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In weddings in the Mekong Delta region, the wedding arch is a very important part. It's not only the first impressive focal point when welcoming guests and the face of the family, but it also reflects the unique wedding culture of this riverine area.
Nguyen Tan Dat (Cho Moi, An Giang) is a craftsman specializing in wedding arches in the Mekong Delta for four years. Previously, he worked as a sculptor, drawing and writing on pencils. Later, seeing his neighbor making wedding arches, he was introduced to the craft and has continued to do so until now.
Nguyen Tan Dat has been involved in the business of making wedding arches in the Mekong Delta for 4 years.
The elaborate wedding arches of the Mekong Delta are made from local produce.
To create a wedding arch, the time from gathering and purchasing materials to the final assembly is 3 days. The main materials for a Western Vietnam wedding arch include local produce such as: ornamental betel nut trees, chili peppers, okra, long beans, pineapple leaves, coconut leaves, fresh flowers, betel leaves, garlic, and bamboo skewers or needles.
These wedding arches have higher demands for aesthetics and uniqueness.
The cost of an elaborate wedding arch ranges from 15 million to 50 million VND, depending on the distance and the size of the arch chosen by the homeowner. The cost for the arch maker is all-inclusive, covering transportation, materials, and installation.
“Among the various wedding arch styles in the Mekong Delta, the dragon and phoenix arch seems to be the most elaborate and time-consuming to complete. To design a dragon and phoenix arch, my colleagues and I had to learn and practice extensively for a long time. The most difficult part was figuring out how to create a balanced flying or landing pose, then carving the dragon and phoenix frame. Next, we had to weld the frame, create the movement of the wings or heads of the dragon and phoenix. The most challenging part was creating the dragon and phoenix heads, which required carefully selecting each chili pepper to give them a lifelike appearance, and the fresh flowers had to be meticulously cared for…”, Tan Dat told Travellive.
According to Tan Dat, the key step is to pin betel nuts, chili peppers, and okra to create the dragon's scales, pin chrysanthemums for the phoenix's body, use chili peppers and okra to create the tail for color, and use pineapple leaves to make the wings or head of the dragon and phoenix.
The presence of dragon and phoenix symbols in a wedding signifies a harmonious and lasting marriage, and a prosperous and happy life.
The idea for designing a Western-style wedding gate came from a time when Tan Dat and his team had made gates using fig trees, coconut leaves, etc. The dragon and phoenix motifs, popular in everyday life, represent people's yearning for harmony between yin and yang, wealth, and power.
The use of a dragon and phoenix wedding arch symbolizes a fulfilling and harmonious married life for the couple. The dragon represents the groom's strength and protection for the bride, while the phoenix symbolizes the bride's beauty and grace. From this, he and his team designed and experimented with different shapes, gradually working day by day to create the wedding arch that reflects the unique style of the Mekong Delta region we see today.
The main materials used to make wedding arches are primarily local produce such as chili peppers, okra, long beans, pineapple leaves, coconut leaves, and fresh flowers.
The handmade wedding arch preserves the cultural beauty of the Mekong Delta.
As society develops, many beautiful and simpler wedding arch designs have emerged, but many people still prefer this style of wedding arch.
While in urban areas we often see "industrialized" wedding arches and elaborate, beautiful decorations, in the Mekong Delta everything comes from home, using ingredients like coconut leaves, chili peppers, betel nuts, okra, and beautiful fresh flowers…
A handmade wedding arch like this is a highlight in a market dominated by artificial flower arches. Although it may take a lot of time to complete, everyone is delighted and satisfied with its grandeur once finished.
This handmade wedding arch is considered a beautiful cultural feature of the people of the Mekong Delta during wedding ceremonies.
“The Mekong Delta is rustic and endearing, with its old-fashioned values but unwavering dedication and passion in everything we do. And the gates shaped like dragons and phoenixes have everyone admiring them. Guests attending the party are vying to take photos next to the unique gate. In my opinion, this type of wedding gate will gradually be replaced and become less popular in a few years, but my team and I will still pursue our passion and work with dedication to the end, no matter what,” Tấn Đạt shared.
Wedding arches, elaborately decorated with coconut leaves and banana trees, always hold a special appeal amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life. They embody a blend of nostalgia, elegance, and rustic simplicity.
The meticulous craftsmanship and skill are evident in every detail of the wedding arch in the Mekong Delta region.
Tan Dat further shared: “Later, when the wedding arch service developed strongly, with increasingly diverse designs and competitive prices, the wedding arches made from coconut leaves by relatives and friends gradually disappeared. One might think that it was all just a memory, but no. As life becomes more hectic, people tend to slow down and seek out the beautiful values of the past, and wedding arches made of coconut leaves, dragons, and phoenixes have been revived.”
