ABOUT KOREAN TRADITIONAL WEDDING CEREMONY

1) Ceremony (Honrye, 혼례)

In ancient times, weddings were held in the bride's yard or house.

The groom travelled by horse to the bride's house and after the wedding ceremony took his wife in a Palaguin

(sedan chair) to his parents' house to live. The bride and groom wore formal court costumes for the wedding ceremony. Ordinary people were permitted to wear the royal costume only on their wedding day.

Hand lanterns are used for lighting the way from the groom's home to the bride's home on the night before the wedding. Traditionally, the groom's family would carry a wedding chest filled with gifts for the bride's family. Wedding geese are a symbol for a long and happy marriage. Cranes are a symbol of long life and may be represented on the woman's sash. Pairs of wooden Mandarin-duck carvings are often used

in traditional wedding ceremonies because they represent peace, fidelity, and plentiful offspring. 

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2) Attires for bride and groom

The women's attire includes a Jeogori (저고리); (short jacket with long sleeves) with two long ribbons which are tied to form the Otgoreum (옷고름). A Chima (치마), a full-length, high-waisted, wrap-around skirt is worn.

Boat-shaped shoes made of silk, are worn with white cotton socks. The bride's attire might include a white sash

with significant symbols or flowers. A headpiece or crown may also be worn. The Norigae (노리개) is a Hanbok(한복) decoration which has been worn by all classes of Korean women for centuries. It is tied to the skirt or the ribbon on the jacket. The knot on the top is called the Maedeup (매듭). A jacket (Jeogori, 저고리) and trousers and an overcoat are worn. The jacket has loose sleeves, the trousers are roomy and tied with straps at the ankles.

A vest may be worn over the shirt. A black hat could be worn.

The wedding costume for men is also known as Gwanbok (관복) for the groom.