Traditional Japanese Wedding

I’ve attended Japanese weddings out of Japan but never a traditional one - till i was in Japan for a short work period about 6 months.  The Japanese co-worker that invited me - was a very traditional one - and thought that it was impolite not to invite me.  I really didn’t mind to be honest but what do one give as gift for a japanese wedding, i had asked another co-worker.  The co-worker said - that they usually give “cash” as gift these days - and that was a close 15 yrs ago - you see I’ve migrated to Canada for about 10 yrs now.

Anyhow - as a co-worker - i was told that 20,000 - 30,000 yen is the standard - and also it depends on the size of the wedding.  So armed with a white envelope but everything had to be pretty up - i went for the wedding on a bright April afternoon.

The assistant for the day greeted me warmly and directed me to a waiting room congested with family members. I said ‘hello’ to a lady standing next to the door whilst still listening to the assistant’s instructions, to which she finished off by introducing me to the lady at the door as being the bride’s mother. Needless to say, my initial casual ‘hello’ was quickly followed by a slight bow and a “nice to meet you”. It was the first time to meet family members, so I had not the faintest idea who-was-who. I opted for a brief escape at a side door hidden behind the bamboo plants looking out over the courtyard, which is where I spotted family friend and main photographer for the day. He is carefully selecting the best angles and spots to get photos of the bride and groom.

Anyhow - a traditional Japanese wedding is a very long, long process - so if you are going for one - be prepared and then there is the reception of course.  That would be for another day and another story.

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