Dating and marriage customs in vietnam

With the decline of traditional arranged marriages in Vietnamese culture, men and women are being entrusted to find a suitable mate for themselves. However, because maintaining a positive reputation and showing respect for family is still highly regarded in Vietnam, etiquette rules for dating are in place to ensure that men and women find respectful, virtuous and family-oriented partners to marry. Protocol dictates that a man introduces himself to the family of the woman whom he is interested in dating prior to asking her out. It is also considered proper etiquette to spend time with the family on multiple occasions, often bringing gifts such as flowers and wine, before asking her parents for permission to formally date their daughter.

Marriage is regarded as being permanent and brides are expected to be virgins when they get married. Couples have traditionally been expected to marry within their village and class with marriage to cousins or within the extended families being frowned upon. In the old days the bride was usually several years older than the groom. The reasoning went that an older woman was stronger and more able to perform farming chores.

But you need to be aware that dating girls from traditional countries like Vietnam will be far different from the west. And if you never lived in Vietnam or dated a Vietnamese girl before, this will be very difficult waters to navigate. Sadly, many relationships have ended due to trivial cultural misunderstandings. Misunderstandings that could have been solved with the right information or guidance.

The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important ceremonies in Vietnamese culture , which is influenced by Confucian and Buddhist ideologies. Traditional clothes of Vietnam have always been diverse depending on the era and occasion, so wedding clothes varied in style and trend throughout history. The wedding gown compared to other traditional Vietnamese clothes is simply more intricate by design and only worn for the wedding day. The clothes are usually embroidered or beaded with imperial symbols such as a phoenix or dragon; nature imagery can also seen.