The Most Unique Wedding in Vietnam - The Wedding of the Red Dao Ethnic Group
The wedding of the Red Dao ethnic group in Tân Phượng, Yên Bái is one of the most unique wedding ceremonies in Vietnam, particularly marked by the indispensable presence of the traditional horn. The sound of the horn not only signals the joy of the union but also embodies a distinct cultural feature of the Red Dao people. Instead of the groom's family fetching the bride as in many other traditions, the Red Dao wedding involves the bride's family escorting her to the groom's home, often with a large delegation of 30 to 60 people.

The horn, along with drums, gongs, and cymbals, plays vibrant tunes that urge the bride's family to prepare her wedding attire. Upon arrival, the bride's family is welcomed with joyful melodies, as the head of the delegation drapes a red cloth over the bride and pins silver flowers on her, symbolizing a wish for eternal happiness, beauty, and lifelong companionship with her husband.

Throughout the ceremony, the horn is played multiple times with different melodies, from welcoming the bride into the groom's home, conducting the wedding rituals, expressing gratitude to the parents, to bidding farewell to the bride's family. The slow, melancholic tune of the horn as the bride bids farewell to her parents is her way of thanking them for raising her to be a virtuous wife and daughter-in-law.