Timothy Smirth, a 64‑year‑old American, met Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, who is 43, on a dating app in September 2025. Their first messages were simple questions about how each other was doing.

The couple has a 21‑year age gap. After a year of online chatting, Timothy flew from the United States to Vietnam in January 2026 to meet Phuong in person. He returned again in September 2026 to marry her.

Timothy wanted a wedding that respected Phuong’s culture. He asked many questions and helped choose traditional outfits, jewelry, and a ceremonial gift tray with a roast pig. He also selected five small trays for the ceremony.

The wedding followed classic Vietnamese rituals. The ceremony included incense, offerings of betel leaves, areca nuts, wine, cigarettes and sweets. These items were placed on the ceremonial trays as a sign of respect to ancestors and family.

Timothy could not speak Vietnamese, so a close friend of Phuong’s acted as his interpreter during the ceremony.

Around 150 guests gathered in Phuong’s hometown in Dak Lak province to watch the celebration. The guests saw Timothy carry the gift trays himself and felt his sincere respect for their customs.