Wedding preview

To have to plan a wedding still feels like a very odd situation to be in. While on busy rotations (currently on OB as chief [!]), I have very little time for blogging, much less wedding-planning.

In any case, I am getting asked often by many people, "do you have a date yet?" which, while well-meaning, is sort of adding to my stress at this point.

We are getting closer, though. Here are some photos of the last few weeks:

Engagement party hosted by Wai Kiu and Hanh a few weeks ago:

We prepared a yummy spring roll buffet to give people a taste of Vietnamese culture :)

Thank you to Roxanna and Michael for a lovely cake-- and to Jeremy and Wai Kiu for being the main picture-takers.

Celebrating with Char and Thad

Char and Thad had a private Belize wedding in June, but we were fortunate to be able to celebrate with them at Rocky and John's at a lovely reception 2 weeks ago. Congratulations!

This past weekend, we went down to Orange County to celebrate the wedding of Man, one of K's friends from HS, and Huong. It was really interesting to be involved in a full traditional Vietnamese wedding, and equally interesting to attend a wedding with thoughts of your own wedding in mind.

The morning entailed us attending the "tea ceremony" which involves the groom and groom's representatives traveling in entourage to the bride's home, bearing gifts (enclosed in lacquer boxes, covered in red cloth) including a roasted pig, and asking for permission of marriage. This is followed by a short tea- and candle-lighting ceremony which honors the families; jewelry is also exchanged. This is followed by a trip back to the groom's house for a reception and, if Catholic, mass at the church.

For this morning ceremony, the women generally wear traditional dress, or Áo dài ("long dress"). I was able to join the tradition, having one made back in March when we were in Vietnam. Thanks again to Katherine, who was in charge of my hair and make-up :)

After the luncheon, we broke for the afternoon, and then re-convened for the evening reception, which is usually held at an Asian restaurant (with the whole place rented out). The meal was a 10-course Vietnamese meal, served family style, with appetizers, soup, a seafood basket, lobster with sauce, peking duck, crispy fish, fried rice, and dessert (I think I am missing a few courses but you get the idea!). The bride and groom go around from table to table, greeting guests which is termed "chao ban," or "table shopping".... as, at Asian weddings, apparently the guests give, not gifts, but money in envelopes which is very welcomed by the couple. The bride had three different outfits during the reception-- from a beautiful white wedding gown, to a bright pink ornate Áo dài, to a different white "princess" gown for the cake-cutting.

There was a Vietnamese band, and karaoke encouraged, but the reception was much like most wedding receptions I have been to, with introductions of the bridal party, toasts, slideshows, cake-cutting (although, apparently, the wedding cake is actually fed to the guests, which I have been told is not always the case at "white" weddings), and dancing. It was a great time!

Lovely wedding cake

Us with the happy couple- Man and Huong


While down in OC, we were able to check out several southern CA wedding sites, including the elegant Richard Nixon Presidential Library, Strawberry Farms, and Villa del Sol (the original Hotel California). The previous weekend, we had checked out two wineries (Scribner Bend, Wilson) just south of Sacramento which are in the running for our site. I think we will try to do more research this week and next weekend and, with hope, have a date and venue set for our own wedding in the next two weeks! Stay tuned :)