Road to marriage in Japan④
Hello! Today I talk about a series of my wedding that is Japanese typical style in this blog.
First episode ⇒ Road to marriage①
Second episode ⇒ Road to marriage②
Third episode ⇒ Road to marriage③
This post is the 4th episode. Sorry too long!
My wedding flow is as shown below.
| 1 | Propose
(1 and a half years before the wedding ceremony) |
| 2 | Start to choose a wedding hall
(1 and a half years before the wedding ceremony) |
| 3 | Meet each parent
(1 year and 3 months before the wedding ceremony) |
| 4 | Decide on a wedding hall
(1 year and 2 months before the wedding ceremony) |
| 5 | Choose wedding dresses
(1 year and 2 months before the wedding ceremony. Then I decided 10 months before the wedding ceremony. ) |
| 6 | Looking for an engagement ring
(1 year and a month before the wedding ceremony) |
| 7 | Yuino (a traditional Japanese ceremony) & meeting dinner party
(1 year before the wedding ceremony) |
| 8 | Search for a new house
(8 months before the wedding ceremony. ) |
| 9 | Entry in a family register
(6 months before the wedding ceremony. ) |
| 10 | Start to have a wedding ceremony meeting
(4 months before the wedding ceremony. ) |
| 11 | Wedding photos in advance
(3 months before the wedding ceremony. ) |
| 12 | Looking for wedding rings
(1 month before the wedding ceremony. ) |
| 13 | The wedding day |
| 14 | Honeymoon
(3 months after the wedding ceremony. ) |
※ That is just in my case. Not in all Japanese cases.
Today I will talk about the table’s boldface ⑩～⑫, the wedding meeting with the wedding planner, and wedding photos in advance.
※Image is for illustration purposes.
10 Start to have a wedding ceremony meeting
The meeting about the wedding ceremony and reception starts 3～4 months before the wedding day. The couples have several meetings with the wedding planner by the day of their wedding. They sometimes also meet other staff such as a florist at the meeting. I introduce my meeting details.
①Making a plan for a schedule of the day
②Preparation for guests (invitation, seating plan, souvenir gifts)
③Deciding wedding banquet menu and a wedding cake
④ The Floral decoration of the wedding hall and making a bouquet
⑤Deciding a photographer/a cameraman and details of a wedding album/video
⑥An audio and a video
Deciding background music, and contents of a video such as an opening and a closing video to be projected on the day
⑦Choosing an MC and checking the schedule of the day with her or him
Other than that above, I asked friends for a receptionist or performance and checked my hair set and make-up in a rehearsal. And I prepared for an after-party … choosing a party place, planning schedule of the party, asking my friend to be a party organizer and inviting guests…and so on.
The couple has a lot to decide, then many couples had quarreled. Of course me too! lol
The meeting continues until just before the wedding ceremony.
11 Taking wedding photos in advance
Some couples take wedding photos before the day of their wedding in Japan. The average price is about 100,000 yen. The good points of that are as follows.
・You can wear costumes that you do not wear on the day of the wedding.
・You can choose your favorite location, for example, in a garden, a shrine, a park, a beach, or a foreign country.
・You don’t have much time to take pictures on the day of the wedding.
・You can use these photos for decoration and performance on the day of the wedding.
We also took wedding photos before the day of the wedding because I want to wear a kimono. Many wedding halls and photo studios provide wedding photo services. We booked the wedding hall having Japanese garden 3 months before the wedding day.
On the day I chose a kimono and the beautician put me on make-up and set my hair. I could wear a Japanese style dress and very satisfied!
I used these photos for decoration and the handmade movie on the day of the wedding.
12 Looking for wedding rings
We went to Ginza again to buy marriage rings because we exchange each other’s rings on the wedding day. The marriage ring is important because I would put it on every day after the wedding ceremony. I read a wedding magazine and did a search before buying rings. I could decide one earlier than when I bought the engagement ring.
Oh Sorry…this post has been long as before! The next post will be the last one about my wedding story. I will write the wedding day.
Click here to read the final episode
Final episode ⇒ Road to marriage⑤
Japanese OL. (OL means “office lady”. Women who work in offices.)
I was born in a rural part of the Kanto area in the latter half of the 1980s. I live and work in Tokyo now. I live with my husband. I study English by writing this blog!
