Engagement Ceremony and Attending interview

[daniel_and_lily 45]

2 minutes ago, NikLR said:

On option 2, no there's no issues.  You're confusing a wedding ceremony with a marriage.  You can have a marriage without a wedding ceremony.

 

I wouldn't say I'm confusing it. I'm just concerned they'd come and say we're not legit because we didn't have the ceremony 😅

[NikLR 13,232]

Just now, daniel_and_lily said:

 

I wouldn't say I'm confusing it. I'm just concerned they'd come and say we're not legit because we didn't have the ceremony 😅

LOL not a huge issue unless it's very very very uncommon for a culture to not have a wedding ceremony when a couple is married.  

 

For instance in Colorado, you can get married at the DMV.  You don't even need an officiant. 

[daniel_and_lily 45]

@missileman  or @JasonGG  do either of you know ?

[JasonGG 280]

In Vietnam, I think the consulate will want to see photos of some kind of gathering with your front-loaded application or they may ask for them at the interview.  You can probably skip the traditional ceremonial steps if you want, but you will want to have photos showing the two of you with her parents, siblings, grandparents, etc.   Even a small wedding ceremony with just the two of you to make your marriage "legal" can be followed by photos with family and friends in a park.  Perhaps buy or rent Ao Dai for the photos.  We had ours made for our ceremony for less than $200USD.  The photos will show that her family accepts you and you accept Vietnamese customs.  Take her parents and siblings to dinner, take photos, and refer to them as your wedding reception.  We didn't submit any photos of our actual engagement ceremony, just the formal photos afterwards with my wife's family and friends.  Same for our wedding photos at the AOS interview . . . just the posed photos after the ceremony.

 

Jason

[daniel_and_lily 45]

13 minutes ago, JasonGG said:

  Perhaps buy or rent Ao Dai for the photos.  We had ours made for our ceremony for less than $200USD.  The photos will show that her family accepts you and you accept Vietnamese customs.  Take her parents and siblings to dinner, take photos, and refer to them as your wedding reception.  We didn't submit any photos of our actual engagement ceremony, just the formal photos afterwards with my wife's family and friends.  Same for our wedding photos at the AOS interview . . . just the posed photos after the ceremony.

super helpful! Thank you Jason!