8 Wedding Superstitions You Should Know Before Marrying a Vietnamese

As they say, love knows no boundaries: no race, age, or societal status. If you find a Vietnamese girl as your soulmate, it might be time to pop that question. But before you get hitched, there are some Vietnam wedding superstitions you should know. These may not apply all the time, but it won’t hurt if you’ll be guided with these things.

As you know, Asia is swamped with countless myths and superstitions. It may root from their spiritual beliefs and culture. Some may sound odd and weird, but if you really love the girl, you can sacrifice a little bit of wondering about these superstitions.

Here are eight of the most common superstitions where you might probably play a part as the groom.

1. The superstitious marrying age

Traditional Vietnamese people believe that it’s unlucky for a woman to marry at the age of 22, 23, 26, or 28. I can’t find any reason for this but it won’t hurt to follow. Also, they consider woman 30+ of age to be “past due” for marriage. For men, they consider it at the age of 35. If the family of your fiancée is more of the traditional type, you might need to reserve your proposal for a year if she falls on such age.

2. You’re not supposed to see the bride before the wedding day

This is common among Asian countries. Seeing a woman a day before the wedding day is thought to bring bad luck to the couple. You should only see the bride on the start of the ceremonies. This may not apply for modern families in the country. I suggest that you ask the family first to avoid any gaffes on the big day.

Anyway, a day wouldn’t be a big deal as a sacrifice for these Vietnam wedding superstitions.

3. The time and date of the wedding should be provided by a monk

This one root deeply on the spiritual beliefs of Vietnamese folks. They believe that the time and date should be dictated by a fortune teller or a monk. This has the same idea with the Chinese Feng Shui. Families always connect ceremonies to spiritual beliefs and they feel it’s necessary to consult the “gurus” first.

If you’re planning to coincide it with a nice date or your anniversary, you might not have the privilege to decide. Just pray that the stars will align for your chosen date.

4. You should prepare for a lot of ceremonies

Vietnamese weddings are no shotgun ceremonies. It’s holistic and includes a series of “steps” before you can finally say that the girl is already your wife. It will start with the simple ceremony of asking for the bride’s hand from her family, receiving the bride, procession going to the groom’s house, the ceremony, and the reception party. These Vietnam wedding superstitions vary depending on the family, but most of the time, this is the setup.

You should have your family members present too. Your father or immediate family members should accompany you in asking for the bride’s hand.

5. Remember odd numbers and color red

Before the wedding, local folks will arrange the gifts for the newlyweds. These are placed on trays which should be as large as possible. The larger it is, the more blessings that will come to the couple. Also, they present it in odd numbers and the color red. It’s like a Chinese belief at some point.

If you have friends and family members coming, remember that the customary gift during Vietnamese weddings is money. It should be placed in red envelopes.

6. The bride’s mother will comb her hair

The bride’s mother will play a big role during the ceremony. She will hand a pink chalk to the bride as a symbol of a “rosy” married life. Your soon-to-be mother-in-law will be combing the bride’s hair too. She will use “symbolic combs” that represents luck and happiness.

If you haven’t get the hang of these Vietnam wedding superstitions yet, Vietnamese folks always practice ceremonies that are believed to bring good luck. Never try to contest this or they will feel that you are the bad luck in their family. Not a good impression for the in-laws, huh?

7. The after-wedding party is a feast

Don’t eat a lot before the ceremony because the reception banquet will be a total feast. You should tell your family and friends about this too. Most Viet weddings will have six up to 10 courses of Chinese food. Half of it could be seafood so you better be hungry.

There are also cognac bottles for each table that the guests are welcome to gulp. You should show real gratitude for this as Viets view this as the start of a bountiful life together.

8. Know what you should pay for

You don’t have to pay for everything (sigh of relief, huh?). Typically, and might not be always, the girl’s family will answer for the ceremony expenses while you have to pay for the whole reception banquet. Don’t be stingy and give your share. If the family doesn’t have the means to pay, make sure that you’re able to provide. This is important as a soon-to-be family man.

These eight Vietnam wedding superstitions are commonly present during weddings. But as we modernize, this may be customized from time to time. Whatever the setup of your future wedding will be, it’s best to know the traditions first to impress the folks. Are you planning to get married?

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