From The Straits Times    |
 

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Most brides hope for an extravagant wedding to celebrate the life-changing moment, especially if they can afford to shell out the money. 

On the contrary, Korean actress Goo Hye Sun decided to keep things simple – and donate money that would have otherwise been spent to a pediatric ward. 

The 31-year-old actress will marry Korean actor Ahn Jae Hyun on May 21, 2016, in a private ceremony. The pair had met while filming “Blood”, a 2015 drama, together.

The “AhnGoo couple”, as they are affectionately called by fans, will be donating their wedding expenses to Severence Hospital in Sinchon, Korea. 

They had released a joint statement to announce their marriage, which read, “Ahn Jae Hyun and actress Goo Hye Sun will be spending a lifetime together come May 21. The wedding will be a private affair, so we apologise for not announcing the time and venue. In accordance to their wishes, the wedding costs will be donated to a pediatric ward.”

An official from the hospital said, “It’s not easy to decide to donate one’s wedding expenses, so we’re surprised. They are saving lives through their marriage. We will use the funds bearing the couple’s difficult decision in mind.”

These other celebrity couples have also chosen to make donations to charity from their weddings: 

 

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1. Angelababy & Huang Xiaoming 

Huang surprised his bride by announcing that he had established a charity fund in her name, and even provided financial aid to 527 hearing-impaired children – one for every guest at the wedding.

Their wedding favours also included cookies and Chinese wedding biscuits handmade by those with physical disabilities. 
 

 

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2. Faye Wong & Li Yapeng 

Okay so we’re cheating a little since this isn’t strictly a wedding donation. But it’s still nice to know that the couple set up Smile Angel Foundation – a Beijing-based charity foundation that helps Chinese children born with clefts – in honour of their daughter, Li Yan, who was born with severe clefts and underwent corrective surgery.  

 

3. Prince William and Kate Middleton 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge founded The Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund in lieu of receiving any wedding presents.

A reported total of £1,058,367 ($2,038,912) were donated by wedding guests – to be shared among 26 charities chosen by William and Kate. 

 

 

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4. Sofia Vergara & Joe Manganiello 

Instead of gifts, the couple asked their 400 invitees to make donations to charities that hold a special place in the bride and groom’s hearts – like the St Jude’s Children’s Hospital, which helps youngsters battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases. 

 

5. Brad Pitt & Angelina

Brad and Angelina are no strangers to charitable causes, so we’re not surprised that the power couple decided to donate the money they cashed in from their published wedding photos – a reported US$5 million (S$6.8 million) – to their foundation, the Maddox Jolie Pitt Foundation. The foundation supports numerous humanitarian projects around the world – such as clean water projects and vaccines for children.

The story about Goo Hye Sun & Ahn Jae Hyun was first featured on Cleo