Traditions Thursday - Vietnamese Weddings
Yesterday at lunch time I went out and got my nails done. The lady doing my nails saw my engagement ring and we proceeded to discuss weddings for the next thirty minutes, as she, too, in engaged to be married in September.
It turns out, Nicki, my nail technician is Vietnamese, although, she was born and raised here in the states. She is marrying a Korean man, also, highly assimilated.
She was telling me that she is having a more traditional Vietnamese wedding, so of course, always in search of good material, I asked her to elaborate.
Her wedding will be held on a Saturday evening in September at a large Chinese restaurant. They will take over the whole venue with all of her 450 guests. (I will pause in my writing to allow for you to choke on all four hundred and fifty guests)
The restaurant will give them a special menu of food, prepared and eaten family style at large round tables, each seating ten people.
Some more specific traditions include, the groom’s mother visiting the bride’s family on the morning of the wedding and offering them two gifts. One, a special plant, representing respect; and a second gift of pink chalk, the color of happiness. Later on the wedding day, the groom picks up close friends and family on his way to the bride’s house where he presents her with jewelry, clothing and money.
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