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Scottish Wedding |
Jung Ja Pyen Shin (Ewha '61)
23 December 2000
Practically everybody is talking about Madonna's wedding lately, especially news media. Why is it? I would put it for the following reasons: 1) her fame - megastar; 2) tying a knot by the liberal independent free girl; 3) groom, ten years junior (younger); 4) traditional wedding for the material girl; 5) wedding not in Bride's native land but in Groom's: 6) Scotland, the historical, traditional place.
Media, paparazzi and fans have been camped out for a week outside of the sprawling 13th Century cathedral, the sprawling 7,000 acre estate in Range Rover, Scotland. Many of the famous, celebrities expected to arrive. Among them included are Gwyneth Paltrow, the bride's maid; Donatella Versace, Italian designer who created Madonna's wedding dress; George Clooney, Robin Williams, Rupert Everett, Brad Pitt and Popster Sting dressed in a kilt with his wife Trudi Styler.
The Groom is Guy Ritchie, British film maker who planned to wear a kilt in the ancient hunting pattern of the MacIntosh clan, which is his family clan. The reverend who would preside over the wedding ceremony is Susan Brown. She told local newpaper that she planned to give two rolls of toilet papers to the newlyweds as her wedding gift, because they are "long and strong, like their marriage will be." The bride, of course, is Madonna: Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone. They tied the knot Friday 22 December 2000 in a private, star studded ceremony at Scotland's Skibo Castle, as per BBC report.
Jung Ja Pyen Shin (Ewha '61)
23 December 2000
News media, however, could not even have a glimpse of Madonna's wedding inside and could not even release any wedding pictures, yet. They did not even see the bride or groom arriving into the cathedral. I do not know how the wedding went but I can imagine. I can do so more than any viewers of this web. Why and How? I went to several Scottish weddings here in America but later I came to realize that they were not true Scot weddings, more like Americanized. How do I know that? I attended the true Scottish wedding. I was in it. My son David got married in Scotland , to a beautiful Scottish maiden Mandy. He had a kilt on. I am not sure but he might be the first Korean American who had a Scottish wedding in a kilt. Scots wear kilt. The style, color and pattern differ by the family clan that they belong to. It was two years ago about Thanksgiving time.
After the wedding, I wrote down my experience and sent it with my holiday greetings to my friends, relatives and neighbors, spread all over the world. Several hundreds of letters went out that year. After I returned from Scotland, I hardly slept for several weeks to prepare and mail those letters and pictures through holiday rushes. I worked on them every night since I worked during the daytime. It was well worth it, later I found out. I am publishing this story not only to share with viewers about my experience but also to have viewers a glimpse of Scottish wedding. I am sure , of course, Madonna's was the most extravagant, luxurious, magnificent, elaborate and beautiful but the basic process would be similar.
Being a non-expert in html, I cannot depict everything shown on that greetings, but I can publish the content to share with our website viewers. Many friends here appreciated me taking time to describe of the wedding. They learned a lot, they told me. Many of Scottish descendants did not even know the true Scottish wedding even though they performed it, they said. More amazingly when my husband Kee Soo and I visited Korea this year, some friends told me that they still take that letter out once in a while to remind themselves of Scottish tradition as a learning experience and to practice English. They learned more about Scottish heritage through me. I read and watched TV programs that contained Scottish heritage. Here is the Scottish wedding that I experienced. I attached the Father's address given by my husband at the reception. Also attached is some of the pictures taken after the wedding, the groom in a kilt and my favorite picture of the bride that I took during the pre-reception cocktail party.
Since I prepared Holiday Greetings in summer as shown in front, a special happy event has occurred to us. It is the marriage of our son David John to his beautiful bride Miss Mandy Reid. Mandy has a tall thin figure with light blonde hair, hazel (greenish brown) eyes and transparent white fair skin. She puts no make-up on her face and keeps her hair very simple. She is originally from Scotland of the United Kingdom.
Wedding was performed in her homeland. Wedding ceremony was carried out and blessed by a Presbyterian minister in a historical church, St. Andrew's Parish Church, in Scotland on Friday, 20th of November 1998. After the ceremony, people congratulated the new couple with a traditional Scottish celebration, which lasted almost for 12 hours. The whole performance started at 2:00 pm in the afternoon and ended at 2:00 am at night. It was some event that I wish everybody was there to participate or watch.
Since not many people are familiar with Scottish wedding, let me have the privilege to introduce it to you briefly through this greeting, describing what went on.
It starts several weeks before the wedding. When the invitation goes out, people start to bring gifts to the bride's home. For several weeks, bride to be and her family greet the guests who come with gifts and entertain them with tea party. The gifts are put on display to show. One room is designated to arrange the gifts received to show to the guests. This goes on every day until a few days before the wedding. This means all the wedding gifts are received before the wedding, not on the wedding day.
For Mandy and David's wedding, the ceremony started at 2:00 pm on Friday to continue the celebration to the weekend. It is not like other countries where maid of honor and other participants come in first but here the bride walks in first escorted by her father behind the minister then followed by others. Ceremony lasted about 45 minutes. Marriage Certificate is signed in Pastor's office before the ceremony is over. Maid of honor, bestman and parents with the pastor witness the signing. Each parents enter by the original pair but come out by different pair, exchanged between bride's and groom's. This symbolizes that the two family become united into one. It is so strict that no picture or video is allowed during the ceremony to make it solemn.
After the wedding, the guests were invited to the grand ballroom in a hotel (The Buchanness Hotel) somewhat far away from the church. The bride, groom and their family go to the photo studio and go through photo session by the professional photographer.
After the photo, we all join the guests who are already having pre-reception cocktail party in progress. At 5:00 pm each parents and immediate family, bride and groom, best man and maid of honor all line up and greet the guests one by one to the reception hall. This takes quite a while. After everyone is seated, bride and groom enter the reception escorted by a bagpipe music player. The reception lasted about 2 hours which included the speech and toast of each father and other male members of the family. Woman were not allowed to give a speech. However, each mother, mother of bride and of groom, was given a large bouquet of flower as a token of appreciation raising her child. It was a sit-down dinner and several courses of meal were served. The Scottish dishes were all delicious.
After the reception, you see the wall of hundreds photos displayed at the cocktail hall which were taken by the photographer. All the pictures of every guest attended the wedding, of the bride and groom and of the family taken by the photographer are already mounted on one wall and are getting enjoyed and appreciated by all the guests. People order their favorite pictures at this time.
At 7:00 pm the Grand March starts. This is a spectacular procedure that is not seen in other countries. At this time more people from the town join the celebration. The bride and groom start marching escorted by the bagpipe music player and live bands. The new young couple alone marches for a while. Then Maid of honor and best man follow. Then each parents and relatives follow them. It starts with one line and then joining each line alternatively making two, then four and then eight lines. At the end when the march end, the bride and the groom are in the front row in the middle with bride maids and best man on each end. Each parents follow right behind them in the second row with immediate family. Other relatives are in the back rows.
After the Grand March, dancing and real celebration starts. This lasted about 6 hours. During all this period, the bar is open for the drinks. Sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres are also served. Wedding cakes are served at this time. Live band music plays continuously by three musician and instruments until the end. The another spectacular scene was at the climax where all the guests join together as a circle to give a piggyback ride to the father of the bride and the father of the groom separately. At the end, every one dances together with joy and concludes with fire works.
Since most guests consumed large amount of drinks, a big tour bus was hired to bring each guest home so that they do not have to drive.
While I was reviewing the video tape, I was very amazed at the precise timing of all the events which was recorded on the tape. Each process started exactly on time, not even a single minute late. I appreciated one more time how the Scottish people use the time so efficiently. The planning and effort of the parents of the bride, Mr. and Mrs. William Reid and the bride Mandy herself were well worth to be praised.
Four of us flew from each different locations on each different day for the wedding and joined at Scotland: David from North Carolina, Jenny from Boston, Kee Soo and I from Philadelphia. Jenny was a graceful confident usher at the wedding, guiding the guests to their seats.
I felt like I went back in time to the school learning the European history but this time I was a part of that history actually experiencing it. Also felt like I am actually in the movie rather than watching it.
Scotland is located in the northern hemisphere in Europe continent and has a very cold weather with a strong wind. You do not see much sun up there. Their sunrise is late at around 8:30 am and the sunset is early starting at around 3:30 pm. Most of the time it is cold, cloudy or wet. Despite of the bad weather, Scottish people are strong and healthy, physically and mentally.
Their high standard of traditional culture and of the people's level is so well known throughout the world that most princes of Wales were educated in Scotland while they were growing up. The crime is so rare that the police never carries a gun. The well-known character star Sean Canary, agent 007 of James Bond movies is from Scotland. Mel Gibson's Brave Heart describes the Scottish spirit. The most recent famous movie, Titanic was filmed at the Scotland seashore. They have the world largest white fish harbor. Scotland is one of four kingdoms (Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England) to establish the United Kingdom.
David, a Pennsylvanian, became a southern gentleman after living in New Orleans for several years and now in North Carolina, USA. Born, raised and educated in America with the Korean background, and now with a Scottish wedding, he became a multi cultural person. Mandy and David met in New Orleans. David works as a cardiology specialist. He and his beautiful bride live in North Carolina where he bought a nice big house in August. We all wish David and Mandy a best smile of blessing and happiness of their lives.
Our daughter Jennifer Joan (Jenny), a student of the year , still attends at Harvard Medical School and is devoted to her research. Jenny and David depend on each other and the two are good friends not only being a sister and brother.
When you can visit us, we will be glad to show you the video of the wedding celebration. Video tape alone will play for about 10 hours if we show you all. With this message, some pictures of bride and groom are attached.
We wish you all
As the father of the groom, I deeply appreciate Mr. and Mrs. William Reid for providing their daughter, Miss Mandy Reid's hand-in marriage to Dr. David John Shin. I also sincerely appreciate Mandy's brothers and their family. Most importantly, I am deeply touched and honored by your presence, all of you for Mandy and David's wedding.
Miss Mandy Reid, you are no longer Miss Mandy Reid now. Your name will be known as Mrs. Mandy Shin. When people write a letter or greeting card to you, they will write Dr. David John Shin and Mrs. Mandy Shin before your address. No matter where you go your family name will be S, H, I, N, Shin. You are representing the name of Shin which we are proud of. From now on, Mandy, you should be proud of your family name, Shin.
This is your journey which you have chosen. This journey of your life may not be always a smooth one. Any honest person will say to you in big capital letters, "Married life is not always a paradise or a pleasant one." Many bumpy roads will be ahead of you. This bumpy road is underlined with bold emphasis.
When you hit a bumpy road in your life, try to find a best way to overcome this unpleasant obstacle. It might be better not to blame or criticize others for the bumpy road. Blaming or criticizing others specially for your own justification is a deadly poison for the journey of your married life. Instead blaming or criticizing others, first try to understand, second bring out the best of others, and third appreciate other's good motivation, not bad one. If you do so, you will be surprised that a very easy solution for your problem will naturally appear in front of you. Therefore, choose praise and appreciation of others rather than blaming and Criticizing.
Mr. David Shin, from now on you are no longer just Mr. David Shin. After your name something will always follow or be added. That something is not just a something. That something is a very important one in your life. That is Mrs. Mandy Shin. The name Mandy will be or should be with you all the time, for the rest of your life.
David, one thing you should remember is that you received the best education available in the world; from elementary school to high school, from high school to college, from college to medical school. You attended one of the best schools in the United States of America.
When people call you, they are not just saying Mr. Shin. They will always say Dr. Shin. Dr. Shin is not just a name. People call you Dr. Shin, not because they just need you but also they respect you and are proud of you. In return, you not only provide their need but also you take good care of them, too. The same principle and attitude, you should apply to your wife Mandy.
In the world, I believe every wife respects and is proud of her husband. Mandy is not an exception to this. Mandy's love for you is very important in your life. Without her thoughtful and warmest love for you, you may not be successful in anything in your life.
David, take good care of Mandy! Mandy, you take good care of David, too!
In this whole wide world, two of you are the most important persons in each of your life. One without other, it is not joyful or wonderful anymore.
In conclusion, in short, I simply emphasize that two of you are always doing together and building together, not only your own life but also, more importantly, your next generation.
I thank again Mr. and Mrs. William Reid and their family. And thank you so much for all your presence for the unforgettable wedding day of these two young couple, David and Mandy.
Thank you and May God Bless You, All.
My Prayer for You
My prayer is a wish that has wings;
It flies to the heaven above,
Asking God for His blessing on you,
And the gifts of His care and His love.
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