smells like roses!

Smells are fascinating. The principal's office at one of my smaller elementary schools smells just like my grandparents' house used to. And no matter what school I go to, the gyms always smell the same. It must be that kid scent I guess :P It's kind of comforting in a strange way.

2 posts ago, I said I would blog about Japanese weddings. I went to my first Japanese wedding on May 3rd. It wasn't actually the wedding ceremony I went to, but just the reception. First off, the MC announces the new couple as they walk into the hall. They are dressed in formal Japanese attire. Then a few speeches are given. Not by the best man or maid of honor or family or friends, but by their bosses! I guess it makes sense, your work does provide you with the money you need to upkeep your livelyhood. Then everyone starts to eat and the bride leaves to go change into another gown (the Western traditional gown) and groom changes as well. During this time everyone drinks and eats and mingles, while the MC goes on about stuff I don't really remember.

The bride comes back after about 20 minutes and they cut the cake. Friends of the bride and groom do some silly stuff (passing a volleyballl from friend to friend until it reaches the bride and groom ~ they play volleyball ... making the groom get on some kind of board while they lift and carry him around ~ he looked quite frightened through his smiles :P). Then the bride leaves again to changed into a 3rd gown (like a very fancy prom dress or something someone might wear to the Academy Awards). Depending on some parties, the bride changes up to 6 or 7 times!

The guests continue to eat and drink. Some slideshows are shown of the bride and groom when they were kids and when they met. The bride and groom come back , the lights are dimmed and they light a unity candle and then go to each table (at this party, there were about 40) and light a candle there. This was really nice!

And then that's it. The party is over. The MC announces to everyone to be careful as they head home and then a group of the guests usually go to a nijikai (after party) with the bride and groom to a local bar or whatnot and get a little crazier. I had a cold that day, so I didn't go.

All in all, it was a nice ceremony, but it just didn't feel like a party without people getting crazy on the dancefloor and speeches from family and friends. No throwing of the bouquet or garder. One thing that I really liked though was the bride and groom each wrote a letter to their parents and read it at the end ... definately tear jerkers!

that's the groom on the board

that's the back of the white dress

aren't they a cute couple? the funny thing is the bride usually doesn't wear any make-up! this was the 3rd dress, but I couldn't really get a good shot.

my YWD friends ... :)