Traditional Vietnamese wedding
It was only after 1744 and during Nguyễn dynasty that men and women began to wear very elaborate áo tấc [vi] (ancient formal áo dài with long sleeves)[1][2] for their wedding ceremonies; this tradition still continues into the modern era with various trends and styles over the years.
Nowadays, men would either follow suit with their own male version of the Áo dài or wear a tuxedo.
The traditional gowns were modeled after the áo nhật bình (worn by royalty women and ladies) of Nguyễn dynasty members of the court.
In terms of design, the clothes are usually embroidered or beaded with imperial symbols such as a phoenix or dragon; nature imagery can also be seen.
These gowns are either custom made for the couple or rented from a bridal shop, like Western wedding outfits.
Depending on the couple's preferences, the bridesmaid and groomsmen may also wear their own khăn đóng, though a more plain and smaller one compared to the bride.
The rest of the wedding attendees will either wear their own respective Áo dài without the headpiece or formal Western clothes instead.
Previous to the Nguyễn dynasty, it is likely that women simply wore fancy, elaborate versions of Áo tứ thân.
In the past, when marriages were commonly arranged by the parents or the extended family, this ceremony was used to begin preparations for the wedding, and the future bride was traditionally not present during the event.
Unlike many events that will occur during the actual wedding, the proposal is very informal; only immediate family members (mostly the parents) are involved and arrangements were done over drinks and food; the groom's family traditionally will provide the wine, sweets, betel leaves and areca nuts as a symbol of their agreement.
The ceremony was mainly used to announce that the arrangement is confirmed and the wedding shall happen; usually the bride and groom will have no final say in the matter, but some are consulted based on many factors such as interests and horoscopes.
Those that still celebrate the ceremony typically do so as a means to simply announce the engagement; it is a general party that kickstarts the upcoming wedding.
The future groom's family and friends will go to his future bride's home with offerings; traditionally, these gifts are fruits, betel leaves, areca leaves, wine, tea, fruits, cakes, tobacco, jewelry and a roasted pig.
Once the group is accepted into the home, the gifts are received by the same number of younger unmarried women from the future bride's side.
Refreshments prepared by the future bride's side are made ready to be served to the other family members.
Jewelry, typically an engagement ring, a pair of earrings, and at least one circular gold necklace called a kièng, will then be placed onto the future bride.
The future bride in particular may wear an Áo dài that had been gifted to her by her own family in celebration for her upcoming engagement.
Traditionally, future brides would embroider a pair of lovebirds, known as chim uyên ương, and give them to their fiancé during the ceremony.
This party serves to announce the couple's upcoming nuptials and follows a similar process as the wedding, though in a more casual setting.
The tradition itself is no longer largely practiced today, but it represents the strong bond between mother and daughter that is prominent in Vietnamese culture.
In the procession, the groom, his family and friends bear elaborately decorated mâm quả, or lacquer boxes, covered in red cloth.
Gifts include betel leaves, fruit, cakes, a roasted pig, fabric, and an abundance of jewelry for the bride, and are typically carried by the groomsmen- like the engagement ceremony.
The bride and groom, with their respective parents, burn incense sticks, asking for permission from the ancestors to bless them.
A traditional wedding may be the only time in a Vietnamese person's life that a formal tea ceremony is essential.
The bride's family will then reveal their gifts to the new couple, which include but are not limited to a pair earrings and at least one kièng.
Entertainment, often in the form of singing, is served during the meal, and some receptions allow guests to perform songs for the couple.
[5] In the US, some couples opt to leave a box at the sign-in table for guests to drop in their gifts, but this is frowned upon by older traditional Vietnamese.
Traditional and modern symbols of marriage are often featured during Vietnamese marriage ceremonies as decorations on the wedding umbrellas, lacquer gift boxes (or the red cloth that covers them), or even the decorations in the homes of both the bride and groom.
Decorations in the ceremony, from the clothing to the gifts received usually will include lanterns, doves, initials of the couple, among other things.
While literacy in these scripts during feudalistic times was restricted mostly to scholars, officials and other members of the elite, characters such as these have always played an aesthetic role in important occasions such as weddings.
