Vietnamese Wedding
Trip Start
Jun 19, 2008
1
10
26
Trip End
Ongoing
Ho Chi Minh City,
Vietnam
Sunday, August 17, 2008
After lunch we went to a large, Walmart-style grocery store to pick up some snacks. We were also the only Westerners here and some of the locals actually pointed and stared at us because they weren't used to seeing foreigners in the store. I don't think I've ever had that happen before!
The wedding festivities began bright and early around 6 am the next day
Before the wedding
. We all rode in a minibus to the Church which was about an hour away from our hotel. The wedding mass started at 7 am to beat the heat. The ceremony took place as part of the regular mass so there were lots of locals there too. We all processed into the Church after Andy and Phuong and the wedding party, unlike in our weddings where everyone is already seated. The Catholic mass seemed the same as ours at home and the Church looked similar as well. Of course I can't be sure of this considering everything was done in Vietnamese! Andy did the first reading in Vietnamese. He did a great job and we were all impressed. After the wedding ceremony we hung around for the usual photos. Phuong and Andy both looked superb! Phoung had a white, Western-style wedding dress and Andy a tux. It was interesting to note that the next mass was a women's only mass and all of the women wore the same outfit but in different colors which was apparently to represent what parish they were from.Then everyone on Andy's side of the wedding rode a short five minutes away to one of Phuong's relative's houses. The house was decorated for the wedding and served as Andy's house since traditionally, the groom brings gifts from his parents' house to the bride's parents' house. Andy changed into a traditional outfit and lots of pictures and video were taken of the preparation of the gifts. The gifts were mainly big bowls of fruit, nuts, some jewelry, and a cake. Angie and I got to help carry the gifts in the parade to Phuong's house just a few blocks away
At the Church bright and early
. We were really excited to be able to participate! When we arrived at Phoung's house, we handed the gifts over to Phuong's relatives. Phuong had also changed into a traditional outfit along with the bridesmaids as well.Then we all sat at tables set up in the yard for lunch while more formalities and ritual were carried out at the head table between Andy and his parents and Phuong's family. Lunch was delicious. They kept bringing out more and more food. We got to try pomelos which are the Vietnamese equivalent of grapefruit. Phuong's family owns a pomelo orchard. They were very tasty, sweeter than the grapefruit back home and fleshier so that you could easily take a chunk off with your fingers and eat it. We had seafood, meat dishes, rice, noodles, more than enough and all yummy!
After lunch we returned to our hotel for a little nap before boarding the minibus for the reception in Ho Chi Minh City. The reception started at 5 pm and was held in a banquet hall. There were about 150 people there and, except for Andy's contingent, all Vietnamese. Angie, Joe, and I sat at a table with Jim, Mary Jo, Andy's aunt and cousin from his mom's side of the family, Phuong's little brother Jimmy, and Phoung's cousin Minh who were groomsmen.
We had no idea what to expect and boy were we in for a show! While everyone was seated at their tables, some singers and dancers began the evening, followed by some people wearing large dragonheads.
Bride and Groom
When Andy and Phuong were announced they came in and then were raised up on a little platform with smoke coming out the sides - all very theatrical. Then a group of men paraded in with champagne bottles which they opened in unison. They were like a combination of chef/military men. Andy and Phuong then poured the champagne over a tower of champagne glasses which caused more smoke to erupt out of the glasses. They had a cake cutting, but it was not like ours at home. There were a few apparently fake cakes on pedestals and they made a cut into each cake, but that was it, there wasn't any for them to eat. Words just don't do the show justice. It's really hard to describe and you really had to be there, or for relatives, at least watch the video if you're at the reception in September. We were amazed! Besides the theatricals, the reception mainly consisted of eating. We had about 8 or so different dishes, all good portion sizes so that you were neither hungry nor stuffed afterwards. Highlights were some kind of fish and a noodle soup with vegetables and seafood. The dessert was also excellent. We had sorbet and a little piece of green tea cake with chocolate drizzled over it - so good! Since the food dishes were brought out one at a time, it took a long time to eat. The whole thing was very enjoyable and we liked getting to sample all of the different items. During dessert Andy and Phuong had their first dance and then the father-daugher, mother-son dance afterwards
So cute
. Though you could tell this was not a Vietnamese custom because they all seemed to find this part hilarious. It was about 8 pm when dinner and dessert were finished and after that, the Vietnamese all left. This is their custom for weddings apparently. They spend a long time eating and then leave when the meal is over. There is no dancing like in Western-style weddings. Phoung and the bridesmaids also had different dresses on again for the reception so that makes 3 different dresses for the day! Andy wore his tux again for the reception. Since we had had an early morning, we all left shortly after the Vietnamese and went back to our hotel in Bien Hoa for one more night. The wedding was so much fun and such a great experience. I am so very glad we got to be a part of it. I don't think I'll ever get to see anything like that in my life again! It was just fabulous!
