Friday night treat for you: Michelle & Ajax’s Korean Paebaek Tea Ceremony!

I see a lot of wedding traditions!  What I loved most about this Korean Paebaek Tea Ceremony, and really Michelle & Ajax’s whole day, is how they honored their elders.  You might remember these two eloped in Hawaii this past March.  Rather than having another day about the two of them, this day was more focused on their parents and grandparents.

Their day started off like many western weddings: in a hotel. Michelle got her hair and makeup done, Ajax ran around getting coffee for the girls, and then began to prep with his best man, Mark.  Then it was off to their ceremony at the beautiful Red Rock Amphitheater where these to finished getting dressed.

Korean tradition is for both the bride & groom to shield their faces until they are both at the alter at the same time.  After they cleanse their hands, they reveal their faces and then bow to one another.  The remainder of the ceremony is honoring of their elders.  Each set of elders approaches the alter and sits in front of Michelle & Ajax.  To honor and show respect to their elders, Michelle & Ajax serve tea and food.  Then each parent or grandparent offers words of advice for the newlyweds, and then gifts them a red envelope of money.   Lastly, the elders throw a combination of jujubes and chestnuts into a silk sheet that Ajax & Michelle use to catch the nuts.  However many they catch reveals the number of off springs they’ll have – a fun tradition!

Finally, to close the ceremony, Ajax gives Michelle a piggy back ride to demonstrate his strength and that he will always take care of her.  And to show his gratitude, Ajax takes the arm of Michelle’s mom and walks her around as well.  And like all good ceremonies, they’re sealed with a kiss: Michelle feeds Ajax a jujubes and they share the snack, ending with a kiss – Lady and the Tramp style!

After their 11:00AM ceremony, we took a few images and headed to their beautiful reception at the top of the Amphitheater.  There, Michelle made an outfit change into a traditional Chinese dress.  To honor Ajax’s Taiwanese culture, they started the reception off with a Taiwanese tea ceremony where Michelle served his parents and married siblings.

Lots of mingling and picturing taking ensued for the rest of the afternoon, as these two interacted with their guests.

Ajax and Michelle, what a fun year we’ve had!  Thank you SO much for extending your trust and confidence towards me and my team.  It’s been such a blessing to journey with you.  I wish you so many years of happiness and love! We’re lifers!

With joy,
René