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This page is meant to give you some idea of our wedding plans to date, as well as provide you with some information on what will go on during the actual wedding ceremony and reception.
Updated: April 16, 1999
Timeline | Shinto Style Wedding Ceremony | Traditional Wedding Reception | Second Party
Timeline
January 22, 1999
Went to Osaka for Notification of Eligibility to Marry Certificate
February 14, 1999
Went to City Hall for Official Marriage Certificate.
Sunday, May 30, 1999
Marriage Ceremony 10am at Sakai Shrine
Reception 1pm at the Washington Hotel (60 guests)
Second Party 6pm (60 guests)
at Bar Uncle
July - August 1999
Informal BBQ Reception in Bay Area
This is a picture of Sakai Shrine, where we will have the wedding ceremony. Behind the shrine is the Washington Hotel, where we will have the wedding reception. Click on the picture to see a larger version. (February 1999)
A Typical Shinto-Style Wedding
At a Shinto Wedding, only the families of the bride and groom are present (besides the priest). At our wedding, my side looks to be a little light, so maybe we'll bend the rules a little. Also, since we had no go-between, so that position will not be used. The priestess that will perform the ceremony speaks excellent English, and she has promised to give me an explanation of what we will do and why we're doing it. Below is a detailed description of a typical Shinto Style Wedding Ceremony. After reading it, you will know just about everything I know about the ceremony!
Shinto Style Wedding Ceremony from Experiencing Japanese Culture
The wedding ceremony is one of the most important rites in life anywhere in the world. In the past, people often held wedding ceremonies in their own homes in Japan. Now they are generally held at a commercial wedding ceremony hall, a hall in a hotel or a famous shrine. There are various styles of ceremonies: Buddhist, Christian, ceremonies in the presence of friends as witnesses and other new styles. The Shinto style ceremony, however, is a very popular form. it is conducted by a Shinto priest at a shrine, having greater meaning as an observance of customs and manners than religious significance.
- Everyone enters the ceremonial hall and takes a seat. Inside the hall, the main shrine stands in front. Tamagushi-an (a table for sacred branches) is placed in front of the shrine. Apart from the tamagushi-an, there are two hassoku-dai (a table with eight legs). The bride and groom's seats are in front of the hassoku-dai and behind them are the seats for the nakodo (go betweens). Rows of seats for the relatives of both families are lined up along the right and the left walls of the room. One the right side, the groom's relatives sit in the order of Father, Mother, brothers, etc. The bride's family and relatives sit in the same manner on the left.
- The beginning of the ceremony is announced. Everyone stands with head slightly bowed, while the Shinto priest performs purification with the nusa (paper wand) and tamagushi (sacred branch).
- The bride and groom are led to the shrine. They bow twice, clap their hands twice and bow once again together with the priest and return to their seats.
- The priest chants norito (prayers) announcing their marriage to the god, while each attendant stands up with head slightly bowed.
- The ceremony of san-san-kudo (exchanging nuptial cups of sake) begins. A set of three-stacked cups on a sambo (a wooden tray with a stand) are brought to the groom. The groom takes the first cup with both hands, and sake is poured into the cup by the priestess. He puts his left hand on the bottom of the cup and right hand on the side of it lightly, drinks the sake in three sips and puts the cup back. The cups on the sambo are brought to the bride and she also takes the first cup and drinks it in the same way. The same cup is brought to the groom again and he repeats the action. Now the second cup is taken by the bride first and the actions are repeated. The third cup is taken by the groom first again. In this way, they exchange the cups nine times in all.
- Wedding rings are exchanged.
- The bride and groom stand in front of the tamagushi table and the groom reads out the wedding vow to the shrine god. The bride states her name after him. Then, the couple offer tamagushi branches to the shrine god. Before they go back to their seats, they bow twice, clap hands twice and bow once again to the shrine. The other attendants also stand up and do the same thing simultaneously at their places.
- The go-betweens offer tamagushi branches to the shrine as the representatives of both families.
- The ceremony for binding the relationship between both families follows. The priestesses pour sake into each cup placed in front of everyone. They all drink sake in three sips together to bind the relationship.
- The priestess announces the end of the ceremony and delivers a congratulatory address. Everyone then stands up, bows slightly and leaves the room led by the groom, bride and go-betweens.
Traditional Wedding Receptionfrom some English learning magazine
For the wedding ceremony, the groom dresses in the formal kimono with family crests and hakama, a Japanese traditional skirt (just like a samurai!), while the bride wears an all-white kimono (symbolic of innocence) and a white head covering. It is believed that all women have a horn of jealousy, which must be hidden under this hood (No comment!).
A wedding reception party is held after a wedding ceremony to formally announce the couple's marriage to many guests, such as the members of the family, relatives, friends and acquaintances. The guests offer special brightly-decorated envelopes with at least a 10,000 yen note inside it as a token of congratulation at the entrance of the reception hall. The heads of the families along with the newlyweds will stand just inside the entrance to the reception hall and greet everyone as they enter. Two friends of the newlyweds will be at a reception desk just outside the hall collecting the envelopes, writing their contents, and answering any questions the guests may have.
At the wedding banquet, the newlyweds are officially introduced by the matchmaker in a long speech detailing their educational and occupational backgrounds. For us, this will not be a matchmaker, but probably an MC who speaks English and Japanese. A congratulatory address is also made by the guests of honor at the beginning of the banquet. The guest of honor will probably be a teacher from Michiko's high school days. During the wedding banquet, the bride and groom retire from the reception room to change wedding clothes. They usually exchanges the Japanese-style wedding dress for Western clothes. During this time, don't fret! We've got entertainment up the wazoo! Michiko's father's students will have a Taiko Drum performance, her college cheerleading team will do some dance performance (?), and my aikido teachers will do some aikido. All this fun and we won't even get to see them!
When the newlyweds reappear to the applause of the guests, the party continues in a festive mood. During this time (and throughout the reception) an emcee will keep everyone informed about what's going on. Then they go from table to table lighting candles for the guets. The final speech is given by the father of the groom, thanking the guests for their cooperation. Not too long, Dad! All the guests receive a gift box containing some specially prepared food or practical article at the end of the wedding banquet. We will be giving wine, a small present and a catalog to each guest. From the catalog, guests can choose which gift they prefer to receive.
Second Party (for friends of the bride and groom) A second party will be held after the reception for friends of the bride and groom. The reason for this is simple: attendance of the reception requires a gift of $300 or more. For friends of the couple this may be too expensive, so a much more relaxed and cheaper party is held.
Ours will be at Bar Uncle, which is just around the corner from the Washington Hotel. Pass your cursur over the map for the location names in English.Map Legend
Fukui Bank
Fukui City Hall Office
Daruma Seibu Department Store
Fukui JR Station
Bar Uncle
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