Fake weddings, rented grooms on the rise in Vietnam
The business of fake weddings and grooms/guests on rent has seen an unprecedented rise in Vietnam over the last decade, courtesy societal and filial pressure on youngsters to conform to traditions. According to AFP, the demand to hire spouses, relatives and friends for a staged wedding has risen to over 400 guests per event today from about 12 a decade ago. Here's more.
What is forcing the young in Vietnam to stage weddings?
The reasons for choosing to fake a wedding are many. Sometimes to legitimize a pregnancy out of wedlock. On other occasions, to avoid tension between warring in-laws unhappy with the union or to appease parents too eager to see their children settle down.
Times have changed, mindsets haven't
With over 50% of its 93 million people under 30, relationship norms among youth are fast changing in Vietnam. Countless of them live-in together before marriage in rented apartments away from parents. In 2017, Vietnam officially recorded 3 lakh abortions. The unofficial numbers are much higher. However, ultraconservative elders still hold marriages in high regard, creating a chasm youngsters don't know how to bridge.
Lines between fake and real are blurring
Youngsters are willing to shell large sums of money to keep everyone happy. Though the cost varies, Vinamost, a popular Hanoi company, charges $4,400 for a complete package. Though there is no official record of the number of staged weddings that take place in Vietnam annually, it is high enough to be worrying, say the organizers of these events.
