A wedding in Vietnam's central province of Nghe An drew 1,300 guests, many from disadvantaged backgrounds. But it was the bride's mother's decision to return wedding gifts to struggling families that touched hearts after the celebration.
On October 18, the wedding of Mai Suong, 25, and Nhat Vuong, 33, brought a festive atmosphere to Tra Lan village in Con Cuong commune, Nghe An province.
In the rural western part of the province, a large wedding marquee was erected to accommodate the steady stream of guests arriving to celebrate with the couple.
Dinh Thi Lieu, 50, the bride's mother, said she had spent nearly a year researching event organizers, catering services, sound systems and lighting arrangements to prepare for her daughter's special day.
"Even my daughter was surprised that I had organized such a celebration for her," Lieu said.
Suong moved to the United States in 2016 to study and later stayed to work. It was there that she met Vuong, who comes from Thanh Vinh ward in Nghe An and also works in the US.
Initially, the bride had hoped for a small, intimate celebration at home.
Her paternal relatives had lived in Belgium for many years, and the family did not expect a large gathering of friends and relatives. Both families had also agreed to hold the wedding in one location to make attendance easier for everyone.
A rural wedding welcomes 1,300 guests
The wedding of Mai Suong and Nhat Vuong was held in Tra Lan village, Con Cuong commune, Nghe An province.
Lieu originally planned to arrange around 70 banquet tables and send out invitations.
However, in the days leading up to the wedding, she began receiving calls and messages from friends and acquaintances who were upset that they had heard about the celebration but had not been invited.
"They told me they would come to celebrate with us even without an invitation. When people care about your family and want to share your happiness, I just couldn't bear the thought of turning them away," she recalled.
What began as a relatively modest celebration soon grew into something much larger.
Lieu contacted the company responsible for the wedding marquee and asked it to expand the venue, increasing the catering capacity to accommodate 1,300 guests.
The catering team traveled from Hue, approximately 400 kilometers from the bride's hometown, to prepare the wedding feast.
A two-chi gold wedding gift and an unexpected response
The wedding organized by Dinh Thi Lieu for her daughter welcomed 1,300 guests.
Of the 1,300 guests invited to the wedding, only around 100 were Lieu's friends from different parts of the country.
Most of the others were neighbors and local residents, including many disadvantaged families she had helped over the years.
Lieu said that when personally delivering invitations, she also gave money to some guests in advance.
Her intention was simple: she wanted them to enjoy the celebration without worrying about having to find money for a customary wedding gift.
One story that particularly stayed with her involved a man from the village whose family had endured considerable hardship.
His father died when he was young, while his mother suffered a stroke that left her bedridden. As the family's only son, he faced enormous responsibilities.
Dinh Thi Lieu (right) and her daughter's in-laws walk onto the stage during the wedding celebration.
When the man got married, Lieu had stepped in to help organize and support his wedding.
Years later, at her daughter's wedding, he walked onto the stage and presented the newlyweds with two chi of gold, equivalent to 7.5 grams.
But after the celebration, Lieu asked for his bank account details and transferred an amount of money equivalent to the value of the gold back to his family.
"I have always considered him part of my family. I only wanted to accept the kindness behind his gift. As for the gold, I wanted to give its value back to his family," Lieu explained.
The man's wife, identified by her initials P.T.L., confirmed that her family had received the money Lieu transferred after the wedding.
After the wedding, Lieu returned monetary gifts to families facing financial hardship. Photos: Tran Loc - Cao San Din
Lieu's generosity is rooted in a childhood marked by hardship and loss.
Born into a family of seven children, she lost her father when she was just 13.
Not long afterward, her eldest brother was involved in a serious traffic accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury.
After completing ninth grade, Lieu had to leave school and work to earn a living while helping care for her younger siblings.
Those difficult years gave her a deep understanding of the struggles faced by families dealing with poverty, illness and misfortune.
Over the years, she has actively participated in social welfare and charitable initiatives, including providing regular assistance to patients undergoing dialysis at Northwestern Nghe An General Hospital.
On September 29, during a gathering honoring volunteer groups and benefactors who contributed to social welfare activities between 2023 and 2026, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province presented Lieu with a token of appreciation in recognition of her contributions to the community.
Vietnamnet.vn
Podcast
.svg){kind=icon}
