Traditional Wedding Ceremony
Vietnamese traditional wedding ceremony and official signing wedding certificate usually take place in the morning.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
