Vera Morgana’s Magazine
Tie the knot and celebrate your love, at least not for real—the Korean way! A Korean traditional wedding ceremony is lively and colorful.
A celebrant and a Master of Ceremonies officiate at the ceremony. After vows are spoken, the bride and groom seal their vows by bowing and sipping wine from a gourd grown handed off by the mother of the bride.
During the Korean wedding ceremony, vows are taken in the kunbere ceremony. Both bride and groom wear the traditional hanbok, a traditional Korean dress specially designed for the ceremony.
The hanbok represents thousands of years of tradition and is usually made of a lightweight material with bright colors, simple lines, and no pockets.
Bride’s Attire
On the outside, the bride wears a short jacket with long sleeves called jeogori with two long ribbons tied to form otgoreum. As for the skirt, she wears chima, a full-length, high waisted, wrap around skirt. Her shoes take shape of a boat made of silk, worn with a pair of white cotton socks.
The attire sometimes include a white sash of significant symbols or flowers. The bride was also wear a headpiece and an accesories called norigae which hung from her jeogori or chima.
Groom’s Attire
The groom wears chigori (a jacket), paji (trousers) and turumagi (an overcoat). The jacket’s sleeves are loose, the trousers are roomy and it was tied with straps at the ankles.
In addition, a vest and a black hat (moja) could also be worn.
During a traditional Korean wedding there are many rituals you will see.
However it reflects their deep values of marriage, with every single steps and symbols involved in the whole ceremony has a deep meaning.
The Greeting
The wedding is traditionally held within the bride’s house, but now days it can also took place at special ceremony places. In the beginning of the ceremony, the groom enters at the ceremony’s place led by girukabi (the best man who carry a geese). Once the groom has entered the house, girukabi hands the geese to him.
The Goose
SYMBOLIZES – Harmony in life
In modern Korean weddings, a wooden goose may be given in place of a traditional kireogi. This Korean tradition is respected as a symbol of harmony and structure. The groom then placed the geese—called kireogi—on a table and bowing twice to his mother in law.
The mother in law then take the wild geese into the house. The wild geese symbolized the love of husband and wife. so by giving the mother a goose, the groom is promising a lifetime of love and care to the woman’s daughter.
A Bow of Commitment
SYMBOLIZES – Commitment to each other.
The couple then standing on the mat, and the bride would bow twice to the groom. The groom bow once in return. The bow symbolized commitment and promised to each other.
A Sweet Exchange
SYMBOLIZES – Promise to a sweet life.
There is a very sweet tradition of Korean weddings, that is to exchange sweets. Both groom and bride exchange sweets to each other. It symbolizes that they will have love and sweet life ahead.
Exchanging Gourd Dipper (or Drinking)
SYMBOLIZES – The bride and groom to be one whole with one another.
The bride and groom helpers prepare drink (usually rice wine) and side dishes at this stage. The groom bows, then together with the bride present the drink to the sky (direction of God). After the helpers pour the drink, the groom bows once more and rise the cup as well as the bride. the bride and groom then exchange the cup which made of gourd dipper.
Pulling the Date Seed
SYMBOLIZES- the one who pulls the seed of the date will manage the money.
There is ritual where dates are placed in mouth of both groom and bride and they tries to pull the seed of the date and it is said that whoever will pull the seed first will be the one to manage the money in future.
Time for Declaration
SYMBOLIZES- Respect for elders
Next after exchange drink with each other, the newlywed bride and groom make a declaration as husband and wife for the first time. In this step, bride and groom both faced the family and relatives and pays a deep bow to them for the first time.
The Words of Wisdom
SYMBOLIZES- Blessings
The elders will sip the tea and offer the couple words of wisdom and blessings. bride and groom both faced the family and relatives and pays a deep bow to them for the first time.
Catch the Children, I mean the Chestnuts & Jujubes
SYMBOLISES – To predict number of children the bride and groom will have
It’s a real fun ritual where both the groom and the bride have to catch the jujubes and chestnuts that are thrown by the parents. It’s a way the parents will bless the newlywed couple to predict how many daughters and sons the couple will have!
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