Japanese marriage customs & traditions

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"Kick things off with a topical wedding-themed icebreaker, as this will show everybody that you've been thinking about the speech right up to the last minute."

Japanese weddings are typically small, private and filled with tradition. Some Japanese-American couples prefer to mix the two cultures' traditions and customs. The mix can combine wedding attire, traditional gifts and reception ideas. Some couples also combine traditions from their religion whether Christian, Shinto or Buddhist. Many customs and traditions are available to choose from to create your perfect wedding.

1. Wedding Attire

   • White symbolizes a new beginning in the Japanese culture. Some brides choose to paint their faces white, paint their lips red, wear wigs with fancy clips and traditional dresses.

     The traditional dress is typically a colorful kimono, although some more modern brides choose to wear all white. In some families, the wedding dress is passed down through the generations.

     After the traditional Japanese ceremony, the bride changes from her wedding dress into a silk kimono called an irouchiakake, which depicts a crane. This symbolizes a long life. As the reception draws to a close, the bride changes again into a kimono with wide sleeves- it is usually worn by unmarried women and is called a furisode. This is the last time she will wear this type of kimono.

     Men typically wear a tux, also known as a haoiri-hakama in the Japanese culture.

   The Traditional Ceremony

   • A Shinto ceremony honors the spirits in the natural world as the priest performs a purification ceremony. The ceremony involves a branch, or wand, with folds of paper attached- it is known as a harai-gushi and it meant to bless the couple. The ritual ends with the sake ceremony.

   The Sake Ceremony

   • The sake ceremony is one of the oldest customs performed in Japanese weddings. The ceremony replaces the vows found in Western weddings. Three different sake cups are filled, and the groom, then the bride, take a sip from each. The three cups are then presented to the families. The groom offers a cup to his father and then his mother. The bride repeats the offering to her parents. The ceremony is a gesture of respect.

   The Reception

   • Traditional receptions begin with the bride and groom lighting a single candle at each table in the reception room. Music is played by Japanese drums and stringed instruments. Dishes served in the reception symbolize prosperity, long life, happiness and many children. Fish is a common dish served with the tail and head forced up to appear as a circle which symbolizes eternity. Lobster, which is red, is served for luck. The number of courses can not equal a multiple of four because it is considered bad luck, as the word for "four" sounds similar to the Japanese word for death. A sweetened, gummy rice dessert is traditionally served to guests.

   Gifts

   • The bride and groom typically receive cash gifts as their guests leave the reception. The appropriate amount is sometimes listed on the wedding invitation- if not, it is dictated by the relationship the guest has with the bride and groom, as well as the guest's own economic circumstances. Guests give the cash to the couple in a special envelope called a Shugi-bukuro.

Source: www.ehow.com

Tags: bride groom, customs traditions, bride changes, brides choose, Japanese culture, Japanese marriage, Japanese marriage customs