Are you dreaming of a destination wedding that’s romantic, timeless, and touched with nostalgia? Seoul, South Korea is the perfect place for all these elements to come together in one captivating spectacle. Whether it’s a traditional Korean ceremony or an intimate day dedicated solely to each other – Seoul has it all! Read on further to find out why this magical city might be what you’re looking for when planning your dream South Korean winter wedding.

What began as a language exchange blossomed into something much more special. They have been on an emotional rollercoaster since they first started dating, but their love held strong despite his numerous trips abroad due to work. May 2021 was particularly memorable; while taking in the glorious views of Gwanju’s rocky beachside, he sweetly popped the question – sans engagement ring! They chose individual stones from that same beach during this momentous time which not only encapsulated our current happiness but also serves as a reminder for all future generations: when it comes to finding true love, you can find it anywhere.

THE VENUE

We didn’t want a wedding hall-style wedding, and a rural wedding in Sulgi’s hometown would also be quite tricky. Luckily, Sulgi found a great venue in Gangnam. It had a personal and cozy vibe that mixed elements of a Western and a Korean wedding.

THE VIBE

The natural and warm tones gave us both a good feeling. We wanted nice mood lighting, but nothing over the top or tacky either. The wedding was on December 11th, so it was close to Christmas, so we decided to have some subtle Christmas tones and feel, but nothing ‘Christmas themed’ either.

TAKE ON TRADITION

Seulgi is Korean and Dan is from the United States, so we wanted to incorporate elements from both cultures. We kept elements of a Korean wedding with the mothers lighting the candles together (unfortunately, due to last-minute government rules regarding COVID, Dan’s mother could not be there, but Sulgi’s brother filled in), bowing to the parents, etc.. We also wanted the elements of a Western wedding with exchanging the rings and “You may now kiss the bride”. Before putting the rings on each other at the wedding, neither wore the ring leading up to the day. Dan also insisted that we can not kiss on the day of the wedding before “you may kiss the bride”.

FAVE DETAILS

We loved the intimacy of the wedding. We knew all of the guests, and it was a smaller venue where everyone could be together in one space. We never felt rushed, and we could take our time and enjoy the moment. Many want to rush through the wedding to get it over with, we wanted to savor every moment!

THE DRESS

Sulgi wanted something simple and elegant. Many dresses have a lot of sparkle and shine, but she wanted something simple, not long and impractical. It was also kept a secret to Dan. He did not see the dress until the day of the wedding.

THE SUIT

Dan wanted something classic for the suit. The was a great tailor in the Jong-ro area of Seoul. He helped guide Dan on the suit and what would work best for him. That whole experience was great for a man who otherwise knows very little about suits!

WE’RE GLAD WE…

We’re glad we went ahead with the wedding. In December 2021, Korea had some of the strictest COVID rules they ever had, but we wanted to go ahead with the wedding either way. We didn’t want to wait in limbo and be at the mercy of government regulations. We wanted to get married and start our new lives together, so we didn’t want anything to hold us back.

A WORD OF ADVICE…

A word of advice is to just take it to step by step. There are so many things to do leading up to a wedding, and it can get flustering to think about it all. Just do one thing at a time. “How do you eat a whale? One bite at a time.”

LITTLE LOL

Luckily things went by quite smoothly. Since my (Dan’s) family wasn’t able to attend, I was busy trying to focus on the wedding while also making sure the live stream with my family was fine. At one point, my MC had to remind me to stay next to my wife!

STANDOUT VENDORS

The venue was great and Lorryn captured it so well! She candidly captured many lovely moments of the wedding, Sulgi in her beautiful dress, and the smiles on everyones’ faces. Also, the wedding book she organized and printed after the wedding is such a nice way to relive our wedding day! It was a wonderful day, and captured beautifully too!