DAY 19: Southeast Asia: Wonders of Cambodia, Vietnam & the Mekong
Chris, Nhi and Charlene at the Tea Ceremony prior to the wedding.
We woke up this morning knowing it was a very special day; Nhi and Duc’s wedding day had finally arrived! After getting ready, our driver picked us up at 8:45 a.m. so we could arrive at Nhi’s home by 9 a.m. for the first formal tea ceremony. Duc’s family arrived, bearing approximately seven beautifully prepared gift baskets filled with wedding cakes, liquor, fruit and flowers. Each basket was covered in rich red cloth embroidered with gold, carried carefully into the home in a procession that felt both ceremonial and deeply meaningful symbolizing respect, unity and blessing.
Six bridesmaids lined the steps as Duc’s family and guests entered. Inside, we were seated at a long dining table with other honored guests, including Duc’s father and Nhi’s parents. Tea was poured, speeches were made, and red envelopes were exchanged from the groom’s family to the bride’s. Two professional photographers moved quietly through the space, capturing moments every moment.
Afterward, Hanna walked us around the grounds, showing us a peaceful pond surrounded by bamboo, tucked away beside their company warehouse. It felt like a hidden sanctuary. We enjoyed banh mi, water and a few sips of lightly colored tea before most of us boarded a plush coach bus for the journey to Ho Chi Minh City where the wedding ceremony and reception would take place. Chris and I sat in the first row behind the driver, enjoying the view and the air conditioning as we traveled.
The drive took about three hours, about half in the bustling metro areas of Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City and half in the mostly rural areas between them. We traveled in a small convoy, two cars and a van, everything carefully coordinated. Nhi was clearly running the show with calm authority. Along the way, we noticed how many trucks and buses displayed small shrines on their dashboards — Buddhas, flowers and offerings meant to bring good luck and safe travels. Guide Sam’s familiar refrain echoed in our heads: “Oh my Buddha.”
We stopped at the same rest area we’d visited before and enjoyed banh mi sandwiches and fresh coconuts with milk inside. There were roadside food stalls as well as familiar restaurants like KFC. We spoke briefly with Nhi, who was holding up well despite the full schedule. Along the road, we saw yet another unforgettable sight: a man pushing a cart stacked at least fifteen feet high with what appeared to be Styrofoam.
We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 7, where Duc’s parents live and where the second tea ceremony was taking place. Chris and I were escorted from the bus to one of Duc’s aunt’s nearby apartments, where we changed from our traditional attire into our western style wedding clothes. We relaxed there for about half an hour, chatting with two children, ages nine and ten, who spoke excellent English. We ate fruit, drank water and enjoyed views from what we believe was the tenth floor overlooking a park. The wedding venue sat just across the park along the river, within easy walking distance.
Duc later escorted us downstairs to a community room, where we reunited with Ana and Uyen, friends of Nhi’s we had met before. Both are Vietnamese Americans, close to our age. Ana immigrated to the U.S. alone at just thirteen, living with a host family in the Chicago area. She and Uyen were roommates at the University of Illinois and remain close friends today, now living in Naperville and Aurora. It was wonderful reconnecting and sharing stories.
Around 5:15 p.m., we made our way to the wedding venue. Guests gathered, photos were taken in the beautiful venue setting located along the Rach Dia river, and soon Nhi and Duc processed down the aisle with their parents and attendants. Each had three attendants, and they had changed from traditional morning attire into Western wedding dress. Nhi was stunning in a ballroom gown and veil, carrying a simple but colorful ring of flowers. The attendants wore gold dresses, and the men wore suits.
The ceremony was led by an MC who spoke in both Vietnamese and English. Speeches followed — fathers, uncles and loved ones sharing words of wisdom and pride. Nhi and Duc read their handwritten vows in English, which were then translated. Duc became emotional while reading his, and Nhi spoke with calm grace and deep feeling. Duc’s father was visibly moved, embracing Duc and his brother in a long, heartfelt hug that left few dry eyes.
A video created by Duc’s coworkers followed, and it was an absolute highlight. Styled like a Zoom meeting, each team member delivered a humorous “status update” on the release of Duc 2.0 (post-marriage version). His team, spread across the globe, brought laughter and joy to the moment.
Dinner followed, with guests moving to nearby tables. We sat with U.S. friends Ana, Uyen and Nhi’s friend Mie from Thailand (another Illinois State student), whom we were meeting for the first time. Later, six of Duc’s young cousins joined us. The meal was served in multiple courses and included Grilled Squid Papaya Salad Thai Style and Grilled USDA Beef, Stuffed Lemongrass & Oven-Baked Oyster with Cheese, Blue Crab, Scallop and Asparagus Soup, Grilled Sturgeon Fillet with Chili Rock Salt, Sous-Vide Beef Brisket, Truffle Purple Potato, Baby Broccoli with Bordeaux Wine Reduction and Chicken Green Chili Hot Pot with Egg Noodles.
As the evening continued, a beautifully choreographed dance performance took place, followed by more speeches and another set of vows. During her father’s speech, Chris was mentioned and thanked for looking out for Nhi as a godfather figure during her years in the U.S.
Nhi and Duc then poured champagne together over a cascading fountain of glasses and cut their wedding cake. The cake was enormous, though only the top tier was real, with the rest artfully constructed of Styrofoam. Dessert was a tofu bread pudding, lightly sweet and delicious, fitting with Asian traditions. Small fireworks sparked as the champagne flowed, releasing wisps of smoke and adding drama to the moment.
Music filled the evening, classical pieces and pop love songs, including Ed Sheeran. Games followed: Name That Tune, musical chairs, guessing ages from childhood photos, and a bouquet-style ribbon pull for single women. Hanna pulled a ribbon and declared herself “the flower,” to much laughter.
Heinekens flowed freely, and toasts rang out again and again — “Một, Hai, Ba!” — a joyful countdown that brought the room together in celebration. Nhi and Duc visited every table, raising glasses and posing for countless photos.
It was a day layered with tradition, love, laughter, and meaning, an extraordinary celebration of two families coming together and a friendship we feel deeply honored to be part of.