Our first...

Saturday: Our first Korean wedding...


So yesterday our hapkido master wed his girlfriend and it was quite the experience for us. Firstly in Korea when getting married EVERYBODY gets married in a 'Wedding Castle or Wedding Hall' . Although I was aware of this fact, what was to follow could not have been imagined.

Master Sim and Eri at the 'Wedding Convention'There are sparkles everywhere! Master Sim and his bride Eri looked AMAZING.

So this is the wedding hall, some guests sit whilst others stand at the back chatting away and paying little attention. While one wedding is coming to an end, the groom for the next wedding is waiting patiently at the back of the room in the 'lobby area' with the current weddings guests. His bride is having photos taken in a small room off the lobby, surrounded by glitz, tilting her head and shyly glancing away from the camera and all in all looking like a magical angel. I think this is the aim of Korean weddings- to make them look picture perfect, fantasy-esque!


So once this part of the ceremony had finished, then came the singers and music-SNAP, SNAP, followed by the cake-SNAP, SNAP and then, oh yes....smoke to create an air of well... mist- SNAP, SNAP (this is the camera action, for that is how long each aspect of the wedding lasted).




The mist.

 All followed by the usual family and friends photos. Speaking of photos, before the wedding ALL Koreans will go to a studio and have wedding photos done, these photos are then displayed in the lobby of the wedding castle/convention. Master Sims and Eris were incredible, both looked like models and the pictures were unbelievable. Here's one of the images:


One of the professional pre-wedding shots.
I now want Paul and I to get some done- humorous ones mind!

 Following the wedding ceremony, we went to a little desk, filled our name in on envelope and popped some cash inside. We have been informed this money should cover the cost of the buffet that follows- excellent idea I say, especially considering in Korea it is custom to invite everyone to your wedding. By everyone I mean, all friends, all family, all your work colleagues and even all your parents work colleagues.  





One of the guests looking his best.



Well the Master and his bride are now on their honeymoon in Jeju and hopefully having a wonderful time!