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[ Some may remember this face from his last video, wherein he nearly set his apartment's kitchen on fire by placing a can of soup in the microwave. Thankfully he is appearing much more put together now, with nary a smoke alarm or open flame in sight. He's seated at a bus stop outside from a stodgy looking brick building. The sign on the front reads Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. ]

Good day to you, imPorts. My name is Jin Zixuan, of the Lanling Jin Sect.

[ He doesn't bow to the camera, because that would look ridiculous, frankly, but he does incline his head in a nod. ]

I have the great fortune to be planning a wedding to my betrothed. I plan on making this wedding as perfect as I can manage, but... Being in this world rather than my own opens my planning up to new possibilities. And so I ask you, what wedding traditions does your own culture have? I plan to hold a wedding which honors the traditions of my home, but it would be a missed opportunity not to incorporate some imPort traditions as well. What would a wedding in this world be, if it were not a combination of traditions from all our various homes?

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Young master Jin.

Congratulations these plans. I have little of novel traditions to contribute, but anything I can aid with, it would be enough for either of you to let me know.

Edited (icon) 2020-07-12 12:50 (UTC)

[ Okay, this is one person he will bow to the camera for. After all, he's been looking after Yanli in their shared house ever since the others left. ]

Zewu-jun. Your generosity is noted, and appreciated. We do not wish to place too much of a burden on others in preparation for the event, but I will certainly call on you if there is anything we need that you may help with.

[ Xichen wouldn't have batted an eyelid if there hadn't been a salute, but it and the words make him give a tiny smile and a greeting in return. ]

Of course. And... the house is available to you, should you wish to... not be in the assigned housing.

Thank you, I will keep that in mind. Perhaps once the wedding is over, I will consider moving. It just... Doesn't seem right to do it beforehand.

[ Even if, from Yanli's perspective, they are already married. ]

[ Xichen nods, in agreement. ]

So it does not, for all, to her, it is an event of the past.

Should you choose so, you are welcome. The house does provide privacy that the normal housing does not, quite.

[ There may have been sound insulation just in case. ]

I have been housed in a singular apartment, so I do have some privacy, compared to those put in communal housing. But... I will likely move once the wedding is all said and done.

[ Xichen nods. ]

That will probably be for the best. I will do my best to make sure everyone here will be comfortable.

[ Zixuan bows his head in thanks. ]

That is very gracious of you, Zewu-jun. Thank you, for taking care of Lady Jiang all this time.

Back home, there was a tradition of the couple not seeing each other on the day of the wedding, until the ceremony. Weddings usually involved exchanging vows and an exchange of rings. Friends and family watch the ceremony. There'd be music. There can be readings from a religious book like the bible, or for non-religious people, there might be reading of a favourite poem. There are usually bridesmaids or groomsmen. People might have bridesmen or groomswomen. Or flowergirls or ring bearers. There's a marriage certificate that gets signed by the couple and two witnesses. There might be a lighting of a unity candle.

Afterwards, there'd be a party, usually a meal, followed by a cake cutting ceremony, then dancing. The cake often has a topper, like little figurines of the couple or flowers. The couple has a first dance, which is just the two of them. There might be other special dances to honor parents, or the bridesmaids/groomsmen. There might be a garter toss or a bouquet toss.

A lot of traditions back home were different for men and women and would depend on whether your betrothed is male or female. For example, brides wore a white dress and a veil and carried a bouquet. Grooms wore tuxes or a suit.

Traditions were different by culture and religion too.

[ Oh wow, that certainly was... A lot to take in. Zixuan is beginning to wish he had a pen on him, to take notes.

Where does he even begin to comment? ]

My betrothed is female. We will likely wear red, instead of white, as it is considered good luck in our culture to wear red at a wedding.

[ He is paying attention to the other recommendations, though. The idea of dances to honor the couple is intriguing, though he thinks he would probably be too embarrassed to dance in front of a crowd. ]

What is a "garter toss?" Please explain more about that tradition.

Oh, that sounds beautiful. I was at a wedding once in Toronto where the bride wore a red lehenga. She looked stunning. And good luck is important.

[She says it with a bright smile. Good memories of good friends. Especially Hank and Brent who unintentionally made her believe in luck.

Her smile falters for a moment, wondering if he knows what a garter is.]

Weddings back home often had a bouquet toss. The single women at the wedding stand behind the bride. The bride throws the bouquet over her shoulder and whoever catches it is said to be the next gal to get married. A garter toss is similar, except the groom throws the bride's garter to the single men.

[ Yeah, he definitely doesn't know what a garter is. ]

I see, so it is some sort of fortune telling ritual?

[ If the purpose of the toss is to predict who will be the next to get married. Such a thing seems preposterous to him, coming from a world where many marriages, including his own, are arranged or otherwise made for political reasons. ]

Sort of. Most people don't take it seriously. But some women actually fight over the bouquet. When I was planning my wedding, I was thinking of giving the bouquet to a special woman in my life, my aunt Ruby, instead of just throwing it.

[She pauses for a moment, having made herself a bit sad by thinking of Ruby.]

That's the thing about weddings. Back home, there were a lot of traditions. You could keep the ones you like, skip the ones you didn't like and try new things.

[ It's clear that this woman Ruby means a lot to her, so Zixuan is patient and lets her have her moment. ]

Yes, that is I think what we intend to do here. Any wedding we have back home would be strictly regimented, with set traditions that we must observe. There is much more freedom here to do what we want.

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding, Jin-gongzhi. It is sure to be a wonderful day.

[ Jin Zixuan has never met Xiao Xingchen personally, but he had heard tell that there were other cultivators here from their world. ]

Thank you. I can only hope to make it the best day that I can, for the same of Lady Jiang.

May you both find the happiness you deserve here.

I was not aware there were more of us here, after the departure of Hanguang-jun, my nephew and Meng Yao.

There certainly aren't as many of us as there were when I arrived, or even before I got here.

[ He'd heard from Yanli that their son had been here briefly, already a teenager. ]

But there are still some of us left.

Congratulations. Have you thought about when you're having it, that sometimes affects what people choose to do?

Ideally, we will hold it as soon as possible. It is a bit of a... unique situation. Considering the fact that the Porter has taken us from different times in our lives, and from my betrothed's perspective, we are already married.

[ He smiles a little self deprecatingly. ]

I suspect she has largely agreed to holding a wedding here just to make me feel better.

Well, I think that marrying the one you love again isn't a terrible thing.

( she would absolutely marry her husband again if it were possible )

Do you know what she'd like in it or has she let you decide?

I've already had my chance to marry A-Xuan. I'm only too happy to give him the chance to experience it as well, however he'd like it to be.

I only wish he could have seen my dress from our wedding in Carp Tower.

Perhaps you could get someone to draw it for you, it won't be the same as seeing you in it but he'll get that memory one day.

Oh, that's a lovely idea. I'm sure I could describe it well enough. And anything I might forget, Zewu-Jun was in attendance. All the sects were invited that day.

Then you'll be in luck. And if you wanted there may be someone who could create it for you if you didn't find something else.

No, I don't think it's a terrible thing at all. If our positions were reversed, I would marry her a hundred times.

[ And yes, he knows she can see this post. He's just that much of a hopeless romantic. ]

( her heart is so warmed by that sentiment )

I'm glad that you have her here with you.

As am I. I don't know how I would have fared in this world, had she not been here to greet me.

I think it would have been more difficult to begin but that you'd have made good friends here.

Perhaps. I have heard it said that I am not the easiest person to get along with.

[ That's putting it mildly. ]

Oh? I think you're doing fine now.

That is Lady Jiang's influence. She has... softened my heart.

( she laughs slightly. she knows the feeling of something changing for someone you love )

How did you meet?

[ He smiles, though it's a bit awkward. ]

Our marriage was arranged for us, at first. My mother and A-Li's mother were close friends their whole lives. Thus, they decided that their first born children would marry each other, and unite the families.

[ It wasn't the best political decision, for the Jin Sect. The Yunmeng Jiang clan was well respected, but not as powerful as some of the other larger cultivation sects. Jin Guangshan likely only agreed to it in order to keep his wife happy. ]

I... resented the idea, at first. I did not find Lady Jiang an attractive partner in the slightest. I will be the first to admit that I was wrong about her, in my youth. The marriage ended up being called off after myself and her sect brother came to blows one too many times.

[ He sighs, somewhat regretful. ]

But eventually, I came to see her value, and fell in love with her on my own. I am lucky that she has forgiven me for mistreating her in the past.

[Don't mind her, she's just happily watching him for a bit.]

This is a wonderful idea. I'm sure this world is filled with beautiful traditions.

Perhaps I should see if anyone would be willing to help me with my own preparations.

I was only thinking, you've already had a wedding in our tradition. And I will have it, too, whenever I go back to our world. Why not make the wedding we have here be a kind of wedding that we couldn't have back home?

You know I will assist you in any way I am able.

I love it. I know I'll love whatever style of wedding you find for us. So long as I'm marrying you, anything will do. Even standing among fresh lotus stalks. [She can't help but tease a little. He's always handsome to her, and always will be, but that moment was probably one of the most perfect in all their time together.]

I know, I think I want to surprise you though. If I can. At least with my dress.

[ He bows his head, still a little embarrassed about the whole lotus pond thing. But she raises a good point. ]

After the wedding, I will move into your house properly, and build you a lotus pond there.

[It will forever be one of her fondest memories.]

I can't wait. This time, I would be happy to help you. We could make it together.

There art a myriad different specific traditions across mine homeland, though of them there art some consistencies especially within the bounds of the continent of Eorzoa.

A couple travels together across the land, each carrying a silver band, and visiting the holy marks of the twelve deities and asking their blessing upon the union. Tis considered something of a test of their bond, as various monsters populate the land betwixt the locations.

Traditionally, the ceremony afterwards is fairly simple. Involving the couple exchanging the now blessed rings and taking a ceremonial drink from a pair of matching cups. Tis a moving ceremony for those who hath the honor to attend it.

There art other ceremonies that art less traditional, either involving the signing of an agreement between the couple and their families or the blessing of a moogle.

Other areas hath their own traditions, but...

So long as thou and thine intended hath an abiding love for one another, then whatever ceremony thou decide upon shalt be the perfect one for you. Thou couldst stand in a field of mud whist a storm rages about thee and all the safety and comfort thou require shalt already be there in one another's gaze.

I would gladly travel the world with my beloved, but she is not as well trained in battling monsters as I am, and I would not want to see her get hurt.

[ Not that this world has very many monsters to battle, but... Oh well. ]

What is a "moogle?" Is it some kind of monk, to be bestowing blessings?

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