Traditional Vietnamese Wedding Have you ever attended a traditional Vietnamese wedding? It’s an interesting experience as it reflects distinct features of our culture Through the event, you can learn a lot about our country’s routines and practices In eastern culture, we consider marriage a major event in our life Thus, we highly value wedding ceremony, even more important than the marriage certificate After wedding ceremony, the couple has already become spouses in eyes of their families, relatives, neighbors, colleagues, and friends Basically, there’re three main steps to a traditional Vietnamese wedding: • Proposal ceremony • Engagement ceremony • Wedding ceremony Proposal ceremony Having gotten to know and understand each other, if a couple is serious about their emotional relationship, the boy will ask his parent to visit the girl’s house, for the first time in many cases The boy’s family brings traditional offerings, which are simply betel and areca On this occasion, parents of both sides meet to know each other and approve the relationship between the two children After certain duration, for example, several months, the couple will decide whether to proceed to a marriage or not In (or after) the proposal meeting, when the couple has decided to get married, bridegroom’s family will actively choose the auspicious dates for engagement and wedding and discuss with the partner to fix the schedule These dates must be based on the lunar calendar, and are very carefully selected, as Vietnamese believe well-selected wedding date will bring luck and happiness to the couple in their later family life Engagement ceremony At this occasion, the representatives of both families meet and talk with one another as a way to establish an official relationship between the two families Betrothal gifts are placed in trays or round lacquered boxes, covered with a piece of bright red cloth The number of trays must be in odd number such as 5, 7, 9, 11, as requested earlier by the girl’s family Each gift tray is brought by one unmarried young boy The future bride’s family also sends the same number of unmarried girls to receive the gifts The fiancé’s family officially offers the proposal gifts and ask to marry the girl for the boy Once the girl’s family accepts the marriage offering, they’ve agreed the wedding, and thus cannot receive the offer from any other family After the engagement ceremony, the girl has become not-yet-married wife of her fiance Then, it’s time for both parties to invite guests to the wedding Invitations should be sent out about 3-10 days before the wedding date The inviters should go in person to each guest’s place Wedding ceremony The groom’s family goes to pick up bride on a car decorated with flowers Again, the groom’s family brings proposal gifts and asks to bring the bride to their house The groom’s family arrives The representative of the groom’s procession and the person who carries the wine tray will precede all others to ask for giving the offerings and entering the house At this time, the bride’s family has prepared tea, water, candies to invite the procession They will talk together, and the representative of the groom’s family asks to receive the bride and bring her to their house The groom asks her parents in law for permission to bring his wife home Then, he enters her room to accompany her out Together they light up incense at her family’s altar to pay tribute to ancestors The delegation goes to the groom’s house have several beloved members of the bride, including her best friend There, the bride and the groom again light incense at the altar of ancestors Then they go to wedding hall for the … • Wedding party (reception) In reality, two families can jointly or separately hold the wedding party On that day, the bridegroom wears formally attire, often in western style The event is held in a wedding hall or sometimes at their house (if it’s large enough) It usually starts at the end of morning (11:00 am) or afternoon (17:00 pm), and lasts about a couple of hours The ceremony will enjoy foods while listening to traditional Vietnamese wedding songs performed by local singers or volunteering guests Guests should bring wedding gift, which is normally cash put in an envelope Sometimes, closest friends may want to give tangible presents like electronic rice cook, pottery, pillow and bed sheet, etc Today, most Vietnamese families follow all the three steps when holding a wedding However, many combine the engagement ceremony and the wedding ceremony into one, as agreed by both bride and groom’s families Wedding party can be held on the same day or a different day after wedding ceremony (from www.vietnamcharms.com – edited) I/ Decide whether the following statements are True or False? There are no offerings needed in the proposal ceremony _ Betrothal gifts are placed in an even number of trays in the engagement ceremony _ In wedding ceremony, the bride will wait in her room until the groom accompanies her out _ Guests are expected to bring wedding invitations to the reception _ II/ Match the expressions with the pictures: betel and areca betrothal gifts bride and groom wedding party a. b. c. _ d. _ III/ Answer the questions: How many ceremonies are there in a traditional Vietnamese wedding? When people choose engagement and wedding dates? Why they choose these dates carefully? Does the girl become not-yet-married wife of her fiance after the proposal ceremony? Who are included in the delegation going to the groom’s house in the wedding ceremony? When and where is the wedding party held? Do Vietnamese people have to hold all the three ceremonies in a wedding? ... ceremony will enjoy foods while listening to traditional Vietnamese wedding songs performed by local singers or volunteering guests Guests should bring wedding gift, which is normally cash put in... bride and groom wedding party a. b. c. _ d. _ III/ Answer the questions: How many ceremonies are there in a traditional Vietnamese wedding? When people... going to the groom’s house in the wedding ceremony? When and where is the wedding party held? Do Vietnamese people have to hold all the three ceremonies in a wedding?