This Couple Enjoyed a Hot Air Balloon Ride After Their Korean Paebaek Wedding Ceremony at Lovegrove Estate in Summerville, South Carolina
Mere moments before Ashley McCullough reached an adventurer’s milestone, her boyfriend (Daniel Fink) had a sweet surprise. “Ashley and I are adventurous people, so on a dream cruise down to Antarctica, I proposed to Ashley just before she reached a lifetime goal of visiting all seven continents,” Daniel describes. After such an epic engagement, the bride and groom wanted to design an event befitting their bold personalities—observing Ashley’s Korean heritage, their selected color palette contained vibrant hues that reflected an autumnal vibe for their October wedding.
With only a few short months before the military couple would be moving out of the country to take up residence at a new station, Ashley and Daniel rallied and rushed to plan their multicultural nuptials before their departure. When the day arrived, Ashley gathered with her gals to get ready for the American ceremony. Donning chic Christian Louboutin heels (complete with their own sparkling trains) and a fitted A-line gown from Randy Fenoli’s bridal line, the bride made her way to the first event. “I am an officer in the Army, and so was my father-in-law,” Daniel says. “To show the importance of the military in our family, we both wore our ‘mess dress’ [the most formal uniform worn by military personnel] for the western ceremony.”
Groomsmen sported smart navy-colored suits with boutonnieres in different, striking tones. Bridesmaids in an ombre array of pink gowns floated down the alfresco aisle carrying bouquets of red, coral, blush and blue flowers, perfectly accenting the bold colors of the day. Ashley and Daniel met at the altar, which featured a wood arch adorned with garden roses and other classic blooms in a similar color gradient to the bridesmaids’ dresses. “The florals were very bold, vibrant and colorful to fit the ongoing themes of a Korean fusion wedding,” the groom emphasizes. “We also incorporated some orchids for a more visual representation of the fusion.”
Following the Western event, the pair had the wooden arch repurposed as a backdrop for the Korean ceremony—the Paebaek (also spelled Pyebaek). “We brought in all the necessary accessories for the Paebaek ceremony, as there are traditional customs that must be followed,” says Daniel. “Additionally, we had some paper cranes strung along the reception tent—they’re an important symbol in Korean culture.” The bride and groom changed into traditional attire—Daniel into a Paebaek robe in a deep blue hue; Ashely into a striking Hanbok in red and white with gorgeous detailing down the front.
The newlyweds performed each Korean custom, including bows, serving tea to both sets of parents, advice and blessings from family members and, finally, a particularly telling event. “As a part of the ceremony, the bride and groom’s parents throw dates and chestnuts at the couple to represent how many boys and girls they will have,” Daniel reveals. “Coincidently, both of our parents threw one date and three chestnuts, signifying we’ll have one boy and three girls. God bless our souls.”
After one final outfit change—Daniel into a classic seersucker suit and Ashley into a sequin romper with a long train—the couple arrived at their reception in style: via hot air balloon! The tented celebration held gold details with similarly bold flowers. “We served some traditional Korean food, along with some southern favorites. Additionally, we incorporated a hot air balloon which was our entrance to the reception and then available for guest rides. Finally, we capped off the night with a firework show set to the popular song Dynamite by the Korean-pop band BTS,” smiles the groom.
When planning your own nuptials, Daniel and Ashley’s advice is clear. “Everything is going to be okay!” the couple assures. “Just take time to breathe and enjoy the process. It only happens once in your life, don’t let the stress of it all get the best of you.”
