Weddings are part of every culture throughout the world. It is natural for people to grow up, get married, and start families. The United States and Vietnam are not exceptions. Some may think that weddings in both countries are very similar in some ways because they are a part of all cultures. On the contrary, there are several differences between US and Vietnamese weddings, especially in the engagement ceremonies, wedding ceremonies, and wedding receptions In the United States, engagement ceremonies involve only the couples and are often intimate affairs. The couples decide that they want to or do not want to marry, so their decisions do not depend on their parents' opinions. In contrast, the engagement ceremonies in Vietnam involve the couples and their families since they have to ask for permission from both families to get married. The decision to marry depends on the parents' opinions; if the parents disapprove of the future spouses, then the couples will not get married. Second, there are some important differences between US and Vietnamese wedding ceremonies. In the Unites States, Americans are not superstitious when it comes to choosing a wedding date, so their wedding ceremonies can take place anywhere and at any time, depending on what the couples decide. The locations range from churches to government offices, beaches, gardens, parks, and others. They are also different from Vietnamese weddings because most ceremonies begin in front of an altar, where the groom waits for the bride. Many American brides also prefer a white wedding dress, so they choose only one kind of wedding gown. On the contrary, in Vietnam, wedding ceremonies are usually combinations of Western and Eastern styles. The Eastern-style ceremonies include traditional Vietnamese elements and are more complex than the Western style, for which the couples usually start to prepare about six months to a year ahead of time. On the day of the wedding, the groom's family has to go to the bride's house. The bride's parents have to give their consent to the groom's family for the wedding to take place. At the end of the ceremony, the bride and groom usually receive valuable gifts, such as money or jewelry, from their parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters. In addition, Vietnamese brides prepare both western- and eastern- style wedding gowns. They usually wear the western-style wedding gown in the evening at the reception, while they wear the eastern-style wedding gown, made from "Ao Dai", a traditional cloth that is usually embroidered with imperial symbols the phoenix, during the ceremony. It is worn with a headdress and an extravagant outer cloak. The gown is usually red or pink since those colors represent for good luck, fortune, and happiness. Finally, US and Vietnamese receptions have essential differences that play indispensable roles in the different cultures. In the United States, the couples are free to choose the weddings’ receptions based on their preferences. Some couples may want to hold simple wedding receptions with their families, relatives, and a few close friends. The guests invited to the wedding can give their gifts at any time,
