One of the advantages of being in the New York Metropolitan Area is the abundance of cultural displays. I think it is especially fun to see these different displays of cultures and even more so to explain them to those who would otherwise be clueless as to what was going on.
We've done several Korean weddings where their display of culture could be as simple as wearing a Hanbok or Chosŏn-ot which is the traditional Korean dress,
to participating in a form of the Pae Baek 폐백 (the Korean bowing ceremony) be it just acknowledgment or with the use of the tables, foods and panels.
Having experience in this I have in the past played master of ceremonies for those who 1. were not Korean and 2. needed explanation of the ceremony. The outfits significance,
the offering of rice wine (soju) and the symbolic foods and their positions on the east and west side of the tables.
I especially enjoy explaining the reason for the dates being thrown to help in the fertility of the couple.
And it all ends with the piggyback ride - symbolic of the groom supporting his bride which is always much fun.
and then there are the Korean wedding ducks that represent a peaceful marriage with many children and no separations. They are especially significant after the wedding at the home. If the ducks are facing each other, nose to nose, then the marriage is happy. If the ducks are facing away from each other, tail to tail, then the couple is fighting. If a couple is fighting, then one of them will often point to the Wedding Ducks, reminding them both of their peaceful Wedding, and they will stop fighting.
At this wedding at the Hamlet Wind Watch Country Club, they chose to give the ducks out as favors to their guest.
And just because the set up pictures look good - there's rob behind his booth decorated by roses.
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