Wedding in the time of "my grandparents"
The wedding photos of Huu Phu and Ngoc Trang, as soon as they were posted, quickly attracted the attention of the online community. Behind the lens is photographer Chau Quang Dien - a son of Ben Tre. He confided: "I only take wedding photos for family and close friends. I am a son of Ben Tre, so the Western region is always ingrained in my personality and my compositions."
The wedding of Tran Huu Phu (29 years old) and Nguyen Thi Ngoc Trang (22 years old) was held in Mo Cay Nam district (Ben Tre province) in the ancient Southern style.
The wedding photos of Huu Phu and Ngoc Trang quickly attracted the attention of the online community.
As a long-time close friend of the groom, the photographer said: “I have known Phu for a long time, when he was a student of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Dong Thap. When Phu was preparing for his wedding day, he trusted me and my friends in the group to capture the images of the important event in his life. My friends and I were very happy to be able to capture the moments of my friend's life, while also contributing to introducing the traditional beauty of the West in particular and Vietnam in general to friends everywhere.”
With the desire to have a truly meaningful wedding, Huu Phu spent a lot of time and effort to prepare. Since 2023, he has started planning, collecting and personally decorating the wedding space. Every small detail is meticulously cared for by the couple to create a cozy and romantic space. The wedding is not only a beautiful memory for the two of them but also a gift for family and friends.
With the desire to have a meaningful wedding, Huu Phu spent a lot of time and effort to prepare.
Every small detail is meticulously cared for by the couple.
On Huu Phu's big day, fresh flowers were arranged by artisans into graceful peacock tails, the wedding invitations had a strong ancient breath with sophisticated motifs, the fruit trays were full of Southern flavors, making the space even more cozy. In particular, the wedding gate was designed in the old style, as if bringing guests back to a distant past. Not only that, Huu Phu also "ordered" a special classic makeup for the bride, making her look gentle and shy. Not stopping there, with skillful handwriting, he also personally wrote red parallel sentences to hang solemnly at home, expressing his sincerity and respect for tradition.
The wedding ceremony of Huu Phu and Ngoc Trang is full of tradition. The tray of betel and areca nuts - a symbol of unity, is handed to the head of the bride's family. Next is the colorful ceremony tray representing prosperity and luck.
The colorful offering tray represents abundance and luck.
Wedding tray of offerings
Betel and areca tray - symbol of connection
In the warm atmosphere of the wedding day, the bride and groom chose simple traditional costumes. The bride's bright red striped shirt combined with the groom's traditional long dress and turban created a beautiful, rustic image. Along with that, the presence of parents and relatives in traditional long dresses added to the traditional beauty of the wedding.
“Phu is a person who loves to research Vietnamese culture. When preparing for the wedding, he spent a lot of time learning about the customs of ancient Vietnamese weddings, trying to recreate as authentically as possible a beautiful cultural feature of our ancestors. Therefore, the job of the photography team is to capture his ideas in the most authentic way possible through images,” the photographer said.
The bride and groom chose simple traditional costumes.
The presence of parents and relatives in traditional ao dai added to the traditional beauty of the wedding ceremony.
Passion for Southern culture
Growing up in a family with a deep cultural tradition, Huu Phu was taught wholeheartedly by his grandfather. In the afternoons, he often gathered around his grandfather, listening to him tell fairy tales, about etiquette, and ancient customs. He always felt excited when he saw his grandfather preparing the feast and writing parallel sentences. Those images were deeply imprinted in his mind and became a great source of inspiration.
“We often call Phu the little old man because of this special passion. Nowadays, finding a young person with a passion for Southern culture like Phu is very rare,” said Mr. Dien.
Fairy tales, about etiquette and customs of the ancients
The harmony between ancient and modern beauty
Organizing a traditional wedding in the old Southern style, especially in Ben Tre, requires meticulousness and dedication from the person who organizes it. The organizer not only needs to have a deep passion for Southern culture but also must have profound knowledge of ancient rituals and customs.
From the idea generation, home decoration design, family altar, wedding gate, to choosing costumes for the bride and groom and both families, everything must be carefully prepared to ensure the traditional spirit. The support and understanding of both families is also an important factor to create a complete and meaningful wedding.
A traditional wedding in the old Southern style
The support and understanding of both families is also an important factor in creating a complete and meaningful wedding.
