It was such a pleasure for my team and I to capture Esther & Stephen’s wedding at the Box House Hotel in Brooklyn. Their wedding incorporated a Korean tradition called Paebaek.
Paebaek is a traditional Korean wedding ceremony that focuses on the family. Here are the key elements of the paebaek ceremony:
- Timing: Paebaek usually takes place after the main wedding ceremony, often in a more private setting with close family members.
- Attire: The bride and groom wear traditional Korean hanbok. The bride’s hanbok is typically colorful and elaborate, while the groom’s is more subdued.
- Set-Up: A table is set with various symbolic foods, including dates and chestnuts, which represent fertility and the wish for many children. Other foods might include rice cakes, fruits, and traditional Korean sweets.
- Bow Ritual: The bride and groom perform deep bows (called “keunjeol”) to the groom’s parents, symbolizing respect and acceptance into the family. The parents, in turn, offer words of wisdom and blessings.
- Food Offering: The couple offers the symbolic foods to the parents, who then toss the dates and chestnuts to the bride. The number of dates and chestnuts she catches in her skirt symbolizes the number of children they are hoped to have.
- Drinking Ritual: The bride and groom drink a special wine, often called “paebaekju,” from the same cup, symbolizing their union and shared future.
- Gifts and Advice: The parents give the couple gifts, often in the form of money or jewelry, along with advice for their married life.
- Photos: After the ceremony, it is common to take family photos to commemorate the occasion.
Paebaek is a meaningful and intimate ceremony that emphasizes family values and the importance of parental blessings in Korean culture.
Please also check out Esther & Stephen’s engagement photos taken at Fort Tyron Park:
Esther & Stephen’s Engagement Session at Fort Tryon Park
Please also check out Stephen & Esther’s wedding highlight video:
