What to Wear to a Vietnamese Wedding?

Short answer: guests are not required to wear ao dai, but ao dai are always welcome and are the safest choice if you're unsure. More important than style is color – some colors should be reserved for the bride and groom. Below are specific suggestions by role.

Do guests need to wear ao dai?

Not required. A dress or a smart suit is appropriate for the reception. However, if the wedding includes traditional ceremonies – engagement ceremony (lễ dạm ngõ), bridal procession to the groom's house (lễ vu quy), or groom's procession to the bride's house (lễ rước dâu) – then an ao dai is much more fitting for the atmosphere, and you won't feel out of place in family photos.

A commonly overlooked point: many Vietnamese weddings in the US have morning ceremonies at home and evening receptions at a restaurant. If you attend both parts, wearing an ao dai for the morning and a different outfit for the evening is a common choice.

What to wear by role

• Bride and Groom: wedding ao dai, usually more intricately embroidered or embellished than regular ao dai. Brides often choose red or pink for the ceremony; grooms wear a matching men's ao dai in color and pattern.
• Parents of both sides: ao dai in more subdued colors than the bride and groom – blue, purple, brown brocade, antique gold. The two families usually discuss in advance to avoid matching colors, as photos of the groom's and bride's families are always taken together.
• Bridesmaids, Groomsmen: usually matching in a color chosen by the bride, lighter than the bride's ao dai.
• Female Guests: plain ao dai or with subtle patterns, in bright but not garish colors. Avoid white and red.
• Male Guests: men's ao dai, or a dress shirt and smart suit.

Colors to avoid

• Red — the traditional color for the bride during the ceremony. Guests wearing bright red can easily be mistaken for the bride in photos.
• All white — not only does it clash with Western wedding dresses, but it is also a color of mourning in Vietnamese culture. White with colored patterns is softer, but plain white from head to toe should be avoided.
• All black — not incorrect, but many older families still consider it taboo. If you prefer dark tones, navy blue or dark purple are safer.

If the bride has announced the wedding's main color, following that color is the safest bet.

How far in advance to prepare

For guests, a ready-made ao dai in the correct size can be ordered quite close to the date. For the bride, groom, and both sets of parents, it's different: you should order about 3 months in advance. Wedding ao dai require time for tailoring and adjustments, and when the whole family orders together, there's almost always someone who needs alterations.

If you're arranging for the whole family, not just yourself, AMVI has a Wedding Order tool for each person to submit their measurements via a shared link, and our family wedding ao dai page explains the process in more detail.

Ordering ao dai when you're not in Houston

AMVI has two stores in Houston, TX and ships to all 50 states, with a flat shipping fee of $10 per order whether you order one set or for the whole family. 8.25% sales tax only applies to Texas addresses; outside of Texas, there is no tax.

If you don't know your size, check out how to measure ao dai size at home then compare with our size chart. If you're still unsure, message AMVI your measurements via Messenger and the shop will help you with sizing. To see how a style looks on you before finalizing, use our virtual ao dai try-on tool.

Browse available ao dai styles, or follow the ordering guide if you've already chosen a style.