Sunday, April 26, 2009

Wedding photo shoot

As you will see, the happy couple had several changes of outfits throughout the four- hour photo shoot, that took place two weeks prior to the wedding day.
I've chosen some to show the variety of outfits and poses! This is apparently common for weddings in Korea.



Cherie wore a completely different bridal gown on the actual wedding day.








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They changed clothes several times! All part of the photo shoot deal, which took four hours to complete.







Stuart and Cherie's Wedding

The special day : April 25 at 4 pm

It was a great time ! Here are a some photos . I have many more to choose later.
If you are on facebook, look at Cameron's page. He has a good wedding album.


Sign in the foyer


Sign outside the chapel



I had just got changed into my hanbok,with the help of Cherie's aunty ( pictured). They had a special dressing room for brides and hanbok- wearing relatives.







Talking to Yuko, with Tomoyo and Kikuo in the background.
Yuko and Kikuo looked after Stuart when he was studying in Tokyo. Tomoyo is Stuart's good friend from Tokyo. It was lovely that they made the effort to come, from Tokyo, to the wedding.


Before the wedding service, Cherie was seated in a special room, getting photos taken. We were asked to join her.


The mothers are the first to walk down the aisle at the wedding. Cherie's aunt took the place of her mother (Cherie's mother passed away about 6 years ago).
Our job was to light candles at the front. I gestured to Cherie's aunt that I could try and bend my knees under the hanbok, so I didn't look so tall. She laughed and poked me and shook her head etc.


Stuart walks down the aisle. The music is playing... piano and strings. When Stuart reaches the front, he turns and bows to the congregation. There is warm applause ( as well as spot lights, bubbles and dry ice smoke!) . He stands and waits for his bride. Cherie and her father walk down the aisle. Cherie joins Stuart at the front. Cherie's father then takes his seat, just to the side, opposite us.




Exchange of rings


Richard singing "How Great Thou Art". They were all impressed.
He did well.


Stuart and Cherie bow to the parents and everyone claps.
We had pride of place at the front ( a bit like the queen).

They are married !

Stuart and Cherie bowing to the congregation. On the right is Cherie's father and her aunt. There were several assistants, who gave us instructions and adjusted dresses etc. Two of them are bowing with the married couple.




The pastor, pictured here, did a superb job of a bilingual service. He is Korean, but has spent a lot of his early life in America. He has been very helpful to Stuart as he has understanding of both cultures. He has a good sense of humour and he spoke very well.

I forgot to mention the special effects.... smoke from dry ice and bubbles that drifted across at various times. Here is an example.....


This is after we lit the candles on the "altar". Mine were on the left.
After we bowed and everyone clapped, I was escorted to my seat across the river of dry ice.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Wedding Day, April 25

It's 10am and we have a nice morning off to rest up ready for the wedding this afternoon. Stuart and Cherie are arriving at the wedding venue after they have breakfast with Stuart's three friends from Japan. They have travelled here especially for the wedding.

It's a coldish, dull day; but it doesn't matter, because the whole wedding celebration is taking place inside. We are to meet Cherie and Stuart at 2:30pm. It will take us about an hour on the subway to get there. I will take my special wedding outfit ( hanbok) with me in the box and someone will help me put it on correctly, at the venue. Richard and Cameron will wear their suits on the train. The wedding is at 4pm.
All is well. Stuart and Cherie have managed to organise a two-night honeymoon on Jeju Island. This island is south of the mainland and is known as a honeymoon island.

It's all very exciting and we are glad to be here to be part of it.

More later....

Seoul: Friday April 24

We travelled to see Stuart at Guri. Cameron had helped Stuart by formatting the order of service for the wedding. It is in English and Korean. We helped Stuart with a few last minute things and went with him to his work, before heading home on the train. His colleagues are all coming to the wedding. They are very friendly and bought him and Cherie a lovely bedside lamp. Korean tastes seem to be mostly "minimalist" and modern. This is good!

On the way home, I dropped in to explore a huge clothing and shoes market on my own. Cameron and Richard continued home the extra few stations on the train. I didn't buy anything, as not a lot of cheap clothing fits me here! Despite this, it was quite fascinating.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Seoul: Monday April 20 to Thursday April 23

Monday: It rained all day. Good day for shopping. We went to Yongsan mall, which has floors and floors of electronic gadgets.


Buying a camera



The man said it's cheaper for cash! Cameron withdrew thousands of "won". He was a "half a millionaire" for a few moments.

Tuesday: We met up with Ko and Jee and daughter, Da-In. We had breakfast with them and then we spent the day with Jee and her five year old daughter, Da-In. Ko had to go to work.
(I work with Jee at school.) We had great fun.










Wednesday: We went to Guri on the train to visit Stuart. On the way home we dropped in at COEX mall, which is huge! We also got a fantastic view from the 52nd floor of the World Trade Center Tower. Great day!



Countryside outside train window while we were travelling towards Guri.



Walking from Guri station to Stuart's house. It's a beautiful park.


Azaleas in bloom everywhere. According to one tour guide, the azalea is the national flower.


Stuart's unit block (small, brick building with a white car parked outside)


Cam is pointing to Stuart's window. His unit is on the first floor.




Cherie at her Kindergarten.




Lunch at Doeksu, near Stuart's work.


Rice sweets. Stuart loves them.

Stuart's school. A well-known English school "chain" in Korea.


His classroom. The school is new... set up on one floor in an older building.



World Trade Center Tower


Great view from 52nd Floor. Seoul stretches a long way into the distance.

Thursday: Korean Folk Village, Suwon
Cherie kindly organised for us to be picked up from our hotel and taken on a private tour to the Folk Village. We travelled for about an hour South of Seoul. We experienced the huge toll roads and the continuous traffic. We were allowed to travel in the very fast bus lane, because we had five on board ( us, plus our guide and the driver). The driver was asked to pull over by a traffic policeman and was issued a ticket. This was just as we were leaving the hotel. The driver made an illegal U-turn across the huge main road! We did not film that!
The folk village was very interesting. There were little Korean school kids there in droves! They all said "hello" to us as they walked past. it was like we were celebrities.


A very short guard that looked remarkably like Cameron.


A group of giggling Korean girls asked that "Cameron" guard to have his photo taken with one of them. The group of girls giggled and pointed! Cameron was a hit with the girls.