US tourists turn unexpected wedding invitation in Vietnam into viral celebration

After stumbling upon a wedding in Vietnam's Mekong Delta, two American tourists were invited to join the festivities, where their karaoke singing and dancing later went viral on social media.

On Oct. 25, Andrew Newell Walther and Tyler J. Seims traveled from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho with two friends. The group had planned to take a river tour in An Binh Ward but changed their plans when one member developed a swollen eye and needed medical attention.

After visiting a doctor, the group was walking back when they came across a wedding banquet beneath a bridge. Attracted by the lively music, they stopped to watch and began swaying to the beat.

Seims even placed some cash in an envelope and presented it to the bride, Phuong Hao, and groom, Khang Minh, as a wedding gift.

As they prepared to leave, the bride's relatives and other guests urged them to stay and join the celebration. Eager to experience the local culture, the visitors gladly accepted.

"Everyone was really hospitable and insisted that we join them, so our whole group was deeply grateful. The experience that day was beautiful, fun, and quirky in a very sweet way," Seims recalled.

Once at the party, Walther volunteered to sing the Vietnamese song "Chi Rieng Minh Ta" (Just Me Alone), while Seims lay flat on the stage and performed a worm dance.

A video of their performances, posted on TikTok by a friend of the bride, quickly attracted nearly three million views.

The bride said the unexpected guests brought extra excitement to the wedding and created a special memory for the couple. Both sides have stayed in touch on social media since the celebration.

Walther said the visitors threw themselves into the festivities in response to their hosts' enthusiasm.

His only regret was wearing shorts and honeycomb-patterned flip-flops instead of more formal attire.

Guests of all ages laughed, applauded and joined the fun before the visitors eventually thanked their hosts and left.

"I just hope that joyful atmosphere stayed with everyone. We were just the spark that set off the fun," Walther said.

Walther first arrived in Vietnam in January 2018, planning to stay for a year. He wanted to find a place in Asia where he could focus on art while enjoying the scenery, food and local way of life.

Nearly nine years later, he still lives in Vietnam, running an art studio near the Saigon River in HCMC.

He taught himself Vietnamese and enjoys karaoke, using Vietnamese songs to improve his pronunciation and language skills. Before performing, he often translates the lyrics into English to understand their meaning.

Although Walther had attended several Vietnamese weddings before, this was his first in the Mekong Delta. He was struck by the relaxed atmosphere and the family's willingness to welcome complete strangers to such an important occasion.

For Seims, it was his first Vietnamese wedding. He first visited Walther in 2019 and later returned to Vietnam with his girlfriend.

Compared with the more formal weddings he had attended in the U.S., the celebration in Can Tho felt spontaneous.

He was surprised that the group was offered food, handed a microphone and encouraged to join the festivities.

"The food was delicious too. We felt incredibly lucky," he said.

Seims also admires the way Vietnamese people socialize, particularly families and friends gathering around small sidewalk tables to eat, drink and chat for hours, something he finds different from life back home.

The Alaska-based correctional officer said he loves Vietnam's culture, scenery and friendly people and is considering moving to the country. Having a longtime friend already settled there would make the transition easier, he said.

He joked that if he relocated, he and Walther might take up performing at weddings as a side job. "We came for the music, stayed for the food, and left with an unforgettable memory."