Not wearing a wedding dress to the reception

ejp268

My FI and I are getting married in South Korea (we currently live here and he is from Korea).  We are planning a traditional Korean wedding, so I will be wearing a Korean hanbok.  Our reception will take place a few months later in the states, and I was planning on wearing my hanbok to the reception instead of a white wedding dress.  The hanbok, for all intents and purposes, is my wedding dress

Hanboks cost anywhere from $200 to $1000, depending on the quality of the silk and embellishments, so unless I buy a cheap one I really am spending my dress budget on the hanbok.

Should I buy a white dress for the reception, or do you think it would be ok for me to wear the hanbok?  It represents my FI's heritage more than my own, but it also means something to me as I love living here and would like to stay here for a long time.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Korean.costume-Hanbok-wedding.bride-01.jpg

http://adamandjean.com/system/files/images/hanbok+green-pink.preview_0.jpg

nhelene

I may be alone here, but I think it's a bit silly to get all dolled up in a wedding gown for a party that's going to be held months after the wedding.

I think the hanbok is equally 'silly' (in terms of being elaborate and ceremonial; like you said, it is your wedding dress) BUT it is pretty cool and definitely an interest piece for the American guests who would probably like to see you in it, and if it is important to you and your fiance, I say go for it.

sophs_ro

I would just wear your hanbok, it's your wedding dress after all and not many women get the chance to have two parties and wear it twice

I think they're beautiful and would be interesting for your guest to learn about your husband's heritage etc.

Unless however you WANT a white dress, if you decide it would be nice to have a little white dress then i'm sure you could pick one up for reasonably cheap. Have you seen lightinabox?

xx

joyvp

It is YOUR reception...wear whatever YOU want!

aerinpegadrak

It's up to you, really.  I'm buying a short white dress for our AHR, because my wedding dress wouldn't be appropriate for the beach, but I still want to look at least a little bridal.  I'm planning on getting one from http://www.unique-vintage.com, and planning on spending no more than $150 on it, so it's not a budget buster.

I think it would be silly to buy a full-blown wedding gown just for an AHR, but a simple white dress would be fine if you'd prefer that to your hanbok.

trix1223

I agree with pps who said that wearing any kind of big wedding dress for an AHR that happens months after the ceremony is pretty AW-ish to me.  I definitely wouldn't buy a white wedding dress for it.  I probably wouldn't wear the Korean dress either.

I'd follow aerin's lead and get a cute, short, white dress.  GL

jenn.daniel

Either your hanbok or a regular dress.  It doesn't make sense to me to buy two wedding dresses.

Pirata13

I agree with PPs--your hanbok or a regular dress. And Unique Vintage does have super cute dresses.  If you chose a simple dress for the reception here, make sure you have some photos to display from the wedding, as I'm sure people would want to see and many would be interested in the hanbok. I would be.

MOBinFL2008

I wouldn't wear the hanbok or a traditional white wedding dress; they both seem a bit over-the-top to me for a reception that takes place months after the wedding.  I'd wear a short white dress.  However, be sure to have lots of pictures from your actual wedding.  I'm sure people will want to see them.

WhatawagSBNy

    I think the hanbok is beautiful.  Wear any dress YOU  want, including your hanbok -  don't go out and buy a white dress.

    You and your new husband will bring a bit of a traditional cultural symbol to the reception, which is quite appropriate.

ejp268

Thanks for your input!

I think I'll definitely look at other, shorter dresses to cover all my bases.  But then again it would add to our budget so I'll have to see how much my hanbok will be.

ces25c

I don't think it's silly at all, whatever you wear.  I've been to a reception a month after a destination wedding and the bride wore a huge, princess-y wedding dress she'd bought before they decided on a destination wedding.  The Hanbok seems like it would be pretty cumbersome to wear eating and dancing though.  If you want and can afford a wedding dress, go for that.  If you are having a less formal reception, just get an inexpensive white dress or cocktail dress.
You can always have a slideshow of your ceremony or blow up photos to show everyone the ceremony and your traditional outfits.