wedding – Thought Moments

The ways of getting married in Singapore is changing with times … something new, something traditional.

This is a personal blog specially posted to capture the memorable moments of the wedding of my younger son Wei with Jessie Rhee on 29 January, 2015.

The marriage solemnisation and wedding reception was held at the Regent Singapore (a Four Season Hotel), a private, simple ceremony among family, relatives, friends and colleagues of Wei and Jessie.

My blogger friend Lam Chun See posted a blog topic on kampong weddings, so I would “tumpang” it here with courtesy. His best-selling book “Good Morning Yesterday” is also included in this kampong wedding chapter.

Another related blog on “Ways Done in the Past – Wedding Reception” here .

A typical Chinese wedding includes numerous traditional rituals that tend to vary according to dialect groups. The private wedding dinners are held in the restaurants to invited guests and friends.

While modernization has led to simplification of some rituals, certain tradition still remain. Today, creative wedding events with multimedia entertainment programs for fun and enjoyment of everyone. The young generation bride and groom’s friends and colleagues helped to plan, organize and manage the wedding event programs with wonderful ideas for home video to share and remember their wedding events.

Courtesy of Regent Singapore (A Four Season Hotel)

My daughter-in-law Jessie Rhee , a Korean with her parents.

My son, Wei, waiting for the hands of Jessie.

Jessie Rhee’s father gave away her hands to Wei.

Modern-day Mums sportingly shared the limelight at the wedding reception

Wei and Jessie offered tea at the traditional Chinese “tea ceremony” to pay respect and gratitude to “Por Por” with love.

The juxtaposed photos of Wei with Mum and Por Por to remember his childhood memories with love.

Wei knelt down to offer the traditional tea to Por Por while Mum watched.

Jessie knelt down to offer the traditional tea to Por Por while Mum watched.

“Gamsahabnida” (in Korean), Por Por; “kamsiah” (in Hokkien), Por Por.

The tea serving ritual is an important symbol in Chinese weddings as it is a crucial representation of the acceptance of the bride into the groom’s family. The tea is brewed with lotus seeds and two red dates, ingredients believed to encourage child-bearing. The sweet flavor of the tea also serves as a wish for her sweet relations between the bride and her in-laws.

It is also a way for the couples to show their gratitude and filial piety towards their elders.

The wedding couple walked towards the stage to toast to the guests

Acknowledgement of thanks to everyone for making their wedding happen … 감사합니다 (gamsahabnida)!

The bride and bridegroom pay respect to their parents with Korean traditional way. Putting the parents first, this virtue of hyo (효, 孝) i.e. filial piety.

vignette_PicsArt_1422649764547

A Korean friend serenade a Korean love song with happiness wishes.

Keep in touch with friends and relatives

A long day for the little busy, sleepy angel to the tender, loving arms of the blessed Dad and Mum.

“건배” [Gunbae in Korean]

More photos to be posted later from the photographers. Thank you.

Defining Moments of Grown-Up Children

Marriage, a defining moment in life to walk the path, a journey to travel with confidence and hope for the best.

All of a sudden, the children have grown up and independent on their own, we thought. The children are not “instant trees” planted on the roadside or products to be manufactured in the factories .

Bringing up the kids was a worthwhile learning experience as roles of parents in life. Parents are happy to have walked their path with the help of Divine Providence, with love and blessings. Curated “memory aids” of childhood photos, I enjoyed looking back the favorite selected old photos as a photomontage on this blog to share for posterity.