In a rural area of Tam Quang commune, Thai Binh (now part of Hung Yen province), many locals know the special story of two brothers who married two sisters.

The couples are Nguyen Duy Thanh (born 1986) and Dao Thi Phuong (born 1992), and Nguyen Duy Lam (born 1989) and Dao Thi Thao (born 1997).

Thanh and Lam are biological brothers, while Phuong and Thao are biological sisters. Although their families live about 50 kilometers apart, fate brought them together in an unusual way.

A special match

Thanh and Phuong met first in 2015 while working at the same company. After only a few months of getting to know each other, they decided to get married.

At that time, Lam was working in Japan and could only send his congratulations from afar. Because he could not attend the wedding, he knew little about his sister-in-law’s family.

That changed in September 2016, when Lam returned to Vietnam for good. A surprising coincidence later introduced him to Thao - the woman who would become his wife.

Lam recalled that although his hometown was in Hung Yen, his parents and brother had moved to Dien Bien to live and work in 2013. When Phuong gave birth to her first child in 2016, she returned to her parents’ home after childbirth.

During the Lunar New Year of 2017, Lam joined his parents and brother on a visit to bring Phuong back home. It was there that he met Thao for the first time.

He still remembers her petite figure and cheerful, carefree personality. Despite meeting him for the first time, Thao warmly invited him to join the family meal and chatted with him naturally. Her friendliness left a strong impression on him.

After the holiday, the rest of the family returned to Dien Bien, but Lam stayed behind in his hometown. His brother later realized the reason: Lam had developed feelings for Thao.

Their relationship progressed quickly. After meeting a few more times and spending time together - including a trip to the beach - they began officially dating.

Once they were confident about their feelings, the couple shared the news with both families, who were delighted at the prospect of becoming in-laws once again.

Lam recalled his parents saying: “As long as our children are happy, we will always support them. This way, the two families will become even closer.”

A warm and harmonious family life

Both families soon gathered again to discuss the wedding plans. During Lam and Thao’s wedding ceremony, the same parents who had previously represented the groom’s and bride’s families once again raised celebratory glasses and offered their blessings.

Thanh and Phuong were busy helping organize the wedding. For Thanh, his younger brother’s wedding - which was also the wedding of his wife’s younger sister - felt like an especially joyful occasion.

After getting married, Lam and Thao spent some time working and learning in Hanoi. In 2019, they moved to Dien Bien to live closer to Lam’s parents and Thanh’s family.

During their first year there, the two couples lived together in the same house, creating a lively and warm family environment.

“We shared meals at the same table every day. If one person was busy, the others helped out. Whenever someone had difficulties, the rest of the family supported them,” Thanh said.

Because the daughters-in-law were also sisters and the husbands were brothers, the family rarely experienced conflicts.

In mid-2020, Lam and Thao moved to their own house about 300 meters away. Although they no longer live under the same roof, the two families remain extremely close.

Instead of sharing meals daily, they usually gather on weekends so everyone can better manage their work and childcare responsibilities.

Thanh shared that during these gatherings, the two sisters often call their parents back home via video, chatting about everything from daily life to family matters.

Seeing this, their parents-in-law sometimes jokingly tell them: “If our two sons hadn’t married two sisters, we wouldn’t have scenes like this - daughters-in-law calling the same parents together.”

The entire family often laughs at this playful remark.

The closeness also extends to the next generation. Thanh and Phuong have three children, while Lam and Thao have two. The cousins are very close and affectionate because they see the strong bond between their parents.

Even the way family members address each other remains simple and harmonious. Lam’s children call Thanh and Phuong “uncle” and “aunt,” while Thanh’s children address Lam and Thao as “uncle” and “aunt” as well.

Over the years, the two couples have shared many important moments together, including caring for their parents on both sides of the family.

Thanh said he feels grateful for this special connection, which has made the entire family even more united and happy.

Thanh Minh