I blame myself for arriving at the wedding... on time.

My nephew had his wedding at home in the countryside, but he still held an additional reception in the city to invite friends and colleagues.

Since there weren't many guests, and relatives also wanted the opportunity to visit the city, they rented a 17-seater van for convenience.

"That day, relatives and neighbors gathered at my house at 3 PM to prepare for the trip. Because of the tight schedule, no one thought to cook dinner beforehand," Mr. Hoang said.

The invitation stated 7 PM, but by 6:45 PM, the whole family had already arrived at the restaurant. The bride and groom began greeting guests. At this point, some people complained of hunger because it was past the usual dinner time in their hometown. Others encouraged them, saying, "Just wait a little longer; we'll start serving as soon as more guests arrive."

"Just a little while" was actually more than an hour. Mr. Hoang anxiously looked at his watch. At 7:35 PM, 7:45 PM, even 8:00 PM, only a few guests had arrived; there weren't enough people to start the party.

Remember to have a light snack before going to a wedding.

This is the experience of Thu Thảo (27 years old, residing in Bình Thạnh district) when attending wedding parties in the city. Thảo shared that when she first started working in Saigon, her friends and colleagues got married and sent her wedding invitations, so she strictly adhered to the time she was invited to.

"I remember the first time I went to a wedding, I asked my boss for an hour's early leave to get ready. I arrived at the restaurant on time, but had to wait the whole evening before the reception could begin. At that moment, I felt annoyed, and all I could do was blame myself for arriving... on time," she recounted.

The ironic story of blaming himself for arriving at the wedding party on time is also the sentiment of Le Danh (31 years old).

Mr. Danh said that due to the nature of the event, weddings held in the evening often have guests arriving late. One of the common reasons is that many people finish work late.

"If the wedding invitation is for 7 PM, most guests will definitely arrive late. Because many people don't finish work until 5:30 PM or 6 PM. Rushing home to shower and change clothes takes an hour or more," Danh concluded. Not to mention, this is rush hour in Ho Chi Minh City, and if guests don't go home to change, traffic congestion will also contribute to them arriving late.

He said that he attended the wedding to maintain the relationship and bless the bride and groom, so he wanted to be understanding of them, not for the food and drinks. "Therefore, I usually eat a light meal before going to the party, so that if I'm late, I won't be hungry," he humorously shared his experience.

Those who arrive on time must wait for those who are late!

Not only the guests but also the bride and groom, and both families, were anxious because guests were arriving late.

Mr. Nguyen Hoang said that at his nephew's wedding, 15 minutes past the scheduled time, only a few guests had arrived. The bride and groom stood greeting guests, feeling uneasy. A relative checked the invitation to see if the time had been printed incorrectly.

Thu Thảo recounted an incident where she attended a wedding reception 30 minutes late, and the tables still hadn't filled with guests. Both sets of parents urged the bride and groom to go on stage for the ceremony and then begin the reception, fearing they might miss the auspicious time. However, the young couple lingered outside the restaurant, waiting patiently because the guests were the bride's close friends.

"The group of friends planned to perform an opening dance for the bride, but they arrived late," Thảo recounted with a sigh of frustration.

According to Mr. Le Danh, it is unreasonable for those who arrive on time to wait for those who arrive late. Therefore, the awareness of the guests plays a crucial role. The fact that many guests arrive late compared to the announced time causes delays in the start of the ceremonies and wedding reception.

"This not only inconveniences the bride and groom but also affects other guests who arrived on time."

"It's not just at weddings; for other appointments, even going for coffee with friends, you need to be on time. It's a matter of politeness and shows respect for others," Danh advised.