777 Couples Wedding Day, October 21, 1970

Jack Korthuis
October 23, 1970

A panoramic view of 777 Couples Wedding ceremony

This was the day we were all waiting for. We got up and dressed in our wedding suits and ate breakfast about 8:40 a.m. boarded the bus for the journey to the Seoul Chang Chung Gymnasium, where the ceremony was to be held. The wedding was to begin at 10:30 a.m., and we all lined up outside of the gym in an orderly manner for the entrance procession_

The huge gym was beautifully decorated with balloons, flags and beautiful streamers of pastel colored silk hanging from the center of the ceiling. Outside, a fireworks display preceded the entrance march. It consisted of beautifully colored streaming bursts of pinks and blues trailed by rockets, and Korean flags dropped from rockets by parachutes.

After a few short opening activities, twelve blessed couples who represented twenty-four elders entered and formed two lines through which we would pass. Then our True Parents took their positions and the stately procession of 777 couples began. The brides and grooms entered, preceded through the twelve couples and between our True Parents, who were elevated somewhat above us. As we passed them we were sprinkled with blessed rose water. We proceeded to our places and stood until all were in place before our True Parents.

Our Leader asked and we answered three questions. This was followed by prayer, the exchange of wedding gifts, a proclamation, gift to our True Parents, the singing of "Arirang," congratulatory remarks, three cheers of Monsei and the exit of the participants.

We all boarded forty buses and in a police -- escorted parade encircled the city. We -- the Western Family -- were in the' fortieth bus and represented seven of the ten nations participating in the Blessing. It was a most beautiful day for us and a great day of victory for our heavenly Father.

Needless to say, it was a long ceremony and a long parade. We had a short break for dinner and then went on buses back to the gymnasium for the reception ceremony. At the reception we had to a tremendous variety of entertainment: Korean traditional folk dancing, oriental instruments were played to the beating of drums, songs were sung, comedians made everyone laugh, representatives from each country sang and danced, the national anthem of Korea was sung, and once again three cheers of Monsei ended the program. It was truly a glorious day! On October 22 we were up early as always, ate breakfast, and once again dressed in old wedding clothes for pictures. After pictures we had a free day in which many necessary individual matters were taken care of.

On October 23 we spent the day discussing our time in Japan and Korea. We also completed all ceremonial parts of the wedding and Blessing on this day. We cleared and packed in the evening and closed our stay with a prayer meeting.

(From New Age Frontiers" published by the Unified Family in America.)