Burk And Crutina's Wedding: What Went Wrong?

In the season 3 finale of Grey's Anatomy, Preston Burke and Cristina Yang's wedding day arrives. However, Burke's mother shaves off Cristina's eyebrows and gives her a necklace with five generations of familial history, adding pressure to the day. When Cristina realises she's washed off her vows—which were written on her hand—she begins to panic. Her best friend, Meredith, calms her down and convinces her to walk down the aisle. But, before she can, Burke comes out and apologises for trying to force her to be someone she's not. He leaves, and the wedding is called off.

Burke's departure from the show

The character of Preston Burke, portrayed by Isaiah Washington, departed from Grey's Anatomy after its third season. The news came as a shock to many, as Washington was a lead character on one of the most popular shows in television history.

In the show, Burke was a cardiothoracic surgeon at Seattle Grace Hospital. He had a romantic relationship with intern Cristina Yang, played by Sandra Oh, which formed one of the main storylines in the first three seasons.

In the season three finale, Burke and Cristina were about to get married when Cristina had doubts. Burke, realising that he had been trying to force her to become the woman he wanted rather than accepting her as she was, decided to call off the wedding. He left Cristina at the chapel and returned to their apartment to collect his belongings before disappearing from her life.

In real life, Washington's departure was due to a controversial incident on set. The actor allegedly used a homophobic slur during an argument with fellow cast member Patrick Dempsey. Although Washington denied that the slur was directed at a cast member, the incident resulted in his contract not being renewed.

Cristina's wedding dress

Cristina Yang's wedding dress was a beautiful mess. The dress, while lovely, seemed to cling awkwardly to her narrow frame. To make matters worse, Burke's mother insisted that Cristina wear a jewelled choker that was a family heirloom. This decorative collar only added to the constricting nature of the dress.

As if that wasn't enough, the icing on the cake was when Preston's mother tweezed Cristina's eyebrows completely off. Cristina's eyebrows were her most expressive feature, and their absence made her look odd. She had fake eyebrows drawn on when she did her makeup, but the damage was already done.

The Cristina standing in the entrance of the church was not the Cristina that Burke wanted to marry. The dress, choker, and missing eyebrows combined to create a look that was not true to Cristina's style or personality.

In the end, Cristina was unable to go through with the wedding. She returned to her apartment to find that Burke and all his belongings were gone. With the help of her friend Meredith, she removed the choker and cut her way out of the constricting wedding dress, symbolically freeing herself from the relationship.

Burke's mother's actions

On the day of Burke and Cristina's wedding, Burke's mother takes it upon herself to shave off Cristina's eyebrows and force a family necklace on her—a tradition for brides in the Burke family. This action is indicative of the mother's strong influence on her son and her desire to impose her own vision of the wedding and marriage on the couple.

The shaving of the eyebrows can be seen as a symbolic act of control and dominance, as it alters Cristina's appearance on her wedding day and strips away a part of her identity. The forced necklace also carries a similar connotation, as it represents the expectations and traditions of the Burke family, which Cristina is now expected to conform to.

The actions of Burke's mother ultimately contribute to the breakdown of the wedding and the couple's relationship. It is only when Cristina arrives at the chapel, in a state of panic, that Burke realizes the extent to which he has been trying to force her into becoming someone she is not. This realization leads him to call off the wedding, recognizing that he cannot make Cristina do something against her will.

While Burke's mother may have had good intentions, her actions ultimately cause more harm than good. They highlight the underlying tensions and power struggles within the family and the couple's relationship.

Cristina's vows

I, Cristina Yang, take you, Preston Burke, to be my lawfully wedded husband. I promise to love and respect you, to care for you, and to be faithful to you, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.

I know that I haven't always been the easiest person to love. I'm independent, headstrong, and often afraid of letting people get too close. But you, Preston, have seen the real me—the vulnerable, scared little girl who just wants to be loved. You've stood by my side through thick and thin, supported my dreams, and challenged me to be a better person. For that, I am forever grateful.

I promise to always be there for you, to listen to you without judgement, and to encourage you to pursue your passions. I will respect your opinions, even when they differ from my own, and I will make an effort to see your perspective. I will love you unconditionally, even when we disagree or when times get tough.

I will be your partner in life, your confidant, and your best friend. I will cherish our relationship and always be honest with you. I will support your goals and dreams, and I will celebrate your successes as if they were my own. When life gets difficult, I will stand by your side and face our challenges together.

I give you my heart today, and I promise to love you and only you for the rest of my life.

The bachelor party

In the case of Burke and Cristina, their wedding was planned between Preston Burke and Cristina Yang. However, the lead-up to the wedding was tumultuous, with Cristina feeling pressured by both her and Burke's mothers to plan a large wedding with all the traditional trimmings, despite her preference for a small, intimate ceremony. This caused tension and uncertainty in the relationship, which ultimately led to Burke calling off the wedding.

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