A Wedding in Vietnam

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.

History Vietnamese Traditional wedding clothes

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.

The Royal/Wedding áo dài: Áo mệnh phụ

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.

History of Áo dài

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.