Procedure for a Korean wedding. Eventopedia. Traditional wedding celebrations
In today's Korean society, wedding ceremonies have become simpler and changed, and more closer to Western style. Although if a European or an American attends a Korean wedding, they will immediately notice that a Korean wedding has many of its own specifics. For example, what surprises foreign guests the most at a Korean wedding is the speed of the whole event. My friend's wedding literally lasted two hours, after which I went shopping.
Unfortunately, a wedding in the traditional style, when the groom in a Korean suit and all made up goes to the bride's house in a palanquin, you can see either in the village or in the movies.
Usually weddings take place in a wedding hall or in a hotel. Examples of such wedding ceremonies can be seen in Korean drama. There are a lot of believers in Korea, so many weddings take place in churches. But all marriages must first of all be registered with the local authorities. This procedure usually takes no more than 15 minutes.
Gifts no, money yes! Usually guests give money in envelopes, signing their name and leaving it on the table in front of the entrance.
Of course, there are those who give gifts, but they are a minority. And you can give both money and a gift, but there are even fewer of them. ^^ Banknotes must be new, they can be exchanged at any bank. It is best to use a special white wedding envelope for money, but you can also use a regular one. If you have a director of a Korean company as a friend, then be sure to invite him to the wedding, the amount will correspond to his status. In Korea, there is no such tradition that the groom should not see the bride in a wedding dress. Therefore, you can easily see photos of the bride and groom on invitation cards.
It is customary to exchange gifts before the wedding: give household goods (HONSu); gifts of clothing and jewelry between the bride and groom (Yedan, Chedan and Paemul); gifts from the bride to the groom's relatives (Yedan); cash gifts from the groom's relatives to the bride (Cholgap), and from the bride's family to the groom's friends (Hamgap); and the exchange of food and wine between two families (Sangsu). Not all methods are still common, although not all of these usages are followed. As a rule, the groom takes care of the place of residence after the wedding, and the bride prepares household goods.
A modern Korean wedding reception (결혼 피로연) may be a combination of traditional and Western cultures. In a traditional wedding banquet, guests can expect bulgogi (불고기, marinated kebab), 갈비, marinated short ribs), a variety of kimchi (sauerkraut with various spices, with other ingredients such as radish, seafood).
The meal is always accompanied by a huge amount of white, sticky rice (밥), as well as 김밥 - rice, egg, spinach, crab meat, pickled radish and other ingredients wrapped in seaweed and sliced. 만두 - manti with cabbage, carrots, meat, spinach, garlic, onion, clove, and crisp noodles. These manti can be deep fried or steamed. Soup will be offered very often. A wide variety of fruits such as Korean pears and pastries will be offered for dessert. Spoons and chopsticks are used for eating
A Korean wedding is, first of all, a union of families, and not just a decision of two people to create a new unit of society. It just so happened that in this country, young people rarely choose a mate for themselves, in most cases the father makes the decision for them. In some families, the newlyweds do not even know each other until the moment of marriage. From time immemorial, the dominance of patriarchy has been noted in Korean families, and the head of the family has been and remains an indisputable authority for the household. And rich men can now afford to have several wives and, accordingly, several families.
Korean Marriage Rites: A Tribute to Ages and Traditions
A Korean wedding in Russia, fortunately, is more of a conscious choice of two lovers, rather than a negotiated deal. Slavic values leave their mark even on this aspect of the life of non-indigenous peoples. However, despite all the innovations introduced, the couple's relatives still persistently continue to collect any available information about the future spouse of their child. And only after the full approval of his choice, they give their parental blessing for marriage.
It is customary to appoint the father of the groom or his uncle to the role of matchmakers in Korean families. Korean matchmaking requires them to go to the bride's father's house and have a conversation with her parents, during which they need to agree on all the nuances of the celebration and set the wedding day.
Wedding ceremonies in Korea, despite the progressive views of modern youth, still have many forms and a huge number of rules and recommendations. A few weeks before the celebration, matchmakers from the man's side come to visit the woman's parents with gifts and offerings, by that time all her acquaintances and friends also gather in the bride's house.
This ritual is similar to the dress rehearsal for the upcoming marriage. It is called "chenchi" in Korean. The traditions of the mini-wedding "chenchi" in Korea have undergone significant changes over the past ten years, and now they bear little resemblance to the old action, however, newfangled European trends have not taken root among this people. Approximately in the middle of the last century, it was decided that "chenchi" would henceforth be held only during daylight hours, on the last day of the week. On rare occasions, rather exceptional ones, on Saturday mornings. The number for the wedding is chosen carefully, guided by ancient knowledge of esotericism and the lunar calendar.
Marriage in South Korea is considered extremely unlucky if, for whatever reason, it was entered into in a leap year or month. Such dates are regularly marked by Korean astrologers in the Far Eastern solar-lunar calendar.
It is customary to invite a lot of guests to a wedding. Actually, the more guests, the richer and more luxurious the wedding is considered. Everyone, without exception, relatives from both sides, friends, acquaintances, work colleagues and their families - the average Korean identity is usually attended by several hundred people who often do not even know each other. Wealthy newlyweds can afford to invite at least half a thousand guests to the wedding.
Korean wedding ceremonies are intricate and interesting, but the duration of the official part is no more than two hours. All actions are scheduled by the minute, and some are rehearsed in advance and verified to the smallest detail. Such a wedding cannot get out of control and go chaotically, because Koreans know the value of time very well.
As gifts, you need to give envelopes with money and nothing more. It is believed that this is the best present for a young family.
Unusual and interesting: features of Korean celebrations
Korean traditions are diverse and sometimes incomprehensible to a Russian layman; after a wedding, for example, a young wife changes her surname to the surname of her husband, but children born in their family will certainly be registered with their father's surname. At the festival, the Koreans cannot hear the “Wedding March” familiar to us, their newlyweds prefer to tie the knot to different music, a march created by Wagner.
The priest who is invited to the ceremony not only reads the standard text of the wedding oath, he also tells the guests about the life of the newlyweds: their work, strengths and weaknesses, education and preferences. Then he wishes them a long and happy marriage and solemnly declares him husband and wife. The fundamental forces designed to protect Korean families are the natural principles - the male "yang" and the female "yin".
At the wedding, the newlyweds do not kiss, because in Korea, expressing your feelings in public is not only not accepted, but also illegal. This is very unusual for us, but a common occurrence in Asian countries. What is the substitute for a kiss? The bride simply takes a sip from her husband's cup or glass.
I would like to clarify that Koreans never go through matchmaking without a kind of demonstration of the achievements of the young. Since the average age of those entering into marriage: for men - 30 years, and for women - 25-27. And as you know, by this time a person already has almost everything necessary to be able not only to create, but also to support his family. Koreans rely on a reasonable approach in everything, and the wedding is no exception.
When going to attend a solemn banquet at a Korean wedding, the mother of the groom must wear the traditional hanbok outfit in blue, and the mother of the future bride in pale pink. Everyone, absolutely everyone, must wear white gloves during the ceremony, as Korean wedding etiquette prescribes. The closest relatives and friends insert small boutonnieres into the buttonhole on the chest. The bride at the banquet behaves more than modestly. A constantly lowered gaze, a bowed head, an expression of meekness and humility before the future life and spouse. The ability to constantly be in the shadow of a spouse is still considered a special advantage of Korean women.
When, after the completion of the main part of the event, all the invitees go to the banquet, the young people do not go with them. A gala dinner is usually held in a restaurant, or in a banquet company, where one of the spouses works. The newlyweds follow to the dressed-up room "pyebeksil", where they greet the parents and other relatives of the groom, who had gathered there in advance. For this ritual, the young couple dress up in national Korean wedding attire. A small banquet table is also installed in the room, on which, among the treats and drinks, there must be jujube fruits.
In order of seniority, the bride and groom go around the sitting relatives and, bowing ritually, pass each bowl of alcohol. According to tradition, this detour begins with the father of the groom, who is supposed to be greeted with two bows to the ground and one to the waist. All the rest are bestowed with one earthly and one waist bow.
Life and life of the young after the wedding
Acquaintance of Korean newlyweds with the basics of family life begins with a honeymoon trip, to pay for which money donated for the wedding is used. Traveling to other countries on a honeymoon is as familiar to Koreans as festive clothes on a wedding day. Over the past few decades, travel can be considered a well-formed tradition.
After returning from the tour, the young people visit the bride's parents. There they give them gifts and constantly make prostrations to their mother and father, thereby expressing their respect and love for them. The couple stays overnight in this house, in a separate room specially assigned to them. Thus, the wife's parents greet their son-in-law in a peculiar way, and thank him for choosing their daughter for life together. In the morning, they all have breakfast together at the same table and go on a visit to the groom's father's house.
The mother of the bride brings with her "ibaji", these are special dishes, the list of which certainly includes "tteok", rice cakes according to a special recipe. Also in this menu there are a variety of vegetables and fruits, seafood and sauces for them. The meal is beautifully packaged and presented with aplomb to the relatives of the young husband as a sign of devotion, gratitude and family unity. In some Korean areas, it is customary to give the mother of the bride an ibaji in return.
Recently, there has been a real boom in weddings among celebrities. One by one, they marry and release their photographs for the public to see. It is not difficult to see that Korean weddings are still different from those that we are used to seeing. Let's take a look and find out what are the special traditions and customs of Korean weddings.
Engagement and ring with a huge stone
Don't be fooled by imagining a traditional Korean engagement just like you see it in dramas. Bending the knees, tears in the eyes of the groom, convulsively holding out the treasured box with a huge ring to the beautiful bride - nothing more than a fairy tale. In real life, if an engagement does occur, it usually happens after the couple has agreed on marriage.
Also in Korea, there is no custom among the younger population to wear or give an engagement ring, and after the wedding, the newlyweds may not wear this ring (if any). As for older couples, they have never heard of the engagement ring tradition.
But if the engagement ring is not at all necessary, then what is the sign that the relationship of lovers takes on a special character? A big role in this is played by the meeting of two families. According to Korean custom, marriage is not so much the union of the young as the union of their families. Before the final decision on the wedding is made, the two families meet with each other. This usually happens in a private room in a good restaurant. If families have already taken this step, then you can be sure that the wedding will take place.
But before the families meet, each of the young must get to know the parents of their beloved. In the United States and many European countries, this step is not considered so important, but if in Korea a young man introduces his girlfriend to his parents, this directly indicates the most serious intentions on his part.
Time Between Engagement and Wedding
The most common comments under wedding posts are suggestions that the bride is most likely pregnant, since only a few weeks (rarely months) pass between the engagement and the wedding. But this is not always the case. In Korea, there is no tradition of lengthy wedding preparations. Therefore, very little time usually passes between marriage and meeting the parents.
Location of the wedding
The reason why wedding planning is so quick and easy is because the whole wedding planning industry in Korea runs like clockwork. Most Koreans get married in wedding halls, which are specially designed for this and are located in wedding centers. If the newlyweds sign a contract with such a center, then its employees undertake to organize everything from flowers to food on the tables of guests. Before the ceremony, the couple is simply offered a package of services in which everything is included and scheduled, so that everyone can choose in advance what he likes best.
But there are also disadvantages in such an organization. In the wedding center you are celebrating your wedding, and behind the wall in another hall, other newlyweds are celebrating another wedding. But there are also more upscale wedding halls where employees will offer you an individual celebration. Of course, this will cost an order of magnitude more.
Naturally, celebrities and wealthy families will not hold a ceremony in such centers. Most often, they rent entire houses or hold a wedding in expensive hotels, which also provide wedding halls.
But whether it is a hall, a separate house or a hotel, all the rooms remain the same, the decorations and the atmosphere of the wedding remain the same.
Despite the prevalence of Christianity in Korea, church weddings are rare, as are weddings outdoors or in one's own home.
Bride's dress
By signing a contract with a wedding center, you will deprive yourself of many problems and worries. Only pleasant “little things” remain, such as a wedding dress. This is done by other employees of the wedding industry - "seu-deu-meh", their package will include services "dress-make-up-studio shooting". Do you often admire celebrity wedding photo shoots, thinking that this is the lot of only the rich and famous? No matter how. Every couple in Korea is doing this wonderful shoot. The most popular photo shoots here are shooting in the studio with the scenery of old European residential areas, cozy cafes on the picturesque streets or lots of flowers. The studio will make any of your dreams come true and take pictures no worse than those of star couples.
In addition, you get a beautiful wedding dress and a tuxedo for rent. Most Korean brides don't buy a dress. Due to the similarity of sizes and styles, girls simply rent the dress they like. At the same time, this is a great savings, and for the same money for which the bride can buy a dress for herself, she is able to rent two or three outfits. So she can not repeat her image at the photo shoot and on the day of the celebration. Needless to say, the options for wedding dresses are infinitely wide.
The package also includes hair and make-up for both the bride and the groom.
Guests
The Korean tradition is such that the main guests are invited by the parents of the newlyweds. And they will invite all relatives and friends they consider necessary, even if their children see these people for the first time. Sometimes the number of people approaches 500, and the wedding becomes a real feat for the newlyweds, who must personally greet everyone who comes to their ceremony.
A modern Korean wedding is not like an old wedding ceremony, nor a Western wedding. Her new traditions have developed quite recently, in the fifties, but everyone in Korea follows them. These traditions will now be discussed.
Since the 1960s the main, although not the only, venue for the wedding ceremony was the "ritual halls" - "esikchzhan". Despite such a vague name, these establishments do not hold "rituals" in general, but weddings. Quite often, the wedding is celebrated in a restaurant, in the hall of which all the necessary ceremonies are held (exactly the same as in the "yesikchzhan"). Some families prefer to spend the entire holiday at home, but these are now relatively few.
In the old days, great importance was attached to the choice of a day and even an hour favorable for wedding celebrations. This choice was made after consultation with a fortuneteller. In general, this custom is still alive today, although now the fortuneteller is more often consulted about choosing only the day (but not the hour) of the wedding. Determine the day according to the old lunar calendar. A leap month is considered extremely unfavorable for weddings, which is inserted into the Far Eastern lunisolar calendar from time to time. During this month, the number of orders in "yesikzhang" is reduced many times. So, in 1995, in a leap month, which then fell on October, the number of orders in one of the most famous "yesikzhang" of the city of Gwangju decreased by about 15 times compared to a normal October.
The wedding is usually scheduled for the daytime, and most strive for it to take place on Sunday or on the afternoon of Saturday, that is, after hours, when all invitees can come to the celebration. Some weddings also take place on normal working days, but this is quite rare. Therefore, the Ministry of Social Security in 1996 reduced the price for the use of "yesikjang" on weekdays by 50% (these prices, like many others, are tightly controlled by the state in Korea).
Before the wedding, the bride visits a hairdresser (a very expensive event) and puts on a wedding dress. Since the 1950s in Korea, luxurious white dresses, almost indistinguishable from Western designs, have come into fashion and become an almost obligatory part of the wedding ritual (including non-church ones). Most brides re-sew the dress. The groom at the wedding is usually dressed in an expensive Western-style suit, sometimes even in a tailcoat. A tail coat, as an expensive thing, but not needed in ordinary life, is almost never bought, but rented for the duration of the wedding, but a suit for such an occasion can be purchased.
Shortly before the appointed time for the wedding, guests begin to arrive at Yesikzhang. There is a special "waiting room" for the bride and her closest friends, the other guests go inside immediately upon arrival, while the men wait for the ceremony to begin directly at the entrance, exchanging greetings. The parents of the bride and groom are also there, who also greet the arriving guests.
Korean weddings are exceptionally crowded. It is customary to invite relatives to the wedding, including very distant ones, colleagues, former classmates, so usually there are several hundred, and in some cases several thousand guests at the wedding. The most crowded wedding I know of took place in the fall of 1994. It was the wedding of the daughter of one of the leaders of the ruling party, and it was attended by more than 3 thousand guests (of course, this wedding took place in the most fashionable of Seoul's "yesikjang", which is located in capital airport).
A wedding is a very expensive event, but it still costs less than it might seem at first glance. To reduce the burden of expenses helps the custom, which requires all those invited to bring envelopes with money to the wedding, which are given as gifts to the young. At Korean weddings, the usual "thing" gifts are almost never handed over. The amounts that are given in this way can be very different, but in most cases the envelope contains several tens of thousands of won (10,000 won - about $ 10). Immediately upon arrival at Yesikzhang, guests put envelopes with money on a tray placed at the entrance to the hall and sign on a special list. By tradition, all envelopes must be inscribed, so that the hosts always know how generous this or that guest turned out to be.
About half an hour or an hour before the ceremony, the young ones appear. First, the bride goes to the "waiting room", where she puts herself in order. Often, even before arriving at Yesikjang, young people in full dress go to one of the few city parks to take outdoor photos there. Generally speaking, during the wedding, the couple is constantly photographed, and a luxuriously designed wedding album is in any Korean home. In recent years, along with photographers, videographers have often been invited during weddings. Both photographers and videographers shoot all the significant moments of the wedding ritual.
A few minutes before the start of the ceremony, guests enter the hall and sit on chairs. Those invited from the groom's side sit on the left (if you stand with your back to the door) side of the aisle, and those invited by the bride's family sit on the right. After that, the actual marriage begins. The mother of the groom and the mother of the bride are the first to enter the hall. They approach the dais located at the far end of the hall, on which, in fact, the entire ritual will take place, and light the candles installed there. After that, they bow to each other and to the guests and take their places of honor in the front row.
Next, the groom enters the hall. Behind him appears the bride, who is led by the hand by her father or, if he is not there, then one of her older male relatives. The bride, accompanied by her father, approaches the groom, after which the groom greets his future father-in-law and takes the bride by the hand. At this time, music sounds - not the usual "Wedding March" by Mendelssohn, but another "Wedding March" by Wagner (by the way, the melody is little known outside of Korea). In accordance with ancient traditions, which have passed into the modern ritual, the bride, passing through the hall, should not raise her eyes. She walks around the hall with her head bowed low and her eyes downcast, depicting meekness with her whole appearance, which in the old Confucian times was considered the main advantage of a Korean woman.
After that, the ritual manager approaches the young people - a figure who plays a very important role in the wedding ceremony. It is customary to invite some respected person who occupies a prominent position in society to this role. A big businessman, an official, a political figure, a university professor, etc. can act as a ritual manager. Usually, the families of young people tend to invite the highest-ranking and most influential of all their acquaintances to this role. In addition to him, the host also takes part in the wedding ceremony, who must represent the main characters and give the necessary orders. The leader is usually one of the groom's friends.
After the bride and groom rise to the low podium at the end of the hall, the ritual director addresses them and those present with a short speech, which usually lasts about 5 minutes. It is this speech that is considered the culmination of the official part of the celebration. First, the manager of the ritual invites the young people to take an oath that they are ready to live life in love and harmony. Young people express their consent with a short one-syllable "E" ("Yes"). After that, the steward solemnly proclaims them husband and wife. In the rest of the speech, the manager praises the young, talks about the virtues of the bride and groom, wishes them happiness in the beginning family life.
After that, it's time for greetings. First, the young, standing next to each other, greet the bride's parents with a deep bow, then the groom's parents, and, finally, all the guests. After that, the young people leave the hall together (this time to the sounds of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March", well known to Russians). This is where the main part of the marriage ceremony, which thus lasts no more than half an hour, ends. At the exit from the hall, photography begins again. The first photograph is taken together with the steward of the ritual, the second - together with the parents, the next - together with relatives, colleagues and fellow practitioners.
After the end of the official part, all guests go to a gala dinner, which can be held either in the banquet restaurant at the "yesikzhan", or somewhere nearby. However, the young are not present at the banquet. After it begins, they go to a special room "pyebeksil", in which the young people greet their parents and relatives of the husband, who have specially gathered there. For this ceremony, both the bride and groom take off their Western attire and change into a traditional Korean wedding dress. A table with refreshments is also installed in the room, the obligatory element of which is the fruits of jujuba (jujube).
The bride and groom, in turn, in order of seniority, approach each of the relatives and, having made a ritual bow before him, present him with a glass of alcohol. The greeting begins with the groom's parents, before whom it is necessary to make two bows to the earth and one bow from the waist. Other older relatives are greeted with one earthly bow and one waist bow.
In response, each of those whom the bride greeted in this way hands her money, which the young people then take with them on their honeymoon. The old custom is still widespread, when her father-in-law and mother-in-law throw a juzhub, symbolizing male offspring, into the bride's skirt, thus expressing her wish to have more sons. Another custom often found at weddings is based on the same symbolism: the groom puts a jujuba fruit into the bride's mouth, and then they drink a cup together.
After meeting with the husband's relatives, the young usually go to the banquet hall, where they greet the guests. Immediately after the wedding, the young go on a honeymoon trip.
This is how life begins...
A Korean wedding is not just a union of two loving hearts, but a real sacrament, overflowing with various traditional ceremonies. This is a real union of two families. The Korean drama "Wedding" very well describes the wedding traditions and obligatory rituals that should be present at every wedding among this people. It carefully observes all the nuances of the traditional celebration. Many well-known Korean dramas: "The Great Wedding", "Wedding Planner" and others - reveal in great detail all the intricacies and ceremonies of a traditional wedding in Korea, from dating families of the newlyweds to post-wedding traditions.
When is it customary for Koreans to start a family?
The specificity of the Korean people lies in the fact that conservative views on life are alien to them, and therefore most of the citizens consider those people who are not yet married by the age of 30 to be strange and abnormal. Usually in Korea, it is customary to be burdened by marriage at the age of 24-27, this age is ideal in order to have time to achieve something in life and take care of a dowry to create a family.
If by this age young people do not yet have a couple, then friends and relatives begin to take an active part in the search for a future husband or wife for them. The services of professional matchmakers are very common in Korea, who select the most profitable candidates, guided not only by the external data of future partners, but also by the material condition of each of them, as well as human qualities. This is justified by the fact that it is customary for Koreans to create a family once and for all, and they perceive divorce as something out of the ordinary.
Acquaintance of young parents before the wedding
Despite the fact that Korea is a fairly progressive and developed country, and young people there have long had the right to choose their soulmate with whom they plan to connect their lives, there is one tradition. It is called "seogethin" and implies a meeting of the parents of both newlyweds to get to know each other.
This tradition is not just an act of courtesy, at such a meeting the future of the young is discussed, and what participation each of the parents will take in it, financial wedding issues are also discussed. In addition, at such meetings, parents can exchange certificates about the medical examination of their children, since Koreans take the birth of healthy offspring quite seriously.
There is one more nuance that is necessarily discussed at such meetings, this is the family origin of the future spouses - pon. Pon is a family estate that is inherited through the male line and represents a kind of settlement association. If it turns out that the newlyweds are from the same pon, they will not be able to marry, in which case everything is canceled. If the young people from different pons, everything is in order with their health, and the parents were able to come to a common agreement regarding the organization of the wedding and the future fate of the future family, then matchmakers are soon sent to the bride.
Korean Bride Matchmaking
Matchmakers must be the father and uncle of the groom, as well as several of his friends. The main feature is an odd number of people, in addition, among the matchmakers there should not be divorced people so that their family misfortune is not passed on to the young.
Matchmakers should be distinguished by a cheerful character, be able to joke, dance and sing. According to Korean traditions, being a matchmaker is a very honorable thing. The group should arrive at the house of the bride's parents to discuss the upcoming wedding and the subsequent life of the young spouses. It is very popular in Korea to organize a special mini-wedding instead of matchmaking - "chenchi", which, in fact, is a rehearsal of the main wedding ceremony or a bride. Chenchi is a kind of test of the groom's strength, since all the guests who will be present at it are simply obliged to constantly ask the groom tricky questions and make sharp jokes about him.
Bride ransom
Before the Korean wedding begins, a bride price is paid. Most people consider this tradition to be truly Slavic, but in fact, it has also existed among Koreans for a long time. Before the ransom for the groom, a certain ceremony is held in the father's house in which he expresses gratitude to his parents. First, the whole family gathers at the laid table and tries various treats, after which the groom kneels, bows at the feet of his parents and expresses his gratitude to them.
After that, the groom with his retinue goes to the bride's house. There, he must first give the mother of the bride a pair of wooden figurines of geese, since these birds are a symbol of a happy family life. In addition to the mother, the groom must be met by the closest relatives of the bride, sisters or brothers, to whom he is also obliged to give gifts. And then the groom will definitely be able to get to the bride in the room where her father will be waiting for him. Here you will also have to pay a ransom, but it will be much more, but if the groom has cheerful and eloquent matchmakers, then it is likely that he will be able to pick up the bride for free.
Bride's visit to the groom's house
After the ransom, the bridegroom is given the dowry of the bride in the presence of the entire retinue of the young. Also, the bride's parents give her life parting words and advice on family life.
Every parent strives to ensure that their children have the best Korean wedding. In the groom's house, the young are expected to visit. Koreans have a wedding tradition of visiting the groom's house with the bride and her trousseau, which means she is now part of his family as well. On the threshold of the house, there must be a bag of rice, since rice among Koreans symbolizes a well-fed life. The bride, having come to her mother-in-law's house, must step over this bag and carefully walk along the silk path, which is laid especially before her arrival. This path is a symbol of wealth and prosperity.
The bride's dowry must necessarily include a mirror, since it is in this mirror that the bride and mother-in-law must look together during her arrival at the groom's house, so that in the future there will never be quarrels and disagreements between them. When the bride has already entered the house, and the mother-in-law has accepted her, the girl's dowry can also be brought in.
Korean wedding venue
The bride's house is usually chosen as the venue for the solemn part. Both newlyweds must be in traditional wedding attire - hanbok. The bride wears a short long-sleeve vest over her hanbok, and the groom's hanbok is traditionally blue. Also, special red dots are glued on the bride's face, one on the cheeks and one on the forehead. A ceremonial platform is set up in the courtyard of the house, where the young people travel separately on special “gamma” wedding niches, which are traditionally decorated with flowers, preferably peonies, as a symbol of health and a happy life together. After the official marriage, the young people bow low to each other and drink wine from glasses that the mother of the bride herself must make from a pumpkin grown in her garden.
Features and traditions at the wedding
The main feature of a Korean wedding is that the newlyweds do not kiss at all, as this is not only not accepted in the country, but is also strictly prohibited by law. The kiss is usually replaced by eating one date or marmalade at a time. Also, according to Korean wedding etiquette, during the wedding ceremony, all guests, without exception, must wear white gloves.
Also, a distinctive feature of Korean weddings is an incredibly large number of guests, at least two hundred. It is believed that the more people come to the wedding, the higher her status. A celebration with a huge number of guests, who are not always even familiar with each other, is considered an indicator of wealth and luxury. Despite the large number of mandatory wedding ceremonies, the traditional Korean wedding does not last long, since all the actions are scheduled literally every minute, Koreans are not lovers of long and protracted festivities.
festive banquet
A wedding banquet at a Korean wedding at the present time is not much different from a banquet at European-style weddings. Many traditions, unfortunately, have been lost over many decades. Many Korean celebrity weddings are completely European in nature with a standard outdoor ceremony and a buffet-style banquet, the whole event is very modest and restrained. Many newlyweds like to invite famous musicians to their wedding for a pleasant musical accompaniment of the celebration. Since there is no entertainment program familiar to our people at the banquet, the Korean wedding does not provide for a toastmaster. Usually it is replaced by close relatives or parents of the young, who themselves can sing, dance or show various funny miniatures to guests.
As for the menu and dishes that must be present on the wedding table of Koreans, there are several obligatory dishes: these are noodles and a rooster. The presence of noodles is necessary because it is a symbol of a long life together for the newlyweds. In the bird's beak, they usually insert a whole red chili pepper, decorated with multi-colored threads and shiny tinsel, since pepper, according to Korean beliefs, protects from evil spirits, colorful tinsel is a symbol of the bright life of future spouses.
A rooster at a Korean wedding must be boiled whole, and it is also served whole. Traditional dishes such as tteok, bulgogi, and kalbi are also featured at many banquets. However, recently the presence of European cuisine dishes on Korean wedding tables has become more and more visible.
After wedding
According to tradition, the next day after the Korean wedding ended, the young wife should get up early in the morning, preferably the very first, and be sure to cook rice for the whole family and upcoming guests. In addition, she must thoroughly clean the whole apartment, and if the family moved after the wedding to live in the house, then it means in the whole house and in the yard near it. This is all done because usually close relatives and parents from the groom's side come to visit the newlyweds at lunchtime to see which of the brides has turned out to be a hostess. The young wife, in turn, is obliged to present gifts to each of the guests, which her parents must prepare in advance.
What do they give young people at a wedding in Korea?
In the modern world, the Korean wedding, whose traditions and customs have existed for more than one century, is increasingly beginning to adopt European trends. This was reflected in the gifts that are usually given to young people for a wedding. To date, it is customary for newlyweds at a wedding to give an envelope with money, the amount will depend on how respectful the guest is towards the young, and how happy he is with their union.
Since over the past few decades, traditions have gradually begun to fade into the background, and material values have come to the fore, it is rather difficult to talk about what exactly, besides money, can be given to young people at a Korean wedding. The groom's parents usually have to give the young spouses an apartment or house where they can live as a separate family, and the bride's parents must completely equip this house or apartment. Also, close relatives of a young couple can make gifts that will be useful to the newlyweds in everyday life: watches, dishes, etc.
