Vietnamese Tea Ceremony Makeup in Ho Chi Minh City

You grew up in Sydney, San Jose, Toronto or Paris. Your grandmother still lives in Saigon, and the family wants the tea ceremony done properly, at home, the way it has always been done. You fly in two weeks before the date. Your mother is making the guest list from another time zone. And someone needs to make you look like yourself at six in the morning, in an ao dai, in 30 degree heat.

This guide is for you. It is written by KINKAY, an English speaking makeup and hair atelier in Ho Chi Minh City that works on location at family homes, hotels and venues.

What happens at a Vietnamese tea ceremony

The tea ceremony (lễ gia tiên, also called lễ vu quy at the bride's home) is the family part of a Vietnamese wedding. The groom's family arrives with gift trays, both families meet, the couple honour the ancestors at the family altar, and the elders give their blessings over tea.

For hair and makeup, three things matter.

• It starts early. Many families pick an auspicious hour in the morning. Your makeup may need to start before sunrise.
• It is photographed up close. Elders, cousins and the photographer will all be within a metre of your face, in daylight from the window.
• You may wear more than one look. Many brides wear a red or gold ao dai for the ceremony and change into a white gown for the evening reception.

What look works for a tea ceremony

Daylight and close-up photos are less forgiving than ballroom lighting. Kay usually suggests three things.

• Skin that looks like skin. A thin, even base that holds in humidity. No heavy powder that turns grey in daylight photos.
• Warm, soft colour. Rose, coral or brick red lips that sit well with the ao dai. The goal is that your grandmother recognises you.
• Hair that stays put. A low bun or half-up style that works with a traditional headpiece (khăn đóng) or with fresh flowers, and survives bowing at the altar.

For the evening, Kay can build up the eyes and lips and change the hair, so the reception photos look different from the morning set.

How much does tea ceremony makeup cost in Ho Chi Minh City

Prices are published in Vietnamese dong, in English, and they are the same for overseas clients.

• Bride, tea ceremony — the morning session, one look — 3,000,000 VND
• Bride, wedding reception — the evening session, rebuilt for evening light — 5,000,000 VND
• All-day care — Kay stays through the day and fully changes the look between the two — 2,000,000 VND
• Bride, full wedding day — all three together — 10,000,000 VND
• Mother of the bride or groom — booked with a bride package — 2,500,000 VND
• Bridesmaid or family member — each — 1,800,000 VND
• Gift tray bearer (bưng quả) — each — 1,000,000 VND
• Bridal trial — 2,000,000 VND

Full details are on the pricing page. If the ceremony is outside Ho Chi Minh City, any travel fee is confirmed before you book, never on the day.

How early should the bride's makeup start

Kay works backwards from the time the groom's family arrives.

1. Start from the arrival time of the groom's family.
2. Allow about 30 minutes of buffer before that.
3. Count back through everyone being done, with the bride last so her makeup is freshest.

Send the headcount and the arrival time and Kay confirms the exact start time for your morning. For a family of three or four people it usually means an early start, often before dawn in December and January.

If your family reads Vietnamese, the free wedding countdown tool works the timing out for them.

Can my mother and bridesmaids be done at the same time

Yes. Mothers often want their own look, polished rather than heavy, and comfortable for a long day. They are booked into the same session as the bride, at 2,500,000 VND when booked together with a bride package. Bridesmaids and other family members are 1,800,000 VND each.

Send the full list early. A large party may need a second artist, and the dawn slots in December and January go first.

When should I book if I live overseas

The months before Tết are the busiest wedding season in Vietnam. Many overseas Vietnamese families plan the ceremony for December or January to match school and work holidays.

• 3 to 6 months out. Message your date, the ceremony location and the number of people. The date is held with a deposit.
• When you land. Book your trial in your first week in Saigon, so there is time to adjust before the ceremony.
• One week before. Confirm the final schedule, the addresses, and who is getting ready where.

All of this can happen in English, by WhatsApp or email. Your mother can join the chat in Vietnamese.

Do I need a trial

If this is the first time you are meeting Kay, it helps. A trial lets you test the base in Saigon heat, choose the lip colour against your ao dai, and decide how the hair sits with your headpiece. Bring a photo of your ao dai and, if you have it, the headpiece itself. See how far before the wedding to book a trial for the Vietnamese guide.

What should I prepare before the day

• Your ao dai, headpiece and any jewellery, laid out the night before.
• A clean face in the morning, no heavy moisturiser.
• A room with a window or a strong light, a table and a mirror, and a power socket.
• A button-front shirt, so you do not pull anything over your hair.
• Water and something small to eat. Tea ceremonies are long.

Why brides coming home choose KINKAY

• English speaking, on location. Kay comes to the family home, the hotel or the venue.
• Prices published. You can check the cost before you message.
• Backstage background. Kay has worked backstage for pageants and fashion week, where makeup has to last under lights and stay sharp up close.
• Reviews. KINKAY holds a 5.0 rating on Google.

Book your tea ceremony hair and makeup

Send your date, the ceremony address, the arrival time of the groom's family and the number of people. Kay replies in English, the same day.

Start here: bridal makeup in Ho Chi Minh City.