Korean Wedding Diary: Finding a Planner

Hey, Lovelies! Sorry for the super long hiatus! LF is now LH (the LovelyHusband), and we've moved back to the States! Even though we've had two weddings by now, I'm going to resume the posts where I left off. As both an outlet for my enthusiasm and to inform about differences between American and Korean weddings, I'm going to continue to dedicate a portion of the blog to wedding planning in Korea. Feel free to ask anything and everything! ^^

Ok, so your bf proposes:

And you're all like:

I ugly cried for a few minutes tbh.

And then after discussing an approximate date, the next step is usually to find a wedding planner. No, I love DIY brides and I totally DIY'd my second (much smaller) US wedding. However, Korean weddings are large and complicated. Most couples need a planner to facilitate meetings between parents and schedule everything. my parents weren't there, but LF is a very busy man and didn't have a lot of time to be calling all of these vendors and scheduling tours/meetings. That coupled with the fact that my Korean is barely passable made a planner necessary for us.

There are different ways to go about doing this. One of the first options is to attend a wedding fair at one of the big shopping centers like COEX or IFC. LH and I did this, and it was overwhelming but informative. Basically, you go through a bunch of vendors speed dating style to discuss tuxes, dresses, hanboks, venues, photos, etc. It wasn't extremely helpful to us except for to confirm that we were definitely on a budget. 

And to take photos in front of all the pretty flowers!

Overall, I really enjoyed looking at all the dresses and tuxes and portrait studio books, but we had to have a serious discussion about the kind of wedding we wanted. We knew a hotel wedding was too expensive, which left us with a couple other options. The most popular ways to get married these days are at Korean wedding halls, or to have a smaller "house" wedding at a pension or rental venue. We decided to look into wedding halls because the planners there are able to handle EVERYTHING. They go through the parents to schedule dress/tux fittings, food tastings, portraits, hair and makeup, and just everything. On the down side, you don't really get to choose or personalize anything except your own appearance. However, I knew I would be able to do all that for my US wedding and wasn't too fussed.

Anyway, an important distinction from North American weddings is that while here it's all about the bride and grooms, in Korea it's all about the parents. We visited a number of wedding halls before they found one they were happy with. Location is especially important! My mother-in-law was adamant that the venue be in a good part of town with no seedy businesses or structures nearby. Another issue was the relatively small number of guests. Most Korean weddings average over 200 guests, but because my guest list was so small we wouldn't reach the minimum guest requirement at many wedding halls. We ended up with I think 118 total guests on the day, which is a large wedding in the US!

My mother-in-law mostly ended up taking over the search after LH got too busy with work and started checking out places on her own. One day, she told me we had an appointment to tour a hall she was sure I'd like. Sure enough, it was in a great location and they had a small enough hall to accommodate our guests. 

Pretty, right? We had a lovely wedding!

So, my suggestion is to first discuss the size and type of wedding you want with your fiancee and parents. If you go the route of a smaller house wedding, I don't know much about that. Some couples also opt to do traditional Korean ceremonies which are usually outdoors. I think they're kind of cool personally, but LH gave that a hard "no" lol. My friend Jessica had a traditional wedding that was really cool, and you can often see wedding ceremonies taking place at various historical sites and folk villages. 

That's all for today! I miss writing, so be prepared for more posts to come soon! 

Kisses,

Angela

Date Look - Namsan Tower (Summer)

Date Look - Namsan Tower by luhunnie 

For one of the most popular date locations in Seoul for both locals and tourists, how about dinner and sightseeing at Namsan Tower? It's one of Seoul's most easily recognizable landmarks and makes a romantic setting for your lovely date. There are several great restaurants with breathtaking views of Seoul, day or night. I first learned about it back in 2010 after watching Boys Over Flowers for the first time! Remember when Jun Pyo and Jan Di got locked in the cable car overnight? Now the whole world sees it as a romantic destination.

Freezing cold and awkwardness! Ah, romance! (j/k I love these two forever)

For date night, there's a cozy mid-priced Italian restaurant with couple seats facing out to the windows called THE PLACE. Your outfit can be pretty but somewhat casual, like the look on the left with a cute floral skirt and crisp white shirt. 

For info on the menu and prices check out their official site here.

I would definitely wear flats with this outfit along with some cute and simple accessories. Try The Face Shop Mango Seed Glow Date-Prep Butter to give your skin a fresh and flawless base for your makeup. 

If you really want to go all out, however, try the fancy French restaurant n.GRILL at the very top of the tower! It actually revolves slowly to give you a gorgeous 360 view of the city that will take your breath away (sunset is the best time to go!). 

Again, you can view menus and prices at their official site.

This restaurant is $$$$, so make sure you dress accordingly! I've put together a lovely look for a nice night out on the right. Isn't that lavender dress beautiful? For extra charm, style your hair in a romantic updo and keep the accessories small and pretty. The focus should be on your beautiful face, not your jewelry! As I said, this restaurant is really expensive, so I'd save it for a really special occasion like a graduation or engagement. Regardless, you'll want to look as lovely as possible! 

Before or after dinner, there's a nice (cheaper) cafe to relax in and a yummy ice cream store! You can see the views from the observatory. Also, why not do what couples traditionally do at Namsan and purchase love locks? ^^ This is such a sweet custom: you buy (or bring) a pair of matching padlocks and write loving messages to each other before attaching them to the many many MANY walls and towers of locks already there. You then throw away the keys together over the side of the mountain (you're not technically allowed to do this, but everyone does). Generations of lovers have been pledging their love with these locks at Namsan, and doing so with my BF last year was one of the most romantic moments of my life!

A perfect memory.

Forgive the sappy messages, but I highly recommend waiting to go with someone until you're sure about them! It would be awkward to return with another guy later if things don't work out. Those locks are there pretty much permanently! You hear the odd story of someone going and trying to saw or cut theirs off after a nasty breakup, but your locks will be really difficult to find again! BF and I went again for his birthday only one month later and our locks were already buried by dozens of other couples' locks and tokens of love. It doesn't matter though--I actually rather like the idea of our locks being their forever under mountains of tokens from other couples in love. That's a lot of love, y'all!

I got a bit sidetracked from the fashion, but I hope you enjoy your romantic date at Namsan! For the perfect makeup look to go with it, see my casual day date look and my romantic date night look for inspiration! Chanel Chance eau Tendre is a gorgeous fragrance for a romantic date as well. 

I'll be writing a post on visiting Namsan soon, and there will be another style post for visiting in the winter! If you wear the above outfits in cooler weather, you'll freeze your butt off! It can get pretty chilly up there kk.

Bye Lovelies! 

Shopping in Itaewon

I went shopping in Itaewon today and found some nice clothes! The stores offer more options than most Korean stores, so I was happy to find something pretty! ^^

First we hung out in Hongdae for a bit...

That blue door makes a fun backdrop kk. Then, we checked out the shopping in Itaewon and I bought a few cute dressy outfits...

We also ate Mexican food for lunch and Greek food for dinner, so I'd say the day was a success! ^^

Where do you like to shop in Seoul? ^^

Love,

Angela

K-pop Style: BTS - Dope

BTS - Dope by luhunnie 

Fair warning, guys, I am OBSESSED with the choreography for this song at the moment. I really love BTS's agressive sound and think they're really talented in spite of their young age. However, they still seem really young to me...know what I mean? Like, when I see all their career outfits in the MV, I'm thinking "Aw, cute! They're cosplaying as grown ups!" instead of feeling the male stripper vibe I think the studio was going for. Despite their adorable faves, BTS always turns out really fierce performances that give them the manly aura they need. I wrote an article on them back when they ddebuted I'll have to link...

As for the looks from the MV, they were mostly based on different occupations: pilot, police officer (Kookie was too cute), office worker, etc. the looks I chose are based on their group outfits in the live performances. Let's take a look, clockwise from the left:

• BTS fan bracelets to show your ARMY pride ^^ 
• This AMAZING navy Moschino blazer with gold trim is evocative of their military style jackets from the Music Core comeback.

• Dior Addict Lip Glow to give your lips that subtle rosy gloss that goes well with a menswear inspired look (some of the boys may or may not have been wearing it in the MV kkkk).
• A plain white tee, because after watching so many of their dance practice vids, that's just a look I associate BTS with. 
• Black leather pants (imitation is better) because they looked great with the jacket in the live  performance! 
• Heeled black lace-up boots make a nice change from plain combat boots.
• Cute red MCM backpack similar to the one Jung Kook has to add a bit of color. I have a beige one (Luhan's) and love it! 
• Handcuff bracelet, a nod to the adorable Officer Kookie kkkk
• This black and white dress was a nice alternative to their simple white shirt, black skinny tie and pants outfits from the MV and the M!Countdown performance. Office appropriate, no? ^^
• Some cute cat earrings just because I think Suga looks kind of like a cute cat.
• Dope snapback for a bit of flair.

What did y'all think of BTS's comeback? Do Korean boy bands inspire your fashion choices? Who's your bias in BTS? :)

Date Look - Han River Picnic

Date Look - Han River Picnic by luhunnie

So this is my first post about Seoul fashion! I wanted to choose a specific scenario to give examples of looks that are both popular right now and that I would personally wear. These two outfits, for example, are very similar to those I've worn on picnic dates in Han River Park! ^^ Those are always such a good time! So far my favorite spots are Banpo near the fountain bridge, Yeoido, and Hapjeong/Seonyudo. What about you, Seoulites?  

Do you recognize it from the scene in Boys Over Flowers? ^^ Check out more info about the Banpo Bride Rainbow fountain here. They have info on lots of great tourist locations! Image copyright VisitKorea

Let's talk about some elements of the outfits! 

• Cute floral sundresses are great for summer dates! Throw a lightweight cardi over it to both hide your shoulders (this is Korea after all) and protect you from chilly temps at night. 

• Shoes: would you believe Birkenstock sandals are in again this summer? Kk I'm always surprised to see this 90's fashion staple everywhere, especially in trendy areas like Gangnam and Hongdae. Also, cute sneakers are always on point for summer. The Superstars had a huge comeback in the spring! 

• Pink accessories, because I love pink! Some lovely pink will always brighten a neutral outfit.

• A cute lunchbox for all your homemade goodies like this Totoro one! If you don't feel like cooking, ordering chicken to the park is fun too! The delivery guy will just call when he gets there so he can find you. However, cooking is usually a fun and easy way to impress your date. <3

As you can see, I just prepared some really simple food: fruits, veggies, beef kimbap, fried tuna pancakes, and homemade chocolate chip cookies! I can make more complicated stuff these days, but simple was ok. ^^

• A sweet, charming (but not cloying) fragrance for your summer romance. I'm partial to Daisy by Marc Jacobs! It doesn't have a lot of staying power, though, so mist yourself thoroughly before going out. Better yet, carry a rollerball in your bag. ;)

• Don't forget that sunscreen! 

Also take a look at Yeoido! Image copyright VisitKorea.

Our first picnic date was almost a year ago in August at Tteuksom! It was hot, so we cooled down after in a shady little indie cafe nearby. I wish you all joy on your lovely picnic dates! 

How time flies!

For a stay put makeup look, be sure to check out my lovely summer makeup look here. For info on the products in the picture, please check out my Polyvore profile linked below the photo! Have a lovely picnic~~~^_^

Miranda Kerr's Supermodel Diet for Poor Non-Supermodels

Well, I promised a good portion of this blog will be about diet, so here goes. I'm actually really nervous to talk about this, because life in Korea as an overweight person isn't always fun. I'm not trying to scare away people who are considering moving here by saying you have to have a body like SNSD to be accepted. That's just not true! You can have a perfect and fulfilling life here no matter your size. However, I have struggled with my weight all my adult life and find myself more motivated than ever to finally lose it.

I know you probably can't tell from my head shots what size I am, but these days I'm a pretty solid 16 dress size. I'm around 173cm (5'8) and...I can't bring myself to say my exact weight. Let's just say it's too high for me. I promise to post pics as soon as I pluck up the courage!

This is not my body. Actually, I had no idea who Miranda Kerr was until I came to Korea and saw her Wonderbra ads all over the subway! Then I read more about her as I was researching beauty uses for coconut oil. She's pretty much my ultimate girl crush these days (aside from my fav Kpop divas).

When I first came to Korea two years ago, I weighed the most I ever had in my life. I dropped a little over 30lbs (about 14 kilos) really quickly just from switching to mostly Korean food. However, my weight has been constantly yo-yo-ing for the last year and a half and I want it to stop! I want to get down to my goal weight and develop a healthier lifestyle.

In order to motivate myself, I'll try to track my progress on this blog with a weight loss post every Wednesday. They probably won't be long--just to check in and talk about what worked and didn't work that week.

As one of my health role models is Miranda Kerr, I've been researching her diet and healthy living tips lately. Lots of the foods she suggests are pretty impractical for Korea (ingredients are rare and expensive), but I'll try to follow her general guidelines over the next few weeks. Some suggestions she makes I'll try are:

• A glass of hot water with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and honey in the morning to jump start your metabolism and boost your immune system (already doing this and I love it).
• Breakfast options 
• Fresh fruit salad. I make frozen fruit smoothies instead for economy and convenience--fresh fruit is expensive here, yo!
• Yogurt OR cooked breakfast with two eggs and rye toast. She suggests avocados with the toast, but they're (again) too expensive here.
• OR old-fashioned oatmeal or muesli
• Green tea (I put a touch of coconut oil in it per her suggestion!)
• Morning snack
• handful of almonds OR 2 crackers with tuna
• Lunch options
• Green salads with chicken or fish 
• Lentil dish
• Green tea or coffee
• Afternoon snack
• Almonds OR fruit
• Dinner options
• Fish, chicken, or (occasionally) red meat cooked with ginger and garlic
• Fresh vegetables cooked (broccoli, green beans, snow peas, bok choy, spinach) OR green salad
• roasted onion and garlic for serving
• I cook dinner for my boyfriend once or twice a week, so I'll definitely keep trying Korean recipes too. I'll just make sure to use brown rice and limit my portions (he eats twice as much as me anyway...damned Asian guy metabolism >_<)
• Eat a serving of dark chocolate and a serving of ice cream once a week to keep cravings down.
• Try to replace your usual cooking oils with coconut oil or olive oil.
• Drink lots of water--from 1.5 to 3 liters a day
• Take a multivitamin
• Eat for your blood type. I find this questionable, but it won't hurt to try! I'm type O, so I basically need more meat and veggies and less carbs and dairy. 

I'll try sticking to this for a week and report back with successes and failures! Next week I'll write about her suggested workout and what I can realistically do. This week I can't work out except for a bit of gentle yoga because I'm still recovering from bronchitis.

Have you tried any of these diet tips? What works for you? Have you experiences any anxiety about visiting Korea because of the intense standard of beauty here? Let me know in the comments and wish me luck!

Kisses,
Angela

P.S. I have to thank my lovely BF for being so supportive about my diet and still telling me I'm pretty every day. I know he could have chosen one of the countless thin girls in Seoul, but he chose me anyway! I love him so much! >ㅁ<

Ladies, don't let anyone tell you you have to lose weight to be happy or find a good man! Just let yourself be lovely and trust your own charm! That alone will attract people worth loving. <3

Sweatproof Summer Makeup!

It’s summertime in Seoul: the sweaty time, the 3 showers a day time, the “don’t judge me, I’m a sweaty foreigner!” time. Summers in Korea (and anywhere hot and humid) are a constant struggle between wanting to look chic and not wanting to look like your face is melting off  à la Ark of the Covenant *cue facemelting wails.* There are lots of cute looks out there, but this is my basic look for getting through the day with a full face of makeup still on.

Fresh and lovely for summer! This is a very wearable, natural look that's great for daily makeup.

9 steps sounds like a lot, but I promise it's totally foolproof! ^^

First, complete your morning skincare routine and make sure to use a good SPF of around 50! My latest is MediSpa Sunblock SPF 47/ PA++ Cell Fùsion C. It’s important to use SPF even when the sun isn’t shining! Now, let’s start the makeup: 

Ahhh! My face without any makeup, no filter. I've never posted a makeup free photo before >///<

Step 1: Apply a pore minimizing primer to make your makeup last and prevent sweating it off in 2.5 seconds after walking out the door. I’m using the Goodbye Pore Ever pore primer essence from Etude House. I’ve heard the Peach Sake pore serum from Skin Food also works well as a primer, so I plan on giving that a try too! I apply the pore essence only to my T-zone and across my cheeks. I’ve tried thicker makeup bases, but they just melt right off in the summers…not cute.

Step 2: Choose a cute lip and cheek tint in a nice summery color! I’m partial to pinks, so I chose the Aritaum Style Pop Pudding Tint in No.1 Polka Pink. It’s a cute, fresh pink and a nice dupe for Benefit Posietint (way cheaper)! I also love Benefit Lollitint and am searching for the perfect dupe. Just dot the tint on your cheekbones (3-5 dots) and rub it in immediately! Seriously, this stuff will set really fast, so hurry! I also put a bit on the apples of my cheeks to create a lovely flush. If it looks a bit strong, don’t worry! The next step will make it more subtle! ^^ Also, dot a bit of tint in the center of your lips the let the stain start setting.

Step 3: For base makeup, try a long lasting air cushion pact! I use the classic Iope Air Cushion XP in N21 Ice Vanilla. This is one of the bestselling Korean cosmetics of all time and with good reason! I’m telling y’all, this ish makes your skin dewy and flawless. It’s great for summer because if you’re a sweaty beast (like me), it reapplies flawlessly to both absorb the sweat and smooth out your makeup. Just make sure to wash the cushion puff regularly! To use, just start in the center of your face and apply with a quick patting motion all over to the hairline and jawline. This stuff is really sheer, but it comes in another finish—C (for cover)—if you need more coverage. Sometimes I use the S (shimmer) finish for nights out too! It’s also SPF 50/PA+++, so winner all around! ^^ 

Step 4: Here’s an extra tip: for longer wear, flip the cushion so it’s upside down and pat your face all over again with the dry part. This helps lock in the product and ensure it stays put in the sun! 

Step 5: Fill in those brows, ladies! For a Seoultastic look, try a straight brow. I unfortunately have thin, arched eyebrows like a comic book villainess , so I can't even fake a straight brow. I do, however, fill my brows in with a nice cool, unobtrusive taupe color to give them some definition. Use a long lasting gel formula for summer! My latest fav is Clio Kill Brow Tattoo-Lasting Gel Pencil in 2 Light Brown. Just apply in light, short strokes and brush through with the other end. 

Step 6: Eyeshadow! I know some people love creamy stick shadows for summer, but I'd much rather just use a good primer and a light powder shadow. First, apply your primer (A MUST in hot weather). I chose Urban Decay primer in Eden for this, but Etude makes a great much cheaper alternative too. Then, choose a nice neutral shadow with a bit of shimmer. I chose a lovely trio from Mamonde: Bloom Harmony Gradation Eyes in 02 Petal Brown. 

1. Brush the lightest shade from the inner corners over the inner third of your lid. Bring in below your eye and line all the way below your bottom lashes for a bright look.
2. Pat the medium bronzy shade on the middle third of your lid.
3. Concentrate the darker brown on the outer third of your lid, making a 'v.' Pull it slightly below the outside edge of your bottom lashes as liner. 

Step 7: Line, baby, line! You won't see many ladies in Seoul without a perfectly lined eye. For summer, make sure you choose a long lasting waterproof formula. I usually opt for black, but sometimes brown is nice for a charming warm weather look. Today I'm using my all time favorite Clio Waterproof Pen Liner in 01 Kill Black. Just line your eye according to your eye shape and give it a subtle wing at the end. If you prefer a more dramatic wing, go for it! I try to keep it pretty chill,

Step 8: Mascara! Curl your lashes with whatever curler you prefer (I use my trusty Shu Uemera). Use one coat of your favorite black mascara. Ok, I have a confession: I detest waterproof mascara! It just takes forever to get off, and now that I'm in my late twenties I don't like all that tugging and strong remover products around my eye area. I actually have a lot of mascaras I like of all prices, but my current favorite is a higher end one from Lancome: Grandiose smudgeproof mascara in Black. It's got a weird "swan neck" wand and fans my lashes out beautifully. 

Step 9: Now to finish the lips! For a cute and charming pink pout, dab a bit of extra pink tint onto the center of your lips again. Then, choose a sheer lip balm with decent SPF. I still like Maybelline Baby Lips SPF 20 lip balm, Here's 25-Pink Punch layered over the Aritaum tint for a gradient effect. I've also heard good things about some of the Innisfree balms, so stay tuned for a review!

And this is the final look! Be sure to add a cute hair accessory before hitting the streets, and go enjoy your lovely summer! Whether it's picnics on the Han river, or shopping sprees in Myeongdong (sweaty work), this look will last the whole day! 

Here's all of the products used! Please stay tuned for more info on my skincare routine and other makeup looks! 

Oh, and if you're wondering why I didn't use bronzer, it's because it's not really in fashion here in Korea. Korean women sometimes use a light brown (matte) powder or cream for contouring to achieve the prized "V-line" or make their faces look smaller. I will do another post on contouring, but for summer makeup, I find less is more. ^^

What are your summer makeup favorites? Any ideas for additional looks or products great for summer? Feel free to put any requests in the comments! Also, I'll upload the video tutorial on my Youtube channel as soon as I get a new camera. OTL

Bye Lovelies! xoxo 

Here Comes Summer!!

Welcome to SeoulLovely! Yayyy! I finally got the new site up! This summer I'll finally have the time to start my dream blog!! I'm working on scripting some videos now on makeup tutorials and Korean skincare. Please leave a comment and let me know any requests! I'm thinking summer skincare and summer-proof Korean base makeup might be a good start. What do you think?

안녕하세요! 저는 미국에서 온 앤젤라입니다. ^^ 제 블로그에 오신걸 환영합니다! 제가 요즘 한국말을 공부하고 있는데요,  망설이지 마시고 한국말도 괜찮으니, 코멘트 많이 달아주세요 ^^ 한국말 연습에 많이 도움이 될거에요.

See you soon! Stay lovely~~~<3

Kisses,
Angela