Wedding on the Bluff

June 26, 2010 - Jimmy and Soeung were married on the bluff in Monteagle!  They exchanged their vows at 3 in the afternoon under VERY SUNNY skies and 90-degree temperature.  The joy and happiness that was shared by family and friends almost made us forget the uncomfortable weather conditions.

Soeung, in her vows, compared their marriage to the pear tree which they recently planted in their yard: the roots represent the families from which they come who love and support them, the trunk is their strong relationship, and the branches and fruit the things that they accomplish together.  For Jimmy, he simply said, "For a long time there was darkness and now there is light - you are that light".

Large family contingents from both Texas and Sparta were there.  My brother and sister-in-law, Charles and Carol and their son and daughter-in-law, Adrian & Gina and daughter Ashlyn came in from Texas, as did Jim's brother and sister-in-law, Bob and Reba.  Jimmy's cousin Valerie and her family - also from the Houston area - joined the Texas crowd.  From Sparta, Stanley, Marla and Shelby, and sister-in-law Pat made the trip.  And, of course, Marci, Ryan and Malenda were there and so excited to welcome Soeung into our family.  Being surrounded by family on a day like this is just wonderful!

Both Jimmy and Soeung graduated from Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences (CSAS), the excellent magnet school where Soeung now teaches.  Jimmy was in the first graduating class in 1991, and so many of his and Soeung's classmates made the trip from all over the country to share this special day with them - from Seattle to LA and New Mexico to Kansas City and Virginia Beach - they were all there.  In fact, 5 of the 6 wedding party are connected with CSAS.  Many of them arrived early on Friday to help with wedding preparations - everything from flowers to signage to table setup.  What a testament to the bond that was formed through this school!

The children, Will, Miles and Camille, were an important part of the ceremony.  Will (7) and Miles (9) were ring bearers and Camille (7) was the flower girl. I was so proud to have all four of our grandchildren there.  Malenda, now 10 months old, was a real trooper for the whole day.  She arrived on Dad Ryan's back and seemed to fully enjoy all the festivities as she was shared among many friends and family.

After the ceremony, approximately 200 guests walked through the woods to the reception.  Soeung's family prepared the most wonderful food - including egg rolls, sushi, lo mein - delicious Cambodian cuisine!

Many Cambodian traditions were a part of this wedding week, including the beautiful Tea Ceremony which took place on Wednesday, June 23.  In this ceremony, the groom travels to the home of the bride's parents, with flowers in hand, to ask for her hand in marriage.  His task is to coax the bride out of her room where she is "protected" by her girlfriends.  The groom must pass several tests, usually in the form of questions which he must answer correctly.  The final question - posed by one of the bridesmaids who also happens to be a math teacher - was to correctly repeat the quadratic equation.  With some help from one of Soeung's high school cousins, Jimmy answered the question, and Soeung was allowed to exit her room.

The gathered family and friends applauded and cheered the couple after which the Tea Ceremony began.  In this ritual, the bride and groom serve tea to the bride's elder relatives, starting with the eldest.  Soeung's grandmother was served first.  Jimmy and Soeung kneel and each of them serve 3 cups of tea to each family member.  The first two cups are poured out as an offering to their ancestors and to the divine being, and the 3rd cup is drunk indicating the relative's acceptance of their marriage.

After the Tea Ceremony at the bride's home, the group then caravans to the groom's home where tea is served to the groom's elder relatives.  Jimmy and Soeung served tea to Jim and me and to Marci and Ryan.  This custom, so unfamiliar to us, was simple and beautiful and one that I will never forget.  The Tea Ceremony is the "official" Cambodian wedding ceremony.

Another Cambodian custom is the giving of monetary gifts to the new couple.  There is no need for a wedding registry because physical gifts are not given.  Instead, the couple is asked to perform tasks, and upon successful completion of the task, they are given an envelope with money in it.  These tasks can range from the ridiculous to the sublime.  Miles, Will and Camille asked that Jimmy take off his shirt and beat his chest like a gorilla.  Yet another guest held a piece of food on a chopstick while standing on the table and Jimmy had to lift Soeung high enough for her to reach the food.  Another guest wanted each of them to say one thing that they loved most about the other, while another guest insisted that they do the "Chicken Dance" and sing Rocky Top reggae style.

Speaking of Reggae, the fabulous band, Milele Roots, played for the reception.  Founded in the late 90s, the original band members are very good friends of Jimmy and Soeung, and they are a much sought after band, particularly on the weekends.  What a special treat for all of us to have them as part of the celebration!

Jimmy and Soeung are now on their way to Cambodia for their honeymoon.  Soeung and her family left Cambodia in 1979 when she was 2 years old.  This will be her first trip back there.  She still speaks fluent Cambodian, and they will be visiting the towns where she and her siblings and her parents were born, as well as some trips planned to some of the beautiful beaches in that country.

If you are reading this, and you made the trip to Monteagle for this wedding celebration, we are touched and honored by your presence and your commitment to be there.  If you weren't able to join us, we thank you for your thoughts and good wishes on this special day.  It was and is a wonderful memory!

I've posted more pictures below - just because there were too many good ones!!