Vietnamese Wedding, Oakland, CA, 1989
Cap comes with his wedding party to collect Luong Le from her house. Each member of the two extended families is formally introduced. Then they drink to one another. Some foods, wrapped in red cellophane, brought by Cap will accompany the couple back to his house.
Katrina Thomas's notes: Under a special act of Congress, refugees from Vietnam were first admitted to the U.S. after the fall of Saigon in April 1975. They included ethnic Chinese, Eurasians and Amerasians born there, most of whom are Christian. Vietnamese have settled largely in Texas, and in California, the state in which I photograph them. Weddings start at the bride's house with a formal introduction of the two families, followed by bestowing jewelry on her by the bridegroom's family, and progress to the bridegroom's house to honor his family. In their home country, their own customs were influenced previously by French culture so that couples here adapt rapidly to American ways. The ethnic nuptial rite has been superseded by the Christian rite or a Buddhist blessing.
Thomas, Katrina (photographer)
1989
1 photograph : black-and-white
reformatted digital
North and Central America--United States--California--Alameda--Oakland
BMC-M59
Photographer's categories: Prenuptial rite , Bride , Bridegroom , Traditional apparel , Bride's home , Welcome , Gifts , Sharing food , Sharing drink , In-laws
BMC-M59_63-01