Thursday, June 9, 2011

A Vietnamese Wedding

Back in 2008 (I think) Stray and I returned to Vietnam for a second time. Before taking the trip, I'd befriended a reservations officer (Dung - pronounced Yuum in the south) at one of the hotels we'd be staying at, via email. If you haven't read some of the opening posts on Cooee you wouldn't know that we were lucky enough to catch a barge across the river and bicycle out to visit Dung's family farm to meet Mum, Dad and some uncles.
Ms. Dung, Stray between two uncles and Dad
Me, Dung and Mum
Last year we revisited the ancient town of Hoi An and Stray peddled out to the family farm once more to
have a couple of Một hai ba Zo!!'s or Yo's!! (Vietnamese for '1 2 3 cheers') depending on which part of Vietnam you're in, with Dad. Dung had since moved away from her family home, to the mountain city of Da Lat, Stray and I caught up with her again. This time, with her fiance.
COOL, picturesque Da Lat
Us
The gorgeous Ms Dung kept track of us all the way from the north of Vietnam, to Da Lat and until we departed in the south. She still checks on our well being to this very day. On our last visit we told her we'd definitely be expecting a wedding invitation....soon! because we'll be closer...in Thailand...hint, hint.
A week or so ago I opened an email from Dung, with photo attachments. The photos were of Dung and her fiance in beautiful evening wear, against scenic backdrops. Alarm bells started ringing in my noggin and by the time I got to this one...tears were welling.
My immediate response was 'PLEASE TELL ME YOU DID NOT GET MARRIED WITHOUT US?'

'No! These are PRE wedding photos'.

Oh. Of course...I knew that.

So, apparently the notion it being bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her wedding gown, before the wedding, is not a Vietnamese superstition. To have all of the wedding photos out of the way prior to the big day, is actually a brilliant idea. I remember 'our' post ceremony photo shoot seemed to drag on for quite some time, and talking through and maintaining a permanent smile, left one having a bit of a sore jaw afterwards, what!
Aren't we cute?
We (I) have a few weeks to cram in some more more than you can count on one hand Vietnamese vocabulary, until we attend the wedding celebrations of Ms Dung, back in her home town, just outside of Hoi An, next month.

Now for the BIG dilemma...what to wear????

Older (possibly cross referenced and misguided) related posts:
Further reading I didn't write:

Snap's other blog Chiang Mai Thai

10 comments:

Catherine said... Best Blogger Tips

"what to wear????"

What about Thai traditional dress?

Snap said... Best Blogger Tips

@Catherine the áo dài (traditional dress) is stunning. But unfortunately doesn't come with extra width for farang hips and/or muffin tops. ;)

DanPloy said... Best Blogger Tips

I love the stick-on moustaches in your wedding photo, they look like extras from a porn movie.

lanivcox said... Best Blogger Tips

How cool! What an honor. And I'm really glad you don't have blond hair any more. . .the wedding picture on the other hand is pure awesomeness.

Snap said... Best Blogger Tips

@DanPloy I'll have you know that my moustache is the real deal.

Remember we were married in the 80's, the decade that good taste and style, forgot ;)

Snap said... Best Blogger Tips

Lani, It is a real honour to attend, we're so excited.

Thanks for the compliment on our photo. Obviously, unlike Dan, you have an appreciation of awesomeness :)

Martyn said... Best Blogger Tips

Snap you are right about Miss Dung being gorgeous, she is a stunning looking lass and the pre wedding photo would adorn any Mills and Boon book cover.

A word of advice...Remove your bottom photo. If Stray finds out you were once married to a good looking chap with long flowing blond hair he's going to go mad.

Snap said... Best Blogger Tips

@Martyn Ms Dung is not only stunning on the outside, but is truly a caring, sincere young woman.

Ha ha ha! Stray is still good looking in my book ;)

Linda York Leaming said... Best Blogger Tips

Like everyone else, I love your wedding photo. You have hardly aged! Look forward to more pics of Vietnam. And thanks again for helping on the blog comments. Keep Bhutan in your thoughts!

Snap said... Best Blogger Tips

@Linda York Leaming I look forward to taking more photos in VN. Bhutan is definitely still in my sights, but not for a few years I think...but, you never know!