The an hoi, the Vietnamese engagement, as a highlight of its own
The Vietnamese engagement ceremony, called le an hoi in the north and dam hoi in the south, is when the groom's family formally visits the bride's family with betrothal gifts. Young men carry lacquered trays covered in red cloth, holding betel leaves and areca nuts, tea, fruit, cakes and other gifts, and young women from the bride's side receive them; an elder speaks for each family, offerings go on the ancestral altar, and the bride is brought out to meet the guests. To get a highlight of it, upload the an hoi footage as its own WeddingEditor project, name the spokespersons and the tray carriers in the preference questions, and WeddingEditor's AI editing makes a Highlight Reel of about 5 minutes or a Social Teaser.
Some families hold the an hoi months before the wedding, others the day before or the same morning. The gifts and the number of trays differ by region and family.
Creating an account is free.
Last updated October 2026
How to get a highlight of the an hoi
- 1
Upload the engagement as its own project
Create a project for the an hoi and upload the visit from start to end: the trays lined up outside, the carriers walking in, the handover at the door, the speeches, the altar, the bride's entrance and the photos with both families. If the an hoi was on the same day as the wedding, you can still keep it in a separate project for its own edit.
- 2
Brief the trays, the speeches and the bride
List the parts you want in order in the moments question: the line of carriers, the tray exchange, the opening of the trays, the speeches, the incense at the altar, the bride brought out by her mother. In the people question, describe both spokespersons, the bride's parents and the carriers' matching outfits. For audio, More speeches & voices keeps the elders' words in front.
- 3
Watch it and send notes
After you buy One Wedding or use a plan credit, processing typically takes 24 to 72 hours. Watch the edit in the app and download the 1080p MP4. If the carriers' entrance was cut short, email a note from the app; the full edit includes up to two revision rounds.
Moments of the an hoi to list
Write them in order. Name the carriers' and receivers' outfit colors so the edit can follow the trays.
The tray line
The carriers in matching ao dai lined up outside the bride's home with the red-covered trays, before they walk in.
The exchange at the door
Each tray handed from a young man on the groom's side to a young woman on the bride's side, often with a red envelope given in thanks.
Opening the trays
The red covers lifted to show betel leaves and areca nuts, tea, fruit, cakes such as banh phu the, wine and, in many southern families, a roast pig.
The spokespersons
An elder from the groom's family introducing the family and stating the purpose of the visit, and the bride's family elder accepting.
At the ancestral altar
The bride's family placing offerings from the trays on the altar and lighting incense to tell the ancestors of the engagement.
The bride appears
The bride brought out by her mother to greet the guests, the couple serving tea to both families, and, in many families, jewelry given to her.
What happens at a Vietnamese engagement, in order
A common shape. Many families also hold an earlier, smaller first meeting (le dam ngo), and diaspora families often simplify the an hoi.
1. The procession of trays
The groom's family arrives with an odd number of trays, commonly five, seven or nine, carried by young unmarried men in matching clothes. Young unmarried women from the bride's side receive them at the door, pair by pair.
2. Betel and areca at the center
Betel leaves and areca nuts (trau cau) are commonly the essential gift, a long-standing symbol of marriage in Vietnam. Other trays often hold tea, wine, fruit, cakes, sticky rice dishes or, in many southern families, a roast pig.
3. Speeches and the altar
An elder from each family speaks to formally announce and accept the engagement. The bride's family places some gifts on the ancestral altar and lights incense, and the couple may bow together before it.
4. The bride, tea and the return of gifts
The bride is brought out to greet the guests, the couple serves tea to the families, and before the groom's family leaves the bride's family commonly returns part of the gifts (lai qua) as a sign of goodwill.
Formal, bright and close
An an hoi is usually held in daylight at the bride's family home, with a formal arrangement of trays and two families facing each other. The edit uses the speeches as your cameras heard them, with music beneath as your audio preference sets.
One edit per engagement project
The an hoi project yields one edit, a Highlight Reel of about 5 minutes or a Social Teaser, made by WeddingEditor's AI editing.
Parts of the an hoi and what to put in the preferences
| Part of the engagement | What it looks or sounds like | Preference note |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival | A line of tray carriers in matching ao dai at the gate | "Carriers in navy ao dai, receivers in pink." |
| Tray exchange | Trays passed from the men to the women, red envelopes | "Show the first and the last tray handed over." |
| Opening the trays | Red cloths lifted, gifts arranged on the table | "Close detail of the betel and areca tray." |
| Speeches | Two elders speaking formally, the families listening | "Keep the groom's uncle's introduction." |
| Altar and incense | Offerings placed on the altar, incense lit | "Short and respectful, no close ups of the photographs." |
| The bride and tea | The bride led out, tea served to the parents | "End on the bride greeting his parents." |
What is the Vietnamese engagement ceremony?
The Vietnamese engagement ceremony (le an hoi or dam hoi) is the formal betrothal in which the groom's family brings trays of gifts to the bride's family, the two families agree to the marriage before the ancestral altar, and the bride is presented. An engagement highlight is a short edit of that visit, made from the footage you upload.
It is not le dam ngo, the smaller first visit between the families, and not the wedding day rite at the two homes, often called the tea ceremony. It also differs from the Chinese guo da li: the an hoi centers on the procession of trays, betel and areca and the speeches before the altar.
Vietnamese engagement video questions
Can the an hoi be its own highlight?
Yes. Upload the engagement footage to its own project, and that project's edit is the an hoi alone. The wedding day and banquet can be separate projects.
How do I make sure every tray carrier appears?
Ask for the line of carriers in the moments question, and describe their outfits in the people question. A short edit shows the line well, but not every carrier's face, so name any who must be seen.
The an hoi and the wedding were on the same day. One project or two?
Either works. One project gives one edit of both; two projects give the engagement its own edit. Many videographers split them, because the families often want to share the an hoi separately.
Will the formal speeches be heard?
If your cameras caught them, yes. The edit can keep the audio from your footage alongside music. Name the spokespersons and the lines that matter in the speeches question.
Can the roast pig or other gifts be featured?
Yes, if you filmed them. List the gifts you want shown in the moments question, for example "the roast pig carried in, and the betel and areca tray opened".
What does an an hoi highlight cost?
One Wedding is $119 one-time for one wedding. On a monthly plan the an hoi project uses one credit.
More for Vietnamese weddings
The trays, the elders' words and the bride's entrance
Create your account, upload the an hoi as its own project, and name the people who carried and spoke.
Start your first wedding