Japan Wedding Paige Perrin Country info Historically many

Japan Wedding Paige Perrin

Country info Historically, many Japanese participated in a form of courtship called Omiai. In this custom, parents hired matchmakers who would gather photographs and resumes of potential partners. When both parties agreed to a possible match, the couple would meet, typically with the families and the matchmaker present. During the first few dates, the parents and matchmaker were extremely influential in determining whether the couple should marry.

Traditional Customs Courting: Of all the rules in Japanese courtship, one of the most significant is punctuality. Meeting times are sacred, and the failure to honor them is consider grounds for the end of a relationship. Engagement: When a Japanese couple gets engaged, the man may give his fiancee an engagement ring, but the couple also exchanges nine lucky objects to symbolize their happiness: Awabi (abalone): for good wishes Kinpo-zutsumi: a ceremonial amount of money Katsuabushi (dried bonito) and surume (dried cuttlefish): preserved foods that symbolize lasting quality Yanagidaru: Cash specifically for purchasing sake (rice wine) Suehiro: a fan as a symbol of happiness Konbu: kelp to ensure fertility and a healthy family Tomoshiraga: linen thread to signify strong ties in married life Mokuroku: a list of the lucky objects

Wedding day The Japanese bride-to-be is painted pure white from head to toe, visibly declaring her maiden status to the gods. The bride wears a white kimono and an elaborate headpiece covered with many ornaments to invite good luck to the happy couple. A white hood is attached to the kimono, which the bride wears like a veil to hide her 'horns of jealousy' from the groom's mother, who will now become the head of the family. Japanese grooms wear black kimonos to their wedding ceremony. While the bride and groom exchange their wedding vows, their families face each other, instead of the couple getting married. Central to the traditional Japanese marriage ceremony is the ritual of drinking nine cups of sake, after which newlyweds are considered united.

Ceremony The Shinto ceremony takes place at a shrine, performed before a Shinto sanctuary and conducted by a Shinto priest. Many hotels and restaurants are equipped with a special room with miniature Shinto shrines located inside where the couple can perform their marriage vows to the 'Kamisama' (god). The ceremony first begins by purifying the couple. After the purification and vows are performed the bride and groom exchange cups of sake (rice wine) in the 'san-kudo' (threetimes-three) ceremony as part of their wedding vows that symbolizes not only the union of two people, but also the uniting of two families. To close the ceremony, symbolic offerings of small tree twigs called sakaki are given to the 'Kamisama'.

Bride Attire brides may wear a colorful silk kimono or a shiromuku, a formal gown passed down over the ages and still used today as traditional bridal dresses. Japanese brides wear an elaborate hairstyle, known as the bunkin-takashimada.

Groom Attire For a Japanese wedding, the groom’s dress is much simpler than the bride’s. A Japanese groom wears a montsuki kimono, which prominently displays his family crest on the front and back

Guest Attire Many men wear a dark suit with a white tie for weddings and the same suit and black tie for funerals. You can easily wear any formal suit or dress (as long as not too flashy) and highheel pumps

Other Info Guests attending a Japanese wedding reception are expected to bring Oshugi, a cash gift. Sometimes, the amount is specified on the invitation. Typically the amount depends on the guest's relationship with the couple.

Different from the US? They put a lot more work into it. Like painting the brides face all white, and they have 3 different types of ceremonies before the wedding, and on in the US a wedding attire for a guess is just a simple dress and heels. Then in the US the gift doesn’t just have to be money it can also be like supplies for your house or money.