Weddings in Korea: Part 4 Main Ceremony
The big day of the ceremony is the day to reveal the outcome of all the processes and steps taken in preparation. This is the day when the husband and the bride officially come out to friends, family, and acquaintances that they are going to tie the knot. There are a few things that were not mentioned in previous articles that need to be prepared in advance.
First one is to make sure that you have the framed photos sent to the hair and make-up salon for the couple to pick up when they come on the day of the ceremony, but most wedding photo studios will know to have them prepared and sent to the salon. These framed photos will be placed on the photo table at the venue.
Also, a video of photos of the groom and bride should be prepared to be played at the venue. These photos can be from the dates they went on, photos that they took as a baby or a child, or photos with their family. The collected photos weaved into one video are played at the hall while guests come in and find their seats before the wedding starts.
Another thing to decide is if you would like to have a real time shoot for the guests in other halls. This real time reporting style shoot is for the guest who does not get to be in the same room where the bride and groom actually make the entrance. This became especially useful and popular during the global COVID-19 pandemic when regulations limited the number of guests allowed in one room. Some couples air their ceremony live on YouTube or social channels for friends who couldn’t join due to the challenging epidemic that affected the wedding industry all over the world.
Whether to have cameras follow the couple around taking videos and pictures during the actual ceremony is also something that is optional. A lot of people in Korea tend to only choose to do the pictures without the videos because they end up not watching it, but I did both. It was a good choice for me because I watch it a lot more frequently than most people, at least once or twice a month, which all of my married friends refer to as very frequent.
The Big Day: At the Venue
My in-laws, husband, my parents, and my brother greeting the guests at the photo wall.
When the bride and groom arrive at the venue two hours prior, all prepared in dress and makeup, venue managers walk them through how the event will proceed. They both rehearse their walk down the aisle for their entrance. As the guests start arriving, they make their position.
Parents of both sides and siblings greet them from the hall entrance. Usually the groom’s mother is wearing blue colored hanbok (한복) and the bride’s mother wears a pink colored one. The groom is also outside the entrance to welcome the guests.
The Bride in the Waiting Room
It looks like the dress is floating at the back but my helper is behind me holding up the dress, which made the effect look so.
While the parents and the groom are busy greeting the incoming guests, the bride is sitting inside the bride’s waiting room to greet her guests. This is the time for guests and the bride to take photos together. The bride sits while each guest comes up. In these dresses, the bride's movement is very limited mostly to not damage the dress. For the bride to make any kind of movement, the helper, who is usually hired by the brand of the dress, helps the bride with everything, from just standing up to walking.
Me, the bride greeting each guest–my friends.
When it is time for the bride to walk the virgin road, that is when the bride leaves the waiting room for the first time.
The Ceremony
The main ceremony is divided into two parts. The first part is the traditional processions such as the officiant marrying the two people, exchanging rings and kisses, then bowing before each side’s parents and then to the guests. Afterwards, the newly wedded couple marches the aisle together.
Group photo with friends. On the left are the groom's friends and on the right are the bride's (my) friends. Next to me is the one who caught the bouquet. Just behind her stands her husband.
The bride and groom re-enter the hall for photos with friends and family. This is also when the chosen flower girl catches the bouquet. The bouquet girl is usually someone who plans to be married within six months. There is a saying that if you receive the bouquet and don’t marry within the next six months, you won’t be able to marry for the next three or more years. My bouquet girl was my best friend who came to my wedding with her now-husband.
My husband and I re-entering in different attire for part two of the ceremony.
The second part consists of a more casual celebration. As soon as the second part starts, lunch is served to the guests. As they eat the deliciously prepared course meal, they watch the bride and groom, who exited after the group photo, re-enter the room in completely different attire.
Wedding part two, sharing celebratory champagne cheers (left) and our wedding cake (right)
During the second part of the ceremony, the bride’s parents and groom’s parents exchange celebratory champagne cheers and the bride and groom cut their three-stand wedding cake. Congratulatory letters or addresses can be made during this time from their friends. After that, all the official events are finished. The bride, groom, and their parents go around the tables in the room to greet the guests one by one up close. That is a moment to exchange more intimate appreciation and congratulations. This is also a short moment when the groom and bride can introduce some of their close people to each other’s parents.
Post-Wedding Rituals
Flower decorations at our wedding
After the wedding ends, all the flower decorations in and outside the hall are free for the guests to take home and enjoy. Sometimes the venue offers flower wrapping services. After the main event, some couples like to have an after party similar to that of the Western wedding culture. My friend rented out a low-key bar to have a cozy get together with friends to talk and have fun over beer and wine. My husband and I invited just a few of my friends who contributed to our wedding ceremony, the bouquet girl, the congratulatory addressers, and the moderator who led the event to join us at the hotel bar for a small get together, where we rented a private room and opened a bottle of champagne as a thank you.
As a post-wedding step, some people take the most traditional route of holding a traditional Korean wedding ritual on their own just with their families. I will talk more about the traditional Korean wedding ritual (전통 혼례) in the next article.
To be continued…