Real Weddings: Helen and John
Helen and John were married this summer at a beautiful ceremony at St. Paul's Chapel at Columbia University in Manhattan.
Helen's cousin welcomed the guests, the music of his french horn filled the chapel.
The bride looked magnificent.
The chapel was breathtaking.
Helen was escorted down the aisle by her father.
My favorite part of the ceremony was when the bride and groom honored their parents by bowing.
The reception was at Crest Hollow Country Club on Long Island. The grounds were beautifully manicured and perfect for pictures.
A Korean florist based out of Queens was chosen by the mother of the bride.
The bride and groom were smiling all night long.
The traditional tea ceremony is paebaek. It was originally a way to pay respect to the groom's family but since brides no longer live with the groom's parents after the wedding, many couples have modernized the tradition. Relatives on both sides of the family are often invited to participate and offer blessings to the couple. When a Korean-American gets married, they will often do both a Western ceremony and a Paebaek ceremony. Helen and John did. In Korean tradition, the marriage between a man and a woman represents the joining of two families, rather than the joining of two individuals.
Helen and John dressed in ceremonial Korean wedding attire called hanbok. Their parents, the honorees, were seated in front of a table filled with various edibles and tea (or soju - rice wine). The couple bowed deeply to their parents, then kneeled as the tea/soju is poured. Once each honoree drank the tea/soju, they offered wisdom, advice or a wish for the couple's future.
Finally, the honorees threw dates, which symbolize girls and chestnuts which symbolize boys. Helen tried to catch these in her skirt. According to legend, the number of dates and chestnuts caught signifies how many children she will bear. Later in the evening, the couple is traditionally supposed to eat the dates and chestnuts that were caught.
Helen and John hosted their paebaek at the end of their reception inviting all their guests to witness this spectacular tradition! Some couples plan it for the night before or choose to host a private ceremony in a separate room for immediate family only.
It was truly a joy and privilege for me to help Helen and John plan and coordinate their wedding. They are both amazing individuals and I loved submersing myself in their culture. Sincere thanks to Moss Creations for allowing me to share the images from this couple's wedding.
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