Vietnamese Wedding Style

Some tips when you are invited to a Vietnamese wedding

2008-06-01T00:44:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese wedding song

2008-05-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

Đám Cưới Chúng Mình - Nguyễn Đức Quang
Đám Cưới Đầu Xuân - Trần Thiện Thanh
Em Đẹp Nhất Đêm Nay - nhạc Pháp
Hãy Yêu Nhau Đi - Trịnh Công Sơn
Lời Tỏ Tình Dễ Thương - Ngọc Sơn
Ra Giêng Anh Cưới Em
Ngày Tân Hôn - Phạm Duy
Đám Cưới Trên Đường Quê - Hoàng Thi Thơ
Anh - (biểu diễn bởi Trần Tâm/Mỹ Lệ)
Ngày Vui Bên Nhau
Ngày Vui Hai Đứa
Ngày Xuân Vui Cưới - Quốc Anh
Tơ Hồng - Nhất Sinh

Vietnamese wedding songs, be it the traditional wedding songs or the modern latest ones, are very popular and usually live wedding bands are present at most marriages that play the music on traditional musical instruments or modern equipment. Most of the Vietnamese wedding songs mp3 are available online for free download or one can listen to the music online on radio station. The traditional songs are much more famous than the new music and the lyrics are simple and fun and have rich meanings. The videos and clips too are available for free download or can be seen online for free.

The Procession and gifts in Vietnamese Wedding

2008-05-19T01:22:00.000-07:00

The procession of the groom’s family is led by specific order; usually the first person will be a man chosen as the representative of the groom's house (he should have a good manner of speaking along with high status in society), followed by the groom's father, the groom, then the rest of his immediate family and close friends. Huge traditional umbrellas are carried and accompany the front of the procession.

Interestingly, in the past the groom's mother did not take part in the procession as a sign that she would not be a threat to the future bride (and she would even hide for a short period upon the bride's welcome into the groom's home). However, this practice has long been abandoned. The number of people participating in a procession varies but is usually restricted to a smaller number (20 or so) to make it easier on the bride's family who will be receiving all of the guests.

In the procession, the groom and his family (among others) will be bearing elaborately decorated lacquer boxes, covered in red cloth. Inside these boxes are gifts representing the wealth the groom's family will bring to the bride's family. Gifts include: betel, wine, tea, fruit, cakes, a roast pig, and an abundance of jewelry for the bride (the amount of jewelry depending on the personal wealth of the groom's family). Usually the number of gift boxes varies from 6 or 8, but never 7 or 9 which is seen as bad luck.

Upon arriving at the bride's home, firecrackers are lit to alert the bride's family, who then light their own round of firecrackers to welcome the groom's family into their home. After each gift of food is accepted by the bride's parents, the groom then receives permission to greet the bride, who is finally brought out.

Symbols of Vietnamese Wedding

2008-05-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

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. They usually include lanterns, doves, initials of the couple, so on so forth. However one symbol that is indispensable are the words "song hỷ" (also written as the character 囍). Vietnamese was written formerly in Chinese characters as well as the vernacular Chinese influenced Nom script before the 20th century, and 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 on important occasions such as wedding

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Vietnamese wedding dress6

2008-05-12T02:58:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese Wedding Banquet

2008-05-09T07:06:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese wedding food similar like Chinese wedding food, has special symbolism: mostly wishes of happiness, longevity, or fertility. The number of courses is also significant as same as Chinese culture. At a wedding banquet, eight dishes are usually served – not including the dessert as a "good luck".

Nowadays, a wedding banquet starts with appetizers such as “dragon-phoenix” plates or cold plates which consist of various sliced meats, jellyfish, and various types of nuts shaped like dragons and phoenixes and served chilled. In a marriage, the dragon symbolises the male role while the phoenix symbolises the female role.

Roast Suckling Pig. Roasted pork is a symbol of virginity. (The groom presents a whole roasted pork to the bride’s family at the engagement party and at the wedding ceremony in the morning).

Quail. According to Shu Shu Costa, the author of Wild Geese and Tea, pigeon has tender meat that symbolises peace. Quail is offered whole to each guest so each and every one will also experience a peaceful life.

Shark’s Fin Soup. Usually follows the appetizers. The type of soup has some significance, for example, shark’s fin soup indicates wealth because this delicacy is very expensive.

Lobster. Red is the color for happiness, so serving Lobster would signify joy and celebration. Also, serving the dish whole, i.e. the whole lobster, would symbolise completeness.

Vegetables with Sea Cucumber. Serving sea cucumber with vegetables is a sign of selflessness because “sea cucumber” sounds like “good heart” and this dish wishes the couple to think in a similar way – to avoid conflict.

Fish. Serving fish would hope that the couple will experience a life together with abundance because “fish”" sounds like “plentiful”.

Noodles served at the end would symbolise longevity because noodles come in long strands.

Sweet Red Bean Soup. Serving dessert probably wishes the newlyweds a sweet life. The hot sweet red bean soup should contain lotus seeds and a red beans to wish the newlyweds a hundred years of togetherness.

I've noticed lately at many weddings, at the end of the banquet, waiters usually pass out take-away boxes to the guests because there is usually enough food for everyone and some left over; this represents abundance. It is acceptable to take some of the food home because it is not good to waste good food – or anything else for that matter.

Reference:
Costa, S. S., Wild Geese and Tea: Asian-American Wedding Planner. NY: Riverhead Books, 1997

Vietnamese Traditional Wedding Ceremony

2008-05-08T18:27:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese traditional wedding ceremony and official signing wedding certificate usually take place in the morning.

On the day of the ceremony, the Groom’s family go to the Bride’s home on a certain time frame (chosen from the fortune-teller). They bring all traditional gifts in the red boxes, wrapped in red papers for the bride’s family. In each red box would have jewelry (wedding ring& band, jade bangle, necklace, earrings, depends on how wealth the Groom’s family is), wine, cake, and four to six different kinds of foods (the ones that represented happiness, longevity, good luck, etc).

Female are dress in Ao Dai (long dress). Male could be in their suits or men traditional Ao Dai. The Groom’s family enter into the Bride’s house usually lead by a old couple that most healthy and successful among the relatives, this means to wish the to-be-wed couple a blessing life together in the future, follow by the Groom’s parent, the Groom and the rest of family in a pair.

Marriage Civil Celebrant or sometime a respected person among the bride's relative’s welcome the guests and asks the bride's parent to present their daughter. This ceremony similar likes the “Giving Away” in western wedding ceremony.
The bride then follows her parents out in a Vietnamese traditional wedding dress (Ao Dai), which is usually in red.

The ceremony starts in front of the altar. First the to-be-wed couple kneel down and pray, asking ancestors' permission to be married, also asking for blessing on their family-to-be.

The candle ceremony is next symbolise the joining of the Bride and Groom and their families. The candles usually lit by fathers of the Bride and Groom and only after the couple worshiped the altar of ancestors.

Monitum from the Marriage Act and asking the couple agreed in marriage is a legal part between the ceremony.

The Groom’s mother then open the red box, put all the jewelry on the bride, and then the couple exchange their vow and wedding rings.

Declaration of marriage and signing an official wedding certificates in front of both families and relatives.

After the presentation of wedding certificate, the couple then turn around and bow to both parents to say thank you. The Groom and the Bride's parents would take turn to give their blessing and give the newly wedded value gifts such as money in a red envelop. Tea ceremony happens during parents blessing.

Vietnamese Wedding Aodai

2008-05-07T17:10:00.000-07:00

Nowaday, Vietnamese brides usually choose the Western white dresses for their wedding. But another ones choose Aodai.
Wedding Aodai is a little different from unsual Aodai which are worn everyday . ( Vietnamese people usually wear Aodai as the uniform in some companies , the uniform in high schools...)

So How is the different between Usual Aodai and Wedding Aodai ?

Wedding Aodai has many colors: Pink, Red, Gold, Blue, White and Black. But with our tradditional, the Red and Gold are choosen most. Because the Red color means Lucky in life and the Gold means Rich and Royal.

But now, following the western style, many designers and tailors make Aodai in Pink, White or another colors fabric.
Wedding Aodai usually has 3 parts : Hat, long dress cover outside and Aodai inside. Sometimes, Long dress cover is as same color as Aodai but sometimes isn't.

The Bridegrooms sometimes wear Aodai, too.
And every details on Long dress outside are hand-embroidered or drawing by hand with the pictures of dragon with phoenix , or lotus flower

Vietnamese wedding dress Idea

2008-05-06T18:33:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese wedding dresses have a long history steeped it Vietnamese tradition. It is important to understand the national Vietnamese dress before exploring the wedding dress. For both women and men, the national dress of Vietnam is called “Ao Dai” – for every day wear and for special occasions.
Ao Dai means “long dress”. Early versions comprised of 4 to 5 panels of silky, flowing fabric, layered over loose-fitting trousers of the same material. The number of layers usually signified the wealth of the person wearing it – the more panels or layers, the more wealth. Some of the very wealthy would even wear more than one ao dai at the same time.

Presently, most ao dai consist of only two pieces – a dress worn over loose silk pants, the dress varying in length from just below the knee to the ground. The dress consists of two to four panels, has a well-fitted bodice and is split on the sides from the waist down. Early versions had buttons up the front or side, but in recent years, the seams run diagonally from the neckline to the underarm and seem to be the preferred style.

The necklines usually vary between two styles – the “boat” or the “mandarin” style. The “boat” style is more open, off the neck and preferred in warmer climates. The “mandarin” style is a high stiff collar – the length of the collar depending on the person wearing it. Sometimes, the collar is formed by the many layers (or colors) of the ao dai – as many as seven at once. Occasionally, a low-scooped neck style will be worn, but these are less common. Most ao dai are custom tailored, made to fit each individual body. Some of the lesser quality ao dai are now being mass produced, but they are less fitted and designed.

Colors vary with the ao dai now, but originally were indicative of a person’s age and social status. Schoolgirls continue to wear solid white, symbolizing their purity. As a girl ages, she begins wearing soft pastels. The bolder colors are reserved for married and mature women.

For her wedding, the bride wears an outer robe (the ao choang) over the ao dai to create a more formal look. Red is considered the marriage gown color, although bright pink may also be used. At times, gold silk trims the ao dai and/or the ao choang. Unique trimmings are often painted or embroidered on the garment. The couple’s names, Chinese characters or beautiful images are used as trimmings along the collar, cuff or back.

The bride’s head is adorned with a matching headpiece, either the non la (a cone-shaped hat made from dried, woven leaves) or the khanh vanh. Many say this most popular style resembles a flying saucer.

During the wedding day, the bride and groom may change their clothes as many as three or four times – from a western-style wedding gown and white tuxedo, to the ao dai for both the bride and groom, to formal evening gown and black tuxedo.
Overall, the ao dai is a graceful, stately costume, flattering to almost any figure. It has become a popular garment in western culture as well, with numerous internet sites available for ordering ao dai – as a custom made or a pre-made dress.

Catholic Wedding in Vietnam

2008-05-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

A Catholic vietnamese wedding is religious wedding performed by Catholic Priest and requiring both partners to be of single status and church members. The Catholic Church will not allow Vietnamese for divorced persons to marry again except if the former spouse is deceased. You will come to a selected Catholic Cathedral in HCMC for the ceremony.

This ceremony will be legal by religion only. The procedure for initiating such a religious ceremony involves the couple arranging an interview with their local parish priest (in their own country) and obtaining a letter of recommendation (in English) from him about their desire to get married. This letter should also state the couple’s status as members of the Catholic faith.

This letter will provide the evidence and authority necessary under world-wide church agreements for the local Catholic Priest in Vietnam to perform the ceremony in accordance with Church traditions.

The Wedding Ao Dai : Beautiful Vietnam

2008-05-02T16:41:00.000-07:00

Today, most people are familiar with the popular Vietnamese royal costume from the Nguyen dynasty called the áo mệnh phụ. It is a lot more colorful and festive in decoration compared to the regular áo dài.

It has a long and flowing outer robe with huge, wide sleeves and is worn by royal females of the Nguyen dynasty for public appearances.

In the last few years, the áo mệnh phụ has been the standard costume worn by lovely Vietnamese brides. The áo mệnh phụ is often accompanied by the silk brocade, crown-like headgear called the khăn đóng.

Although the áo mệnh phụ’s popularity waned for a time because of its extravagant appearance, this costume has returned with a vengeance for both the Vietnamese locals and the members of Vietnam communities overseas.

Traditional wedding clothes since the Nguyen dynasty

2008-04-28T03:54:00.000-07:00

While traditional clothes of Vietnam have always been very diverse depending on the era and occasion, it is known that after the Nguyen dynasty, women began to wear elaborate Áo dài for their weddings which were modelled on the Áo mệnh phụ (royal Áo dài) of Nguyen dynasty court ladies. The style of the Nguyen dynasty has remained popular and is still used for modern weddings. The difference of the Áo mệnh phụ from the typical Áo dài is the elaborateness of its design (usually embroidered with imperial symbols such as the phoenix) and the extravagant outer cloak. With this gown which is preferably in red or pink, the bride usually wears a Khăn đống headdress. The groom wears a simpler male equivalent, often in blue.

Previous to the Nguyen dynasty, it is likely that women simply wore fancy, elaborate versions of Áo tứ thân.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vietnamese Wedding Video

2008-04-28T00:36:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese Traditional Wedding

2008-04-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

Vietnamese traditional wedding strictly follows a procedure that has existed for hundreds of years. It reflects the traditional idea of propriety and conjugal life.

In the past, especially among the upper classes, a marriage was arranged not by the couple themselves but by their families based on each side’s economic and social status. The purpose of marriage was not only the settlement of the couple’s life but also the establishment of an alliance between two families. Even today when young people can freely choose their partners, the first step towards marriage is always obtaining formal permission from the two families. Therefore the organization and preparation of a wedding is an important affair in which every family member must contribute (the family here is the extended family consisting of the nuclear family and all the relatives from the father’s side).

A traditional wedding has six stages: nap thai (also called cham ngo in casual speech. The groom’s family visits the bride’s family to formally request permission for him to marry her. The groom has to present his future wife with betel leaves and betel-nuts, the symbol of the unbreakable bond of marriage, as a proof of his sincerity), van danh (also called an hoi.The couple are formally introduced to each other and to their future spouse’s family. This is also a time for two families especially the parents to get to know each other), nap cat (the groom’s family informs the wedding plan for the bride’s family to decide), thinh ky (the bride’s family announces their final decisions about the wedding), nap te (representative of the bride’s family bring what necessary for the bride in the wedding and some gifts to the bride’s family at the appointed time and date), than nghenh (this is the chief part. Wedding rituals are performed before the ancestral altars of two families.

The couple then officially become husband and wife). In the past, omitting any of these stages was a grievous violation of propriety that scandalized the families involved but nowadays only three most important stages (nap thai, van danh, than nghenh) are kept to save time and money.

Traditional Vietnamese wedding rituals and customs are a mixture of native and Chinese cultures and are strongly influenced by Confucian morality. Their purposes are to ensure the conjugal happiness for the couple and to form close relations between two families. The groom comes to the bride’s house with an elder of his family who has had a happy family life to pay homage to the ancestors of the bride’s family and to pay respect to her parents.

Then the bride is taken before the ancestral altar of her husband’s family where she will be “introduced” to her husband’s ancestors’ spirits as the new family member. After that, the couple will share a cup of rice wine and a small dish of steamed sticky rice as a promise to share happiness as well as hardship. After the ceremony is over, there is usually a wedding party with the presence of members of both families and some family friends to celebrate the union of not only the couple but also the two families.

References:
Phan Ke Binh, “The Customs of Vietnam”, Van Hoc Publisher
Huu Ngoc and Lady Borton, “Wedding Customs”, The Gioi Publisher

Order of ceremony

2008-04-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

Welcome (Bride’s representative)

Present the gifts (Groom’s representative)

Accept the gifts & open gifts (Bride’s parent)

Incense offering (Father of the Bride)

Present the bride (Mother of the Bride)

Candle lighting (Groom and Bride fathers)

Pay respect to ancestors (Bride and Groom stand at the altar and bow to the ancestors)

Wedding ceremony (Myly Nguyen – Authorised Marriage Celebrant)

* Vows and Ring Ceremony

* Signing of the Register
Congratulations and Jewellery (dowry) for the bride
Tea Ceremony (Groom & Bride serve wine to the parents)
Blessing from relatives and friends

Vietnamese Wedding Today

2008-04-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

Today, a lot of Vietnamese couples have their wedding ceremony done in Temples or Churches which is very much similar to American and Western style, including exchanging vows and wedding rings. However, they still maintain Vietnamese traditional ceremony in the bride's home before heading to temples or churches.

A wedding banquet is scheduled in the evening at a hotel or a big restaurant. It is always a delight feast that all relatives, friends, and neighbors are invited. A music band is usually hired to play live songs.

At the banquet, the groom, bride, and their family are once again introduced to the guests and everyone will drink a toast. Dinner will be served at the tables.

During the reception, the groom, bride, and their parents will stop by each table to say thank to their guests. The guest in return, will give envelopes containing wedding cards and money gifts to the newly wedded couples along with their blessing. A lot of weddings nowadays are followed by a dancing party, which is opened by the groom and the bride's first dance. The party does not recess until very late at night. The newly wedded couples then leave for their honey moon.

Vietnamese Wedding Reception

2008-04-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

If you are invited to a Vietnamese wedding reception at a Chinese restaurant, here are a few tips to enhance your experience.

• Arrival time: The 10-course banquet (and it’s always 10 courses, fewer and you risk seeming cheap, more and you’re pompous) starts two hours after the time announced on the invitation. This is the prime manifestation of the Vietnamese "rubber clock." All Vietnamese know this. If the invitation says 6 pm, they show up at 7:45. It's the pale-faced American guests, who are always punctual, that will arrive at 5:59 to an empty restaurant, and will sit there wondering if those Vietnamese are holding out on them and having a pre-reception party somewhere.

• The audio experience: In all the dozens of Vietnamese wedding receptions I have been to in the past decade, only two had used classical musicians. The rest used pop/dance bands—and bad ones. The rule of thumb is: the worse they are, the louder they play—to mask their mistakes, no doubt. Coming home with your ears ringing is a ritual. So bring your ear plugs. As a matter of fact, bring a whole box of disposable ones. You’ll make a tidy profit at your table.

• The gifts: Vietnamese only give cash gifts (in the form of checks). It’s the one good thing about the Vietnamese wedding. It saves the guests the trouble of having to shop for presents, and the bride and groom the trouble of returning 9 of the 10 electric fans they will get. Now how those presents are presented is another matter. During a break in the ear-piercing music, the bride and groom, their parents, and entourage will visit each table. The parents or their representative will introduce the bride and groom, and one elected person at the table will stand up and give a little speech, bestowing best wishes on the couple. This person is usually the oldest person at the table, so unless you’re eager to give speeches, act young. This is also the perfect time to lie about your age. After this speech, guests at the table will hand over the wedding cards (with the checks inside) to one of the attendants in the entourage. The current rule of thumb for the gift amount is at least $50 per person in the guest party, more if you’re related or really close to the couple. This is one reason the Vietnamese wedding is almost always a positive cash-flow investment for the happy couple.

Vietnamese Wedding Traditions

2008-04-26T03:48:00.000-07:00

On the morning of a wedding in Vietnam, the groom's mother visits the bride's family and offers them two gifts. The first is a special plant, that represents respect, and the second is pink chalk, which is the color of happiness.

On his wedding day, as the groom heads to collect his bride, he picks up friends and family along his way. They arrive at his future wife's house bearing wedding presents of jewelry, clothing and money.

from
http://www.worldweddingtraditions.com

Flowers Brides Often Choose

2008-04-26T03:46:00.000-07:00

If you are newly engaged and planning wedding details such as silk wedding flowers and unique reception centerpieces then you must read this article. This can be a wonderful, exciting, and challenging time. Like brides to be, you will want everything to be perfect. When planning your wedding you will find it to be a major undertaking.

The process is like another full time job. Brides have many decisions to make. These can be big things to small things. Brides have a budget to consider or their family will. All of this with a time line to get everything done! For brides this is not an easy task. In this article I have simplified the process of selecting flowers. This includes choosing your bouquet style and choosing table centerpieces as well as gifts for the special family and friends.

I have found that brides are requesting more colorful and large bouquets. These range in styles from tussie mussies, to hand-tied bouquets. It is up to the individual taste and creativity the brides want.
Bouquet accessories have become more popular. These can range from clear and colored Swarovski crystal embellishments to semi-precious jewels. I have found more brides are requesting that designers incorporate special family keepsakes like fabrics, heirloom jewels, and other important things into the bridal bouquet.

Brides are choosing bridesmaid bouquets smaller than normal. They in turn are putting their money into their own bouquet. Some brides choose silk flowers as different flowers can be made in similar shades of the primary bridal color. Currently brides are taking the colors from the bridal bouquet and adding them into the reception. Some brides are choosing large party drinks in complementary colors. Or they may choose exotics like single orchids, single bird-of-paradise, and other interesting flowers in set in clear water.

There are more and more brides are giving the reception centerpieces to family and friends as gifts. Many will choose silk flowers because this way the people closest to you will have that keepsake for many years. Here are some flowers that brides are currently choosing for their bridal bouquet:

Miniature Calla Lilies. These come in a multitude of different colors. Orchids. These can range from the exotic to the trendy Hydrangeas. These are a beautiful choice in a few different colors. Roses. These flowers are always a great traditional standby. Lilies. These are less traditional than roses can be combined nicely with non-traditional florals. Gerber daisies. These come in bright colors but are usually only seasonal.

By Victor Epand

Wedding Gown I

2008-04-24T01:49:00.000-07:00

Tea Ceremony in Vietnamese Wedding

2008-04-05T22:16:00.000-07:00

Tea Ceremony (Groom & Bride serve wine to the parents)

While tea has always been an essential part of Vietnamese life, for commoners Vietnamese tea culture never became as complex or bogged down with rituals as its counterparts in Japan or China. Nevertheless, a traditional wedding is about the only time in a Vietnamese person's life that a formal tea ceremony is essential.
In The Vietnamese Wedding the Groom and the Bride in front of all their family and friends will serve tea (or wine) to their parents. Their parents would take turn to give their blessing, advice about marriage and family to the couple and give the newly wedded value gifts such as money in a red envelop.

The groom then pours tea for the couple, first into one large bowl then into one cup for bride. They drink the tea as they are watched closely by their family and friends. The offer and acceptance of tea is a very important ritual in Vietnamese culture. It denotes the commencement of important interactions and events.
The tea is prepared specially by the host, and to refuse tea is considered an affront.

Vietnamese Wedding Dress in White

2008-03-17T06:15:00.000-07:00

A Wedding in Vietnam

2008-03-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

Organizing a wedding is very important for a couple because it's an event that happens once in their life. So, the prepare carefully for the marriage wedding ceremony. One day before the wedding ceremony, both families build a frame made from coconut leaves in front of their houses. On the top of each frame, there is a small red board with these words in yellow: TAN HON at the groom's house and VU QUY at the bride's house.

On the day of the wedding ceremony, all the groom's family have to go to the bride's home on time because they chose the good time some months ago. The wedding traditional gifts include betel and areca-nut, cake, and fruit. Then, the groom and the bride worship at the altar of ancestors.

Next, the bride puts the ring onto the bride's finger, earrings into her ears, and a necklace onto her neck. The cost of jewelry depends on the groom's finances. The bride also puts a ring onto the groom's finger.

After that, he brings her to his house. They sometimes have a small meal at the bride's house. On that evening, they have a wedding party at a restaurant with their relatives and friends.

There is usually a band to play music during their mean. In the middle of the meal, the couple go around and go to each table to get wishes and gifts or money from their relatives and friends.

In conclusion, after the party, the bride belongs to the groom's family, and she will live with the groom for the rest of her life if nothing wrong happens to their life!! This is style of wedding.

Vietnamese Wedding dress in Pink

2008-03-06T16:49:00.000-08:00

VIETNAMESE - THE NAME AND THE AO DAI

2008-03-05T05:56:00.000-08:00

The first version of Vietnamese Aodai wedding was in some centuries before. Then it takes artist as well as fashion designers years to change to modern wedding style to fit the atmosphere of modern time. Aodai nowadays would be in its fully beauty. However, people in the world had known it when it was in an old wedding styles - not because of the style but because of the lady who dressed it at Paris Conference to struggle for the peace of her country in early of 20th century - Ms Nguyen Thi Binh - one of famous Vietnamese politicians in Vietnam.

Nguyen Thi Binh is a niece of Phan Boi Chau - a leader of Vietnam revolution when the country was under French, and of course, her family name had to be Phan as it was in full: Phan Thi Chau Giang. Giang joined the revolution, became Uncle Ho's sodlier and the first Vietnamese lady who was sent to the Conference in Paris with Vietnamese mission for political duty.

Phan Thi Chau Giang was then renamed Nguyen Thi Binh as many popular names in Vietnam, however, the name was aslo a hope not for any individual but for the whole nation at that time. Nguyen is one of the most common Vietnamese surname, Thi stands for fairy sex (while Van is the common middle name of men), Binh means peace. That is so called the meaning in Vietnamese names.

Vietnam is just a small nation in Asian, which became poorer and poorer after wars. However, its tradition and identity are those that still lasted long. The image of Nguyen Thi Binh in blue Aodai - a national costume with color of peace - impressed politician by the her out look and the way she convinced them to support for the Peace Agreement of Vietnam - in this case, it would be hard to answer the Aodai or Nguyen Thi Binh herself contributed to the success of Vietnam's revolution.

Aodai is once again remind people the nation's culture and awake their love for homeland, wedding lifee and peace, too.

Vietnamese Wedding Picture Blue

2008-03-01T05:16:00.000-08:00

History Vietnamese Traditional wedding clothes

2008-02-27T00:44:00.000-08:00

While traditional wedding clothes of Vietnam have always been very diverse depending on the era and occasion, it is known that after the Nguyen dynasty, women began to wear elaborate Áo dài for their weddings which were modelled on the Áo mệnh phụ (royal Áo dài) of Nguyen dynasty court ladies. The style of the Nguyen dynasty has remained popular and is still used for modern weddings. The difference of the Áo mệnh phụ from the typical Áo dài is the elaborateness of its design (usually embroidered with imperial symbols such as the phoenix) and the extravagant outer cloak. With this gown which is preferably in red or pink, the bride usually wears a Khăn đống headdress. The groom wears a simpler male equivalent, often in blue.
Previous to the Nguyen dynasty, it is likely that women simply wore fancy, elaborate versions of Áo tứ thân.

Vietnamese Wedding Picture

2008-02-25T21:42:00.000-08:00

Vietnamese wedding dress basics

2008-02-25T06:02:00.000-08:00

Vietnamese wedding dresses have a long history steeped it tradition. It is important to understand the national Vietnamese dress before exploring the wedding dress. For both women and men, the national dress of Vietnam is called “Ao Dai” – for every day wear and for special occasions.

Ao Dai means “long dress”. Early versions comprised of 4 to 5 panels of silky, flowing fabric, layered over loose-fitting trousers of the same material. The number of layers usually signified the wealth of the person wearing it – the more panels or layers, the more wealth. Some of the very wealthy would even wear more than one ao dai at the same time.

Presently, most ao dai consist of only two pieces – a dress worn over loose silk pants, the dress varying in length from just below the knee to the ground. The dress consists of two to four panels, has a well-fitted bodice and is split on the sides from the waist down. Early versions had buttons up the front or side, but in recent years, the seams run diagonally from the neckline to the underarm and seem to be the preferred style.

The necklines usually vary between two styles – the “boat” or the “mandarin” style. The “boat” style is more open, off the neck and preferred in warmer climates. The “mandarin” style is a high stiff collar – the length of the collar depending on the person wearing it. Sometimes, the collar is formed by the many layers (or colors) of the ao dai – as many as seven at once.

Occasionally, a low-scooped neck style will be worn, but these are less common. Most ao dai are custom tailored, made to fit each individual body. Some of the lesser quality ao dai are now being mass produced, but they are less fitted and designed.

Colors vary with the ao dai now, but originally were indicative of a person’s age and social status. Schoolgirls continue to wear solid white, symbolizing their purity. As a girl ages, she begins wearing soft pastels. The bolder colors are reserved for married and mature women.

For her wedding, the bride wears an outer robe (the ao choang) over the ao dai to create a more formal look. Red is considered the marriage gown color, although bright pink may also be used. At times, gold silk trims the ao dai and/or the ao choang. Unique trimmings are often painted or embroidered on the garment. The couple’s names, Chinese characters or beautiful images are used as trimmings along the collar, cuff or back.

The bride’s head is adorned with a matching headpiece, either the non la (a cone-shaped hat made from dried, woven leaves) or the khanh vanh. Many say this most popular style resembles a flying saucer.

During the wedding day, the bride and groom may change their clothes as many as three or four times – from a western-style wedding gown and white tuxedo, to the ao dai for both the bride and groom, to formal evening gown and black tuxedo.

Overall, the ao dai is a graceful, stately costume, flattering to almost any figure. It has become a popular garment in western culture as well, with numerous internet sites available for ordering ao dai – as a custom made or a pre-made dress.

Ao Dai Styles 2

2008-02-21T05:04:00.000-08:00

Ha Noi to put on birthday suit (1)

2008-02-13T05:04:00.000-08:00

HCM CITY — Designer Vo Viet Chung is getting ready to make a once in a century achievement – a 1,000m long ao dai (traditional long dress) to celebrate the 1,000th birthday of Ha Noi-Thang Long in 2010.

There are going to be a lot of pin-pricked fingers and strained eyes but Chung is determined to get the dress finished by June this year. He expects the ao dai will win a place in the Viet Nam Guinness Book of Records.

Chung says he’s spent around VND1 billion (around US$63,000) on the dress so far.
But don’t be fooled by the imminent deadline, because Chung’s project has been taken some painstaking planning.

"The dress is a piece of embroidery art," he says. "I spent a lot of time researching embroidery techniques but the dress also employs the style of old water colour paintings."

The train of the dress has nine layers, each embroidered with a flying dragon. These symbolise the nine branches of the Mekong River. "I also included the dim silhouette of our famous queen in the south, Nam Phuong," he says.

The dress will use traditional colours from the Nguyen dynasty like red, blue, indigo and purple and the material is also symbolic. "I’m using materials from the three areas of the country; from the north I’ve chosen Van Phuc (Ha Dong) silk; the south, Tan Chau and My A silk; from the centre Da Nang and Lam Dong silk. These will be blended with Phuoc Thinh silk, the total will make up around 1,000m of material," he says.

Ha Noi to put on birthday suit (2)

2008-02-13T05:01:00.000-08:00

Chung is decorating the dress with a treasure chest of gemstones, pearls, diamonds and rubies. To give the finishing touches to the ao dai’s regal glamour he and his assistants are weaving in gilded thread, silver lame and synthetic materials.

Over 20 tailors have been employed to embroider separate sections of the dress, mostly at the designer’s studio. Smaller-scale jobs are allotted to working-teams but Chung will be making the final touches.

Although Chung started making the dress last year, the seeds for the project were sown as early as 2001.

"When I studied fashion in Italy between 2001-02, I attended the debut ceremony of a record-breaking evening dress with a 100m-long train. It was then I first thought about making my ao dai."

"I plan to display the ao dai at the Viet Nam Culture Week in France. The trip will be sponsored by HCM Department of Culture and Information," the designer says.
Chung is no stranger to records. Last year he became the first Vietnamese designer to be invited on France’s TV programme French Fashion. — VNS

Sharing a poem on Ao Dai

2008-02-09T20:43:00.000-08:00

Dear Author,

As a Vietnamese I must be grateful to you and to your article on the Ao Dai of Vietnam.

I would like to share with you a poem on the Ao Dai Vietnam, firstly in Vietnamese then later in English. If Ihave a chance to meet you or to serve you as a tour guide, I will recite the poem in Vietnamese.

Ao dai doi canh tien bay
La hon dan toc, huong say cua doi
Don so hai manh tuyet voi
Than sau, vat truoc thanh loi nuoc non

Ao Dai, the two wings of a fairy
The spirit of the Vietnamese people and the perfume of life.
Very simple with two wonderful flaps
One in the front and the other in the back
And it makes beautiful words of the country

Hope you like the poem.

Vietnamese Brides Marry in Traditional Red

2008-02-06T21:33:00.000-08:00

The vociferous bang of thousands of exploding firecrackers and magnificent flowing silk dragons dancing in the road.
Sumptuous feasts of auspicious-sounding dishes and sweets.

Red envelopes stuffed with cash and given out to children.
East Asians are ringing in the Lunar New Year in a big way. And many Asian brides select this auspicious time of the year to get married.

Vietnamese people celebrate the lunar year in pretty much the exact same manner as the Chinese people do. There are many similarities when it comes to wedding traditions as well.
For example, Chinese brides, both modern and classic, typically change outfits three or more times on their wedding night.

Vietnamese brides do the same. The bride, in fact, may wear four to five dresses. And the groom changes outfits too!
The traditional Vietnamese wedding dress, known as Ao Dai, is often fashioned in brilliant red and yellow.

It is embellished by intricate embroidery of golden yellow motifs that denote marital bliss and prosperity. It is interesting to note that the national dress for both women and men is Ao Dai, which is worn both for festive wedding occasions and every day use.

The term Ao Dai literally means "long dress" and it is made up of over four layers of silky overlapping fabric, which are pleated over loose-fitting trousers made from the same fabric. It is believed that the more the layers, the more wealth of the wearer. Since this form of dress in a way denotes the financial status of the person who is wearing it, some well-heeled people wear multiple Ao Dai to show off their riches!

Ao Dai has a snug fitting bodice with long slits that run down from the waist and diagonal seams that extend from the neckline to the underarm to accentuate the natural curves of the hourglass figurines.

The brides also opt for an outer robe over the Ao dai for a classic appearance. There are many necklines to opt for such as mandarin collars to complete the picture of this stunning wedding gown.

To redefine conventions, go for the bold low neck style. That will grab attention as you pace down the aisle with your partner hand in hand!

Wedding gowns are almost always red in color though brilliant pink is also used at times.
The exceptional gold trimmings add dollops of exuberance to the wedding garb. Normally the trimmings of traditional motifs, Chinese alphabets or the name of the couple are painted or stitched along the back, cuff and collar.

The bride adorns her head with the typical cone shaped hat made from dried woven leaves or the more popular saucer shaped khanh vanh. The bride and the groom change their gowns at least three times during the wedding.

The wedding trousseau can includes a western wedding gown with white tuxedo, to the Ao Dai and the evening gown with black tuxedo.

These days, Ao Dai has attained a cult status of an elegant stately costume that accentuates all types of feminine frames. It is a popular wedding option among westerners as well, to infuse an Asian a theme into their weddings.

Photo courtesy of Quynh

AoDai Weddind Styles 2

2008-02-01T05:39:00.000-08:00

Vietnamese traditional dress showcased in Thailand

2008-01-26T21:31:00.000-08:00

Vietnamese traditional dress showcased in Thailand

A performance of Vietnamese traditional long dress (ao dai) was organised on December 3 in Ayutthaya, the former capital city of Thailand, attracting a lot of Thai and regional audiences.
This is under the framework of the first ASEAN Arts and Crafts Festival (AACF) which was held from November 29 to December 3.

During around one hour, six collections of Vietnamese traditional long dresses and Vietnamese traditional brassieres through the performance of 14 models of the Kalawin Fashion House of Thailand attracted the audiences.

Audiences highly appreciated the collections whose designs and harmony of colours highlighted the value of the tradition and modernity of Vietnam.

Designs by Lan Huong performed in Thailand.

Designer Lan Huong said she herself chose high quality material such as silk and taffeta from provinces of Ha Tay, Lam Dong and Da Nang for her products. Therefore, her dresses are combined with features of famous silk and embroidery handicraft villages in Vietnam. This aims to honour the beauty of women and the cultural and art values of Vietnam.

AoDai Weddind Styles 1

2008-01-23T21:44:00.000-08:00

AoDai Weddind Styles 1

ao dai Styles 1

2008-01-22T05:51:00.000-08:00

Ao Dai Styles 1

Ao Dai inspired building!

2008-01-20T21:49:00.000-08:00

Vietnam’s tallest building planned in Hanoi

Coralis Vietnam Co., an affiliate of SA Coralis of Luxembourg, has submitted the design of its proposed 65-story building, Vietnam’s tallest, to Hanoi authorities.
The 195-meter building, Hanoi City Complex, will be located at the intersection of Dao Tan and Lieu Giai streets in the capital’s Ba Dinh District.

The US$114.6-million building, the largest foreign-invested venture in the Hanoi real estate sector, will have apartments and offices for rent, conference halls, and a shopping mall, supermarket, cinema, and clinic.
An SA Coralis representative said the design of the building was based on the charm of the traditional Vietnamese garment, the ao dai, and the smiles of the Vietnamese people.
The skyscraper will take three years to build and is likely to be opened in 2010.

The country’s tallest building now is the 33-storey Saigon Trade Center in Ho Chi Minh City’s district 1.

Source: Tuoi Tre, VTC – Translated by Thu Thuy

Vietnamese ao dai auctioned for US$7,000

2008-01-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

The winner of the auction was Tran Minh Son, Director of the New Son Company. The auction is a very interesting part of the fancy party, where participants had to pay $200 each.

The starting price of this ao dai was $1,000, instead of $2,000 as the organisers announced before. However, it sold for $7,000.

Truc Diem cried when calling for benefactors to buy this ao dai to raise funds for disadvantaged children.

“This ao dai is not only made by hand, but it is made by hearts,” she said in English.

(Source: TNO)

Ai Nhi crowned Miss Photographic 2005

2008-01-16T04:51:00.000-08:00

From the left: Nguyen Trang Nhung, Nguyen Thi Ai Nhi, and Truong Thi Truc Diem

Nguyen Thi Ai Nhi, 22, from Lam Dong Province was crowned Miss Photographic Vietnam 2005.
Miss Photographic Vietnam is organised by The Gioi Phu Nu magazine every year. This year over 700 attended the contest, 20 of whom were selected for the final round
The winner, Ai Nhi, was also awarded ‘Miss Ao Dai”, while second place getter, Truong Thi Phuc Diem, 19 was awarded ‘most charming face’, and Trang Nhung, 20 in third place also received an award for ‘best performer’.

In addition, organisers awarded ‘most beautiful hair’ to Tran Thi Huong Giang, ‘most charming smile’ to Huynh Thi Thanh Tuyen, ‘most beautiful body’ to Vu Nguyen Ha Anh, ‘Miss photography’ to Chung Thuc Nguyen, ‘best costume’ to Vu Thu Giang, and ‘Miss audience’ to Le Thi Kim Thi.

Traditional Dress in a Changing World

2008-01-14T05:25:00.000-08:00

In Viet Nam, the ao dai is the traditional dress for women. Developed from Chinese court clothing in the 1930s, this style of clothing went out of fashion in the north in 1954 and in the south in 1975. Recently, however, it has made a comeback and is regaining popularity in the south among schoolgirls and office workers, and is being worn at formal functions. An indication of social standing, the ao dai is worn by women who work as shop assistants or who have a higher social status, while manual workers typically wear a loose top and baggy pants called an ao ba ba.

The ao dai is considered to be an elegant, yet demure, garment. Traditionally, long, wide- legged trousers are worn under a high-necked, long-sleeved, fitted tunic with slits along each side. The outfit’s pants reach to the soles of the feet, often trailing along the ground. Over time, the dress tunic has evolved, keeping with fashion trends, and has grown shorter and shorter until it now falls just below the knees. The ao dai can also be identified by its mandarin-style or boat-neck collar. Young girls wear only pastel colored or white garments while married women wear either dark or bright tunics over black or white trousers.

Historically, Vietnamese men dressed in mandarin style suits. With a tunic shorter and fuller than the ao dai, the suit’s color was traditionally determined by the man’s class and social rank. For example, a purple suit denoted a high rank while blue denoted a low rank. Status was also indicated through a variety of embroidered symbols. Today the mandarin suit is rarely worn except for in traditional dance or music performances.

In general, Vietnamese people dress conservatively. Although some young women wear more close-fitting, Western-style clothing, it is considered inappropriate to wear revealing clothes during the day. One Westerner teaching English in Viet Nam was advised to tuck her shirt into her trousers if she expected respect from her students. It is considered inappropriate for educated people to wear their shirts untucked.

The Royal/Wedding áo dài: Áo mệnh phụ

2008-01-12T06:18:00.001-08:00

The royal costume most commonly known today would be the áo mệnh phụ of the Nguyen dynasty. It is predictably more festive (in color and decoration) and includes a long flowing outer robe (with large, wide sleeves).
This costume, once mandatory for royal women of the Nguyen dynasty to wear at public functions, has subsequently become the mandatory costume for Vietnamese brides.
In addition, brides often wear khăn đóng, a crown-like headgear which is made from silk brocade.

ao dai Styles

2008-01-12T05:48:00.000-08:00

1 2

History of Áo dài

2008-01-12T02:45:00.000-08:00

Pronounced "ao yai" in the south, and "ao zai" in the north, the costume has had a short history relative to the country and people of Vietnam.
Early versions of the garment date back to the early 1700's, and were influenced by imperial Chinese garb of the Qing dynasty, known as Qipao. Unlike its cousin the qipao, which is a tight fitted dress with slits on both sides (in its modern reincarnation), the áo dài is a looser tunic, which even in its tight-fitting form is still left wide and flowing at the bottom. Furthermore, the slits of the áo dài extend above the waistline, revealing a slight glimpse of the sides of the midriff.
The costume has faced countless modifications throughout the centuries but its basic form consists of a long flowing gown with a slit on both sides, often with a high fitted collar, worn over long silk pants.
Some historians have suggested that the áo dài was an evolution of different influences from many directions, including the ancient four-flapped tunic áo tứ thân, one of the other more well known (and much older than áo dài) traditional Kinh costumes.