Wedding Ducks

Wedding ducks have special role in every Korean wedding. They were chosen as it is known that they mate for life. Long time ago a man expressed his wish to get married by bringing a pair of ducks or geese to the family of his bride-to-be.

The wedding duck symbolizes three things:

1. Peace

2. Many children

3. No separations.

Selection of the person who is going to carve a wedding duck is not easy. The person must be honourable, good friend.

Most of all he has to have all of the "five fortunes" which are being shared with the couple.

The five fortunes of the carver are:

1. He must be rich

2. He must of perfect health

3. There should be no divorces among his family members (relatives included)

4. He has to have a "good wife"

5. He must have many sons.

While working with his knife, he prays for happiness, peace, prosperity and many children (just as the duck has many eggs) to the bride (Shinbu) and groom (Shinlang).

The person carving wedding ducks must not except money for his work. Carving is the matter of honour.

Just before the wedding the ducks must be wrapped with cloths of different colour. Only the neck is left unwrapped. Then they are carried to the ceremony.

As soon as the bride arrives she puts the wedding duck on the table. After the ceremony, the bride and groom bow to the groom's mother and father two and a half times. Then the groom's mother throws the duck to the outspread bride's apron. If the bride manages to catch the duck it is believed that she will first give birth to a baby boy. If she does not catch the duck she will get a baby girl.

Let's solve the mystery why one of two wedding ducks in this photo has blue and red strings tied around a bill. It is a female duck. This should be a reminder to keep silent and always support her husband.

Wedding ducks are kept somewhere in the couple's house.

Their position tells about the status in the relationship. Nose to nose means that the relationship is good, and tail to tail means that husband and wife are having troubles.