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The wedding ceremony and formal reception was at Meiji Kinenkan, a "wedding mill" which cranks out easily over ten weddings a day, several simultaneously in various ceremonial rooms and restaurants located around a nice lawn. |
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Jonnie, the groom. When we arrived, we were ushered into a waiting room, and the bride and groom arrived soon to wait along with us. |
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Sakae, the bride. This was the first time we'd had the honor to actually meet her.
"Braid the raven hair — Weave the supple tress — Deck the maiden fair In her loveliness — Paint the pretty face — Dye the coral lip — Emphasize the grace Of her ladyship! Art and nature, thus allied, Go to make a pretty bride. Art and nature, thus allied, Go to make a pretty bride." That is so culturally insensitive but I had to say. |
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The wedding vows. Jonnie read them during the ceremony using his best Japanese pronunciation. |
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One of the attendants showing Jonnie exactly how to hold and twirl this little branch during the ceremony. |
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Adjusting the wedding dress. More pictures of the wedding guests waiting... |
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After the ceremony, we went out onto the lawn to take pictures while waiting for the meal. |
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The bride's parents. |
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A detail of Sakae's ceremonial wig structure. |
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The suits we bought for the occasion. More pictures on the lawn... |
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The meal was unquestionably the best banquet food I've ever had anywhere. |
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The ceremonial cracking of the sake keg. |
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The wedding cake (both bride and groom are Apple employees). |
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We went back to the hotel, changed out of our suits, and then immediately got back on the subway and joined Jonnie, the other foreigners, Sakae, and many of Sakae's co-workers (who she didn't want to obligate to make the payment which is the custom if you attend a formal wedding) at a party at an Italian restaurant. More pictures of dinner guests... |
