My Wedding

A Beautiful Tradition

Pictures and Words

A beautiful day dawned in Seosan. I didn't see the sun rise though, as I had been up late taking care of things. I had to pick up the hanboks (Korean traditional dress) at about 3am. I got out of bed at about 10, fully rested, and ready for anything. We made our way to the wedding site and ate some lunch. The wedding started at about 1pm by which time quite a crowd had gathered. I recognised almost none of them.

The ceremony is opened with traditional music and dancing.

The ceremony kicked off with some traditional Korean music and dancing. The dancers all had drums or cymbals and their hats had long ribbons on them which waved around in the air as they danced. After some dancing and proclamations, the ground was deemed prepared, and our mothers lit candles to protect the site.

My mother lights a candle to protect the ceremony.

The dancing musicians then danced their way to the altar and I followed, carrying a pair of wooden geese. Wild geese represent faithfulness as they mate for life. I put the geese down and bowed twice. My soon-to-be mother-in-law took them.

I enter, carrying a pair of wooden geese.

The it was time for Anne's entrance. The musical dancers again lead the procession, and Anne was carried in in the flower carriage. This small palanquin should have been carried by some of my friends, but as I didn't have enough male friends present some of Anne's had to do.

With great ceremony, Anne enters in the flower carriage

She also walked up to the altar, and we took our places on either side of it, bowed to each other, and then sat on the ground.

Alcohol is poured for me by Anne's helper.

My helper poured wine and took it to Anne, who took a sip. Then Anne's helper poured wine and brought it to me, and I took a sip. Then the two cups of wine were mixed, and we both drank the rest of the wine. As I understood it, at that point we were formally married.

We face the guests having drunk the mixed wine.

A poem was then read out. I have no idea what it was, but I did hear our names and home-towns mentioned. The paper on which the poem was written was then burned.

The paper from which a poem has been read is burned.

Anne's mother then gave me back one of the geese she took from me at the start of the wedding. My mother gave the other one to Anne.

Anne's mother brings me the male goose.

After that we sat down to enjoy more traditional dancing. The dance told the story of a man courting a woman, and eventually (after several comic rejections) getting her to marry him.

Anne and I sit as husband and wife and watch more traditional Korean dancing. Red and blue are the traditional colours for a bride and groom.

After the dancing we bowed. First to Anne's mother and brother, then to my mother and grandmother, and finally to all the wedding guests.

We bow to show respect for our parents.

Then two chickens were thrown into the air. I don't really know what else to say about that.

A rooster and a hen are thrown into the air as a symbol of fertility.

Then we walked 'up the isle' and were showered with rice. I had to put my arm around Anne to protect her. I'm not sure if this is symbolic or pragmatic, as she was unable to move her hands. The pose she maintained throughout most of the wedding, with her hands almost covering her face, represents shyness.

We are showered with rice, another symbol of fertility.

Then the whole clan gathered for photos, following which I changed out of my robe and hat and back into my less formal hanbok. The weather was hot and sunny, and being out in the sun for an hour or so had left me uncomfortably warm in my silk robe.

Three members of my family, and twenty-one members of hers.

Then we grabbed a bite to eat, packed everything into the car and headed off to Incheon airport for our honeymoon.

Anne and I in slightly less formal attire. We're ready for our honeymoon. Anne choose my hanbok. She thinks I look good in pink!

For the original wedding information page, go to www.adamfield.net/wedding

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