A traditional Vietnamese Tea Ceremony
Holly & Sam
Dallas, Texas
The month of February makes me think of the color red.
Valentine’s day, the Lunar New Year, and traditional Vietnamese tea ceremonies!
While American / European brides are usually dressed in white, most Asian brides wear red on their special day (the color of happiness, fortune, and prosperity). Holly and Sam celebrated their union with two different wedding events, so Holly got to dress up in both colors!
The day before their grand wedding at the Dallas Museum of Art (which you can check out here), they had an intimate Vietnamese tea ceremony which was full of beauty, charm, and love.
Getting Ready
Holly’s parents hosted this traditional Vietnamese event at their home in Dallas, Texas. Holly got ready in her parents’ room which was full of childhood photos of her and her sisters, making this heartfelt celebration very meaningful.
By the time I arrived to photograph the event, Holly was all dressed up and looking absolutely stunning in her ornate red Ao Dai (wedding dress). Her bridesmaids were wearing pastel pink Ao Dai, which perfectly complemented the beautiful bride.
We took some bridal photos in the back of the house, hiding from Sam who was arriving shortly after with his family.
The Arrival
As per tradition when a Vietnamese couple gets married, the groom’s family comes to visit the bride’s family bearing a multitude of gifts (similar to a dowry). These gifts typically include a whole roast pig, numerous fruits and sweets, and jewelry for the bride. Although Sam and his family are American, they excitedly embraced the cultural traditions! Sam showed up in a classy white Ao Dai, followed by his family and groomsmen. They were received by the bridesmaids who accepted the gifts, and were welcomed in the house by Holly’s family who guided them to the ceremony site.
Ceremony
The ceremony took place in the living room, where an alter was set up for the bride and groom and a table was set out for the gifts. Since the space was limited, the bridesmaids and groomsmen stepped to the back to allow the immediate families to have room. Chairs were set out for the grandparents, and everyone took their place for the ceremony to start.
Holly was brought into the room, excitedly seeing Sam for the first time as her husband to be. A pastor led the ceremony with words from the Bible and unique Vietnamese sayings (such as making marriage metaphors using a glass of water and even dental floss!). After going through formalities and paying respect to the elders, Sam’s mother announced the gifts which were brought for Holly and her family. She then put jewelry on Holly, followed by Holly’s mother doing the same.
Then it was time for the actual tea ceremony. Holly’s aunt poured the tea into two small cups, which Holly and Sam offered to their family members starting with their grandparents. As they accepted and consumed the tea, they responded with blessings and words of wisdom for the new couple.
To conclude the ceremony, both families took turns listing and identifying all their family members, as a way to honor the two families coming together through this sacred union. People came from all over the United States and even the world for this joyous occasion!
Portraits
No celebration of love is complete without couple and family portraits! We took some quick ones as everyone was starving and ready for the feast that was served inside (Vietnamese food is arguably one of the best). My clients insisted that I put my camera down and grab a plate (or two), so we ended the day on these loving images.
Having the opportunity to be immersed in our clients’ incredible cultural traditions is our greatest passion as wedding photographers. We travel the world for destination weddings and local cultural weddings in Austin, TX.
Please reach out for a complimentary consultation to see if we are a good fit to capture the celebration of your union!