Our Vietnam Wedding~ Day 23

On January 4, 2004, we re-stated our wedding vows on the other side of the world, in Vietnam among both our American family and our Vietnamese family. The whole village was there to witnessed the bridging of both worlds.

Starting out, the Groom's family bearing gifts to the Bride's family. Each tray represented the symbolic symbols of wishing the new marriage with gifts of happiness, longivity, childbearing, good health & wealth for the newlyweds.

We had the Vietnamese Wedding version AND the Western Wedding version on our special day to complete this special "East meets West" family trip of a lifetime!

I will just let the pictures say it all from here....

The Groom's family

Last minute instructions from Hai, our translator, to explain the Vietnamese wedding traditions

The Bride's family waiting to greet the Groom's family

My Mom was getting the "gifts altar" ready to recieve from the Groom's family.

All the Groom's gifts were recieved by the Bride's family in order to proceed with the wedding

The wedding party, waiting for the Bride to enter the room

 The Groom paid the Bride's parents with an X amount of money in a red envelop before the Bride will step over the threshold onto the Groom's family. Soon after, the Bride's family's began to give the Bride her wedding gifts by showering her with gold jewelries on her wedding day.
After that, she is officially belong to the Man and his family for life.

Mr. & Mrs Swanson.

 Proceeding with the Western traditional wedding....

Groomsmen

Bridesmaids

Exchange of vows with Jim as our Master of Ceremony

A Special song from our John

You may now kiss your bride

The Wedding party exited onto the village's dirt road and the newlyweds stealed more kisses

Family Wedding Pictures

Kung Fu Kids

The Karate Boys

The "other" married couple. Jim & Bonnie

.

After the family pictures, the wedding celebration got  started....

Only the Swanson's  kids know how to get the party started in a BIG way, no matter where they are....

A special dance with my brother, Jason.

No translations needed for the word "party"

We just Got Married... the SWANSON"S Way....

With Love & Light,

Hai