wedding photos

I'm sure most of you have already seen these, but if you haven't.... wedding photos are located here.

honeymoon pictures

You can see them here.

the final countdown

One day to go!

The last month has been quiet on the blog. We might be able to chalk it up to being busy or being lazy or both. At any rate, our big day arrives tomorrow!

Please send us your thoughts and prayers throughout the weekend and through our honeymoon.

Thank you,
Chris and Danny

hunting season

Have you sent in your RSVP? If not, we're hunting you.

We're also apartment hunting in... Los Angeles, California. After a lot of prayer and a lot of talking, we decided to start our new life together in Los Angeles.

Thanks to all of you who have been praying for us, too.

points of interest

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breaking news

Los Angeles, CA -- Multiple sources are confirming that Chris and Danny have made a decision on what city they are going to live after getting married. Chris and Danny will release a written statement later in the week to make the formal announcement.

While it is unclear which city they have chosen, it is a near certainty that the couple is staying in California. The two have been reported to be looking into job opportunities in California only. In the past, Danny has stated that he will never take another bar exam, which would mean the couple must stay in California if he chooses to practice law.

Neither party was available for comment.

meet the bridal party: david

When and how did you first meet Chris?

When I came out of my mother’s womb, Chris was waiting for me with her bigo glasses.

What is a favorite memory that you have about Chris?

There are countless memories of bothering her until she cried. I remember when we were in junior high, our church would go to these picnics and the guys would toss around footballs. My sister would always try to get in the mix and I didn’t want her to play with the boys. So I would intentionally chuck the football as hard as I could to her. I think that’s where she got her athleticism. So you’re welcome, Chris.

What is something about Chris that people don’t know, but you think they should?

I don’t really know if people should know this, but her farts are poisonously, toxicly, and life-threateningly deadly. It’s silent but it sure is deadly. It’s the kind of farts that make you mad. You must really love her Danny. Good luck with that one!

What did you think when you first heard Chris was dating Danny?

Thank the Lord!

When and how did you first meet Danny?

I think it was about last year when they were already dating and Chris came down to LA to play with Danny and we met at some Korean restaurant. As a brother of course, I was sizing Danny up and making sure he was a legit dude for my sister. But he was too nice to even try to size up.

What did you think when they got engaged?

Expected.

How lucky of a guy do you think Danny is?

Never seen someone more faithful and diligent than my sister. Aside from her nerdy habits of studying, she’s a woman who loves the Lord and fears Him. What more could you want?

What are you looking forward to on September 19?

Chris crying when she hugs my parents. You can count on that.

meet the bridal party: eric

When and how did you first meet Danny?

I first met Danny at a church camp during the summer between 8th and 9th grade. None of the other guys from my church was going, so to say the least, I was not excited to be heading to some camp up in the woods for a week with a bunch of strangers. At that point in my life, I was still a painfully shy, awkward kid (although some would say that not much has changed). Lucky for me though, we happened to be going to this camp with our "sister" Korean church in Bakersfield, and if I remember correctly, Danny was in a similar situation as me (i.e. no other guys from his church). So naturally, we clung to each other as you would expect two Asian kids to cling to a piece of driftwood floating in a sea of Caucasian people. We ended up having a great time and have been awesome friends ever since.

What is a favorite memory that you have about Danny?

It's not really a specific event or anything, but I have great memories of the summer Danny and I spent taking classes at UC Berkeley while we were still in high school. I wish I could say that we had a crazy and wild time going to parties, engaging in underage drinking and hanging out with college students. Now that I think about it, what were our parents thinking let us spend the whole summer up there by ourselves?! Well, it turns out that they didn't have anything to worry about. Yes, we actually went to all of our classes and did our homework. We lived at the International House (it was my idea but don't ask me why we lived in a dorm for international students from Europe) where we shared a room and a bunk bed together. By all accounts, it was a pretty tame summer. I don't remember anything about the classes I took that summer, but I had a great time just hanging out with Danny, having late-night conversations about the most random things, rocking out to Weezer and reciting the soundtrack to Pulp Fiction over and over and over. Yes, it was a great summer.

What is something about Danny that people don't know, but you think they should?

Some people may already know this, but Danny was born in Oklahoma. I can imagine the weird looks he must get when he reveals this fact to people, since I too was born in Oklahoma and people say to me: "Really? There are Asians in Oklahoma???" Anyways, yet another reason I feel bonded with Danny.

What did you think when you first heard Danny was dating Chris?

Well, when Danny first starting dating Chris, I hadn't met her yet, so I wasn't sure what to think. On the one hand, I was happy that Danny had found a girl that he was was excited about and that our mutual friends approved. On the other hand, i also thought she better live up to the hype (which she definitely does...see answer to next question).

When and how did you first meet Chris?

I finally had the chance to meet Chris this past July 4th when she and Danny came out to Boston for the weekend. She definitely passed one of the hardest tests of all -- winning over my twin girls who are almost 2 years old. They are very discerning critics, and won't play with just anyone off the street. But in fact, they loved Chris. Case in point: there was one time where Elyse actually let go of my hand so she could hold Chris's instead. I was a little crushed, but it solidified my impression that Chris is one quality girl.

What did you think when they got engaged?

I was thrilled for Danny, and I thought, "Now I really need to meet this girl!"

How lucky of a girl do you think Chris is?

Damn lucky. Danny is the type of guy you love to take home to your parents (c'mon, he's a LAWYER!), but he's also funny, humble, level-headed, smart AND handsome.

What are you looking forward to on September 19?

Seeing one of my best friends marry the girl of his dreams.

meet the bridal party: philip

When and how did you first meet Danny?

I met Danny ten years ago through Best Man Eric, in the snowy winter of 1999. He came to visit Northwestern, where Eric and I lived in the same dorm. We hit it off pretty quickly, and I knew that this was a guy I wanted to be friends with. If I remember correctly, Danny liked us so much, he never left, and ended up going to Northwestern. Right? I think that's how it went down.

What is a favorite memory that you have about Danny?

I have no single favorite memory of Danny, but I have really fond memories of being his roommate during our first year in Los Angeles, nearly five years ago. We moved down at the same time -- literally, we drove down together -- first living with future in-laws (don't ask), then our first Koreatown apartment, then the second one, walking distance from Manna. It was definitely helpful going through that transition with a friend, discovering the sights and sounds of L.A. and cursing the satanic 405 traffic. Danny definitely had my back.

What is something about Danny that people don't know, but you think they should?

Danny cried like a baby while watching 'Taegukgi.' You know that Korean movie about the Korean war? By the end of the movie, Danny was a mess. I'm not just talking misty-eyed, or a single, dramatic tear escaping his eye. I'm talking about a full-on tears-and-snot situation, followed by a trip to the restroom for extra paper towels. But you really can't blame him -- have you SEEN that movie? If any movie is designed to make a grown man cry, it's 'Taegukgi.'

What did you think when you first heard Danny was dating Chris?

About time. By the way, when did they truly start dating? I remember there was this long period of time where Danny refused to call it "dating." Danny and Chris just existed in this amorphous state of together-ness, despite exhibiting all the tell-tale signs of an actual dating relationship. But frankly, I was just glad to hear that the two were finally together.

When and how did you first meet Chris?

Due to our proximity, I was unable to meet Chris until well after she and Danny were going out. As it happens, all my close friends back home in Bay Area, as well as family members, were able to meet Chris before I did. So I got the advance scouting report, then the actual face-to-face. I think we all finally did a brunch thing in L.A. She lived up to the hype.

What did you think when they got engaged?

Again, about time. That seemed to be a foregone conclusion long before the deal was officially sealed, though it probably took a lot longer than we all wanted. There was that one time, many months before they got engaged, when Danny, Joanna and I happened to be hanging out on Jo's 30th birthday, and Chris texted "Happy Birthday" to her. Joanna, in an emboldened, champagne-fueled state -- and a crazy look in her eyes -- emphatically grabbed Danny's arm and told him, "MARRY HER." I think she caught him a little off-guard, but I'm glad he took her advice.

How lucky of a girl do you think Chris is?

Pretty darn lucky. Danny is an excellent man to have in your corner. I know that Danny has been intensively educating her on 1980s-era American popular culture, because such knowledge is essential to fully understand the mind, heart and soul of Danny. But I know she's up to the challenge. Chris, can you name all the Thundercats? Because that's love.

What are you looking forward to on September 19?

Finally seeing these two chained together in one place, as husband and wife. Danny was actually present at many moments in my own engagement with Joanna -- he drove down with me when I visited Jo's parents to ask their permission to marry her; he was there when we met up with friends in Evanston, right after I proposed to Joanna (and she said yes); and he was a groomsman at our wedding. So it'll be awesome to finally witness and take part in Chris and Danny's wedded bliss. I couldn't be happier.

say cheese!

A special thank you to our photographer Sam Lim Studio.

Some select engagement photos are located here.

singled out

We've been getting a handful of single friends asking us to seat us at tables with other single folks.

Sorry to report that we won't have assigned seating at our wedding. So, single people, you're gonna have to do your own work to find the other singles that will be attending.

If any single people out there are willing, we can just buy a little "S" sticker that you can wear during our wedding.

invitations

We've been getting a lot of compliments on our invitations. I wish we could take the credit, but our friend was kind and generous to design them for us. We're thrilled with them, and we're glad that everyone else likes them, too.

More of her work can be found at Reese & Co.

a rose by any other name

We got our marriage license this weekend. One of the questions on the application is whether you want to change your name, and Chris made the decision to change hers.

This will only add the the confusion of what her real name is. As some of you may know, some people know her by her Korean name Seo Jin. In fact, that's how she introduce herself to me when we first met at school. But others know her by her American name Chris. That's how I introduce her to people who meet her now.

To add to all the chaos, now she's going to have her last name as her middle and my last name as hers.

Whatever her name is, I'm glad I'll soon get to call her "wife."

boston trip

We made a trip to Boston over the holiday weekend.

Danny and the girls:


Eric and Sophie:


Shirley and Elyse:

5824 + Lowell High School

All the guys from the original 5824 house married or will marry a girl from Lowell High School.

meet the bridal party: sarah

When and how did you first meet Chris?

At FiCB, I sat next to this girl who had the longest hair I had ever seen. That girl happened to be Chris and I introduced myself. Sparks flew and we hit it off instantly.

What is a favorite memory that you have about Chris?

After our last semester of finals, Chris and I were running really low on money. We literally had $5 to our names. We decided to sell our textbooks and expected to get at least $50 each back. We dreamt of dining on a satisfying and delicious dinner. Unfortunately, between our eight books, we only got a little over $5 combined! So we took that $5 and split a salad from Intermezzo.

Later that night, we couldn’t sleep in our room because our other roommate was packing to move out. So we had a little slumber party out in the living room. The floor was hard, it was freezing, and we were still hungry from our sad little dinner…but it was one of the most fun nights we’ve had together and friends and roommates.

What is something about Chris that people don't know, but you think they should?

She farts in her sleep…watch out Danny! I’m totally kidding!

Chris is a total beauty product junkie =)

What did you think when you first heard Chris was dating Danny?

Wahoooooo~!!!

When and how did you first meet Danny?

I first met Danny on a hot and sunny at the Grove in LA.

What did you think when they got engaged?

Danny is the luckiest guy in the world!

Seriously, how lucky of a guy do you think Danny is?

THE luckiest guy EVER!

What are you looking forward to on September 19?

Seeing Chris cry with tears of joy as Danny and Chris begin their new and exciting life together.

pictures of the past 2

Chris' parents:

 

pictures of the past

Danny's parents:

 

meet the bridal party: isabel

When and how did you first meet Chris?

I first met Chris first semester of our second year in college. I think we were walking back from a Friday night fellowship gathering. I remember thinking that she was really nice, but I didn’t really get to know her until after our second year when we studied abroad in Korea for a summer and semester.

What is a favorite memory that you have about Chris?

My favorite memories with Chris are the great times we had when we were in Korea. Chris, Becky, Janet, and I used to play what we call “The Pirate Game.” Anytime anyone lost, we would draw something on their face. It may not sound that exciting, but we had such a fun time.

What is something about Chris that people don't know, but you think they should?

People may already know this, but Chris has a lot of love and she shows it in many different ways (baking cookies for people, writing letters, etc.) She’s also very Martha Stewart-like in some ways…she can scrapbook, bake, cook, knit, make jewelry…just to name a few.

What did you think when you first heard Chris was dating Danny?

I was both surprised and happy. I guess I always knew it was only a matter of time before a great girl like Chris would be taken. ☺

When and how did you first meet Danny?

I think I’ve known Danny since the fifth grade, at least. We both grew up in Bakersfield (don’t laugh!), and I have vague memories of swimming in his backyard pool with his younger cousins. We never went to the same schools in Bakersfield, but our paths have crossed a lot over the years. We both went to Cal, we both worked at the Housing Rights Center (where Danny is currently working), and we both love Chris!

What did you think when they got engaged?

I was very happy to see that the both of them were happy. And I was also very happy that Chris was so excited to tell me about the proposal. Thumbs up to Danny for making her feel special that day because she is!

After all this though, I did think, “Who would have thought that a person I’ve known since the fifth grade would marry one of my close friends?” It’s a small, small world.

Seriously, how lucky of a guy do you think Danny is?

Very! Hahaha. I think I may have said that too quickly!

What are you looking forward to on September 19?

I look forward to seeing Danny and Chris enjoy every minute of their wedding!

registries

We are registered at Macy's and Bed Bath and Beyond.

mazel tov, matey!

Looks like our wedding isn't the only occasion to be celebrated on September 19.

It is Rosh Hoshanah, which is the Jewish New Year.

It is also International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

So, no hard feelings if you need to dress up like a Jewish pirate to celebrate with us.

meet the bridal party: janet

When and how did you first meet Chris?

I have a faulty memory but it was the 6th grade and it was probably orchestra. I'm sure there were straight bangs and round glasses involved as well.

What is a favorite memory that you have about Chris?

Hmm....hard to narrow down a favorite since we have so many. Playing the Messiah at various venues around the City; cross country; track, Kezar, and McDonald's; eating "romantical" dinners and going on "romantical" walks; exercising and then eating [= net zero] ... see how it's hard to narrow down? [Also, I realize that our friendship revolves around food!]

What is something about Chris that people don't know, but you think they should?

She has urges to bite babies...so babies, beware! :D

What did you think when you first heard Chris was dating Danny?

Yay!

When and how did you first meet Danny?

Maybe it wasn't the first time but it was at Poleng, sitting at the tables and it was super loud.

What did you think when they got engaged?

“Awwwww" then, "What's the best angle to take these pictures?" and "I knew I should have brought my bigger lens!"

Seriously, how lucky of a guy do you think Danny is?

20 out of 10.

What are you looking forward to on September 19?

Drinks! Haha, okay, I'll be serious. I'm looking forward to being there for another "life moment" of Seo's and hopefully be able to share in many others in the future with her and Danny.

hawai'i

We returned from Hawai'i where there was a 60% chance of rain, and about a 10% chance of us secretly eloping.

This trip probably rules out any chance of us going to Hawai'i for our honeymoon.

license and registration

The California Department of Public Health website says that we can get a marriage license from any county. Yet two of Danny’s friends said that Santa Clara County required that couples get married in that county. Also, Danny’s friends who got married in Illinois had to do a last minute scramble because they were getting married in a different county in which they attempted to register.

As you know by now, we’re getting married in Daly City, which is in San Mateo County. Now, registering in San Mateo County is actually better for us for a couple of reasons. First, it’s less crowded. SF County requires reservations. Second, it’s cheaper than SF or LA counties. SF County even charges a nominal fee for a couple to make a reservation!

However, there might be one slight problem to registering in San Mateo County. There might be an issue of an outstanding traffic ticket from San Mateo County that someone may or may not have settled. The nightmare scenario is that we go to register and find out that there’s a warrant to arrest one of us.

While we’re confident that we don’t have to register in San Mateo County, we probably still will because of the aforementioned benefits. If we find out that there really is an outstanding warrant, then you will all get an email saying one of two things: (1) we’ve moved the wedding to a location in SF; or (2) one of us is in jail.

paebaek

We're planning to do paebaek during the rehearsal dinner. I think the last time I wore a hanbok was probably in the second grade... as a Halloween costume.

During the ceremony, the family members are suppose to toss dates at the bride's skirt and she's supposed to catch them. The dates symbolize the future children we're supposed to have. Now, while highly nontraditional and probably very inappropriate, I think I'm gonna have to do my best Martin Brodeur impression during this part of the ceremony.

Either that, or Chris is going to have to hold her skirt out at an angle and "accidentally" let all the dates slide off as she's "trying" to catch them.

the ring

 

childhood pictures

I've been collecting pictures for the slideshow, and I've noticed a few trends.

First, I could start a series of pictures of just me crying. I was a serious crier when I was a kid. I get it from my mom who is also a crier.

Second, only children have lots and LOTS and LOTS of pictures of themselves. Middle children... not so much.

Third, all the pictures of the only child are of just the only child. On the other hand, the middle child always seems to be sharing the picture with an older sister or a younger brother.

If you have a picture with Chris or Danny that you think should be in the slideshow, please send them to chrisanddanny2009 [at] gmail [dot] com.

party bus

Surprisingly, out of my parents, the one that has more input about the wedding is my father.

One of his ideas is to charter a tour bus to pick up all our family friends to take them to the wedding. The idea is to start in Orange County, make a stop in Los Angeles, and then make a stop in Bakersfield. Then, this bus would take a bunch of first-generation Koreans to the church in Daly City.

I can only imagine what the experience on this bus would look like. I imagine lots of singing and clapping on the way up. I imagine them stopping at a rest area and eating lots of kimbap and 7up. I imagine one ajushi completely asleep and slightly drooling on his suit.

I guess my father’s idea is that a bus would make it convenient for guests to come to the wedding rather than having to drive up on their own. While I applaud my father’s generosity, I think he seriously overestimates our popularity. Honestly, I haven’t seen some of these people since high school.

Party bus or not, if they are willing to attend and spend our special day with us, we’ll be gracious and honored that they would make such a trip.

rejected proposal idea #3

One late night, we were sitting in a café patio that was decorated with white Christmas lights. Chris commented on how pretty this was and that one day, she hoped to decorate our patio in the same manner.

Keeping this in mind, I thought that I’d try to decorate some part of her house with white Christmas lights while she was at work. When she came home from work, I would be waiting for her amidst the Christmas lights. I just thought it'd be pretty environs for us when I proposed to her.

I was hoping to decorate the backyard patio area of her house. It would’ve taken some time, but I could have fixed some Christmas lights on the outside of her house and set up a table where I could be waiting for her. I also figured I’d put a sign on her front door indicating that she should go out back.

Ultimately, I rejected this idea because of daylight savings. To surprise her, I would have had to wait till it got dark, but she comes home when there’s still daylight. In other words, the effect of pretty Christmas lights is completely nil when she gets home.

One day, if we’re lucky enough to have a patio, perhaps we’ll be able to decorate with Christmas lights.

joint ventures

We opened a joint credit card this week.

The theory is that we'll be using it for wedding-related expenses for the next six months to earn points. Then, we can use said points to pay for some or all of the honeymoon.

We've also agreed to use this card for our personal expenses just to maximize the number of points we can earn. For example, we'll put our future flights to and from SFO and LAX on this card.

This also means our expenses are no longer going to be a secret from each other. In other words, Danny is going to have to have to explain the many $5 and $10 charges at fast food restaurants that inevitably will show up on his portion credit card bill.

rejected proposal idea #2

When I stay in the Bay Area, I will usually stay with Chris’ family and her in San Francisco. One idea I had was to sneak into her room in the middle of the night and put the ring on her finger while she was sleeping. (This could have also been a nod to one of her favorite movies While You Were Sleeping.)

The plan was that when she woke up, she’d have her engagement ring on her finger. I figured I would wake her up and tell her to look at her ring, or I could have just waited for her to wake up on her own and discover that she was wearing some new jewelry that she hadn’t been wearing the night before.

I rejected this idea simply because I didn’t know whether Chris was a light or heavy sleeper. My fear was that this plan would go horribly wrong if she was a light sleeper. I can only imagine what would have happened if she wakes up while a man is in her room holding her hand in the middle of the night. I’m sure she would have freaked out. I probably would’ve ended up with swift kick in the gut and a sharp right hook. For my own safety, I did not choose this plan.

happy birthday

 

after party

We cordially invite our guests to join us at Poleng Lounge after the reception.


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rejected proposal idea #1

Being in a long distance relationship, we spend a lot of time in airports. While we don't spend time together at them, they definitely have been a staple in our relationship. So, I was trying to think of an idea that would incorporate an airport.

The first was kinda simple. It would involve simply waiting for her to arrive at LAX and as she came out, I'd get down on a knee at the terminal. I thought I'd even invite her friends to hide amongst the people so that they could take pictures and congratulate her as it happened.

I rejected this idea for a couple of reasons. First, I never wanted to propose in a public place. Sports stadiums and restaurants were never really an option for me. Second, I was worried about security. I figured if I showed up with a bunch of people armed with cameras and directed them to hide in different parts of the airport, I'd be locked up.

The second idea was a bit more complex. I thought that I would fly up to SFO during a day when she was scheduled to fly down. I thought I would surprise her at the gate and fly back down with her to LAX. Again, the idea of having it in such a public place just didn't work for me.

So, I thought that maybe I'd upgrade her flight to first class, surprise her on the plane in first class, and propose to her in a less public area. In the end, it was still too public and a bit more costly than I intended.

send us your pictures

We're in the process of collecting pictures for a slideshow. If you have a memorable photo of Chris or Danny, please send it to "chrisanddanny2009 [at] gmail [dot] com".

save the date

WHEN:

September 19, 2009

4:00PM

WHERE:

San Francisco Korean Central Presbyterian Church

50 Northridge Drive

Daly City, CA 94015

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