange wedding rings and pay their respects to the elders of their families, usually the parents.
After the Vietnamese engagement ceremony, the Bride and Groom and their families proceed to a western-style Marriage Ceremony, it is either a religious or civil ceremony which involves the Bride and Groom exchanging rings again 1 more time.
Typically, there are two main stages for a modern Vietnamese wedding. The first one is the engagement ceremony. Traditionally, it occurs half a year or so before the wedding, but nowadays, the Engagement Ceremony usually occurs on the same day before the Marriage Ceremony.
The Engagement Ceremony is to introduce the bride and the groom to the two families. Thus, attendees for the ceremony are family members and/or close friends of the bride and the groom. The ceremony rituals are: the groom’s family will bring gifts to the bride’s home. The offerings consist of various items, such as betel leaves, areca nuts, “bánhcốm”, lotus jam, fruits, tea, etc.
Typically, the groom’s side will have male attendees carrying the gifts, which can be rather heavy. When they arrive at the bride’s home, they will be greeted by the bride’s attendants, who are usually all female. Then, the groom’s family will hand the gifts over to the bride’s family.
The groom’s family then enter the house and the bride and groom will pray to the altars, exchange wedding rings and pay their respects to the elders of their families, usually the parents.
After the Vietnamese engagement ceremony, the Bride and Groom and their families proceed to a western-style Marriage Ceremony, it is either a religious or civil ceremony which involves the Bride and Groom exchanging rings again 1 more time.