Dongmin & Minhee's Wedding

This past weekend, I was honoured to attend Dognmin and Minhee's wedding. As I mentioned last week, Minhee is the friend I met in Andong on my way to Hahoe Folk Village several months ago. I can't help but laugh at the thought that, had I not gone out the night before my trip to Andong, and then slept in the following morning, thereby missing my bus with the people I was supposed to meet up with, I never would have met Minhee. So in a way, I have Rob to thank for that. Thanks, Rob!

Anyway, Minhee and Dongmin will be moving to Toronto on August 14th, after checking out Thailand on their honeymoon, and I couldn't be happier for them. My hat is off to them, because it certainly takes a lot of guts to uproot your life like that.

I think the reason I'm so excited for them, and so eager to help them transition into their new lives is because of my own family's experience. My family immigrated to Canada in the late 80's as refugees fleeing from the Contra War in Nicaragua, and thankfully had a lot of help and support from the Canadian government.

My mom has never forgotten the struggles that she faced bringing her two children to a new country and having to work several jobs to provide for her family, and because of that, she's always gone out of her way to help others in need. Over the years, she's welcomed many people to stay under her roof, because she's awesome like that. She's so grateful to have been given the opportunity to build a life for her family that she wants to help others achieve their own dreams.

I won't be giving Dongmin and Minhee a place to live, but I think having a familiar face in a place as big as Toronto is just as comforting. I look forward to introducing them to the delectable world of poutineries and other food treasures that await them in Toronto, as well as taking them to a Blue Jays game or exploring Kensington Market.

So anywho, I got to the wedding at around 1:30, introduced myself to the groom as "Minhee's Canadian friend," and went to take a photo with the bride to be. She was sitting in this small room with friends waiting in line to take pictures with her. After taking my picture with the beautiful bride, I went to sit and wait for the show to start.

I look like a hobo sitting next to her.

Pretty swanky place, complete with, not one, but two waterfalls just outside those doors.

While I waited, another familiar face in Su Yeong came over with her friend, Kyoungmi, to invite me over to their table after the ceremony was over.

Now this was my second Korean wedding after my Vice Principal's daughter's wedding. I was hoping for a bit more of a show this time, since the first one was over in the blink of an eye.

They didn't disappoint:

First there was the lighting of the candles by the mothers dressed in their traditional hanboks.

Then this happened. What you are seeing is a series of pictures of the wedding party, including Alfalfa up there, walking down the aisle to "Macarena." It was...glorious.

At one point, the entire party was dancing in sync, when they suddenly hunched down so that the groom was left dancing on his own. It was quite the production.

Thankfully, they did not walk down to the tune of "Macarena."

The bridesmaids serenading the couple with a pop song and dance routine.

Then it was the boys' turn.

And they lived happily ever after.

Just before that last photo, before they walked down the aisle together, Dognmin had to stand front and centre and scream a promise of some sort out in Korean, like he was a soldier or something, about how he would always love and provide for his new wife. The MC kept egging him on, though, insisting that he could do better than that, and so by the third time, Dongmin looked about ready to collapse. It was pretty funny.

After the ceremony, there was a huge photo op with all the guests flocking to the stage, followed by lunch with some good company.

All in all, a pretty solid day.

See you in Toronto, guys!