Seo-gu Gwangju Holds 'Special Wedding' for Six Couples with Disabilities

Organized by the Welfare Center for the Disabled
Sponsored by Seo-gu Honors

Six couples with disabilities who had formed families without holding a wedding ceremony were able to have a moving wedding in Seo-gu, Gwangju.

Kim Ikang, mayor of Seo-gu, Gwangju, is pushing a wheelchair and entering together with the bride and groom at the Seo-gu Honors Disabled Wedding Support "Your Special Day Dream Wedding" held at Withus Wedding Hall in Seo-gu on the 24th. Provided by Seo-gu, Gwangju

The "Your Special Day, Dream Wedding" event, organized by the Gwangju Seo-gu Welfare Center for the Disabled and sponsored by the Gwangju Community Chest of Korea and the high-value donor group "Seo-gu Honors," was held on the 24th at Withus Wedding Hall in Seo-gu, Gwangju, amid warm congratulations.

This event was a touching moment presented by the local community to couples with disabilities who, due to financial difficulties and physical limitations, had been unable to hold a wedding ceremony for as long as 25 years.

Yoon, a 63-year-old with severe hearing impairment, was able to fulfill his 25-year-long wish to see his wife dressed beautifully and receiving congratulations from others. Moon, 65, who married his Vietnamese wife in 2022, also became emotional, saying he had been given a miraculous day.

At the wedding, there was no officiant; instead, the director of the Seo-gu Welfare Center for the Disabled served as the "witness of blessing" and read the "Ten Commandments for Couples." Kim Ikang, mayor of Seo-gu, and members of Seo-gu Honors offered words of encouragement and blessed the couples' futures. The event continued in a warm atmosphere with congratulatory performances, commemorative photos, and a wedding banquet.

To ensure a disability-friendly ceremony, Withus Wedding Hall, the sign language interpretation center, and the Seo-gu Shelter for the Deaf collaborated, and a professional sign language interpreter provided real-time interpretation throughout the ceremony, creating a festival where all guests could celebrate together.

The couples were also provided with wedding gifts and a honeymoon worth about 1 million won, making the occasion more meaningful as it supported not just a wedding ceremony but a new beginning in their lives.

Lee Daeman, director of the Seo-gu Welfare Center for the Disabled, expressed gratitude to the sponsors and organizations, saying, "The solidarity of the local community has turned the couples' earnest dreams into reality."

Kim Ikang, mayor of Seo-gu, stated, "Today's 'Dream Wedding' is a moving example of how sharing and solidarity can warm residents' lives," and added, "Seo-gu will continue to create miraculous moments that turn dreams into reality."