Rob and Myun Hwa!

This past weekend, we went up to New Haven to celebrate the wedding of one of David's college roommates. It was a beautiful wedding, and a really fun reunion of the Princeton '01 crowd!

[Photos are thumbnails here -- just for you, Don! Click to enlarge.]

They had really beautiful flower arrangements for the ceremony:

And lots of beautiful music:

The ceremony used some of the language of the Book of Common Prayer, and was consciously Christ-centered -- I think it was the first wedding I'd been to where there was scripture and music devoted to confession of sins. It made for a very moving service, all beautifully done.

Cute flower girls; the littlest one didn't make it down the aisle,
but was still adorable in her refusal to do so. :)

Myun Hwa locking eyes with her groom

The ceremony was officiated by Jon Hinkson '85.

It was windy and somewhat rainy for much of the day in New Haven, but right at the end of the service, the sun broke through the clouds and shone through the windows on the couple -- always a good sign. :) And it made for pretty pictures of the couple on the steps of the church, with the wind gracefully lifting Myun Hwa's veil:

The reception was so much fun! The couple arrived at the reception in traditional Korean hanboks (Rob was really rocking the headdress!), and had a pae baek ceremony to honor their parents. Traditionally, the pae baek is done for the groom's parents -- the bride and groom bow deeply and serve tea, symbolizing their submission to the groom's parents and the bride's entry into her new family. But Rob and Myun Hwa chose to honor both sets of parents, and it turned out to be a really sweet symbol of family unity -- it's not that Myun Hwa has cut off ties with her family and is now living under the thumb of her mother-in-law (which, let's face it, is the traditional Korean way), but rather that the two families are coming together as one. Which was really sweet to see!

The drummer who announced the couple.

Myun Hwa and Rob in their hanboks

Placing a crown on Myun Hwa's head

Deep bows to their parents (with assistance for Myun Hwa -- her clothes
were too heavy for her to manage the bows on her own!)

Rob pouring juice for his new in-laws

Catching chestnuts and dates thrown by the parents --
chestnuts symbolize prosperity, and dates symbolize sons.

And, of course, the reception had all the other trappings of traditional Western weddings as well:

And did I mention old friends?

Jeff S. '98, Jon K. '01, Don L. '01, and Justin H. '01

Jared and Ling showing Justin and his fiancee Tiffany pictures of their baby boy

Steve tying the bow of the youngest Hinkson girl (Isabella?),
and meeting with her approval

Annie N. '01, with her 4-month-old son Josiah

Christina and Neil S., both '01, with their 3-week-old son Adrian

It was so good to see everyone, and to celebrate the new Mr. and Mrs. Dunlop!