Philippine man crafts marriage proposal with 1,500kg of incense sticks at Hanoi’s famous incense village

On Thursday, photos of a one-of-a-kind marriage proposal by a Philippine man went viral on social media, showing the words 'Will you marry me?' arranged with bundles of incense sticks at Quang Phu Cau incense-making village in Hanoi.

The creative proposal drew widespread praise online. The man had planned the proposal a month in advance.

Quang Phu Cau, located about 35 kilometers from downtown Hanoi, is a traditional Vietnamese village known for its century-old incense-making craft.

Nguyen Dinh Dam, director of the Quang Phu Cau Incense Craft Village, said the tourist site helped the man develop the concept, design the layout, and prepare a drawing based on his requirements.

Setting up the proposal scene required meticulous work to make the shapes and details stand out against a backdrop of red incense sticks. Local residents spent a day preparing the setting.

“Members dyed the incense sticks, cleared away those being used to decorate other designs and replaced them with fresh ones. They then arranged the sticks into a heart and a ring, assembled the proposal message and laid out red incense sticks as the background,” Dam said. 

Dang Hoa, who helped create the proposal setting, said 1,500 kilograms of incense sticks were used exclusively for the area where the proposal took place.

Dam said the visitor had planned a trip to Vietnam, intending to visit several destinations. After learning about Quang Phu Cau Incense Craft Village, he was struck by its beauty and came up with the idea of proposing to his girlfriend there.

“He believed the vibrant colors and unique arrangement would make the moment even more special for the two of them,” Dam said.

Trang Van Thuc, deputy director of the Quang Phu Cau Incense Craft Village, said several couples had previously visited the village for wedding photos or marriage proposals.

However, the Philippine visitor had particularly specific requirements for the design, colors and shapes.

“After receiving his request, I instructed our members and artisans to work together to carry it out carefully. Everyone was excited and enthusiastic, hoping to share beautiful images and stories of happiness and love from our tourist site with both domestic and international visitors,” Thuc said. 

The village has previously attracted international attention for incense-stick displays featuring iconic Vietnamese symbols, including the country’s S-shaped map alongside the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagos, as well as the national flag with its yellow star.

Nguyen Dinh Dam said international visitors account for around 70 percent of all tourists to the site, coming from a wide range of countries. Notably, one Philippine visitor has returned to the village eight times.

Dam said that before the Philippine couple's proposal, the tourist site had welcomed other couples for wedding photos and private romantic moments. About a week earlier, a visitor from Myanmar had also chosen the village to express his feelings for his girlfriend.