Many couples in Vietnam will exchange vows this Friday, November 11, 2011, hoping that six ones – the first number -- will give them an auspicious start to marriage.
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| A group wedding in Ho Chi Minh City in March 2010 (Photo: Tuoi Tre) |
In Ho Chi Minh City, 80 couples, mostly workers, will celebrate a group wedding sponsored by the Youth Support Centre.
They will enjoy free photo shoots, cakes, flowers, rings, costumes, and a parade in the city centre.
Each couple will also get VND2 million (US$100) as a wedding gift.
Thu (27) of Hanoi’s Cau Giay District said she and her fiancé had planned since June for a November 11 wedding.
“My friends who are getting married this year are also keen on this date,” she said.
Most restaurants in big cities are fully booked on the day, and only couples who booked early enough will be celebrating their weddings this Friday.
Vesna restaurant in Hanoi’s Long Bien District said it had to turn down many people.
Fortuna hotel in Ba Dinh District often has two or three receptions a day this wedding season, but on Friday six couples will have parties.
In Ho Chi Minh City too, hotels and restaurants received bookings many months ago.
White Palace convention center in Phu Nhuan District will hold a grand reception for the 80 couples sponsored by the Youth Support Center and eight others.
Interestingly, according to the Chinese calendar – which is what Vietnamese follow -- November 11 is not a particularly auspicious date to wed. It is good for signing marriage contracts, building or renovating houses, doing charity, or opening shops.
However, adding the digits of the date gives eight, the luckiest number for Chinese.
September 9, 2009, and October 10, 2010, also saw many couples tying the knot in Vietnam.