May 21 (Paolo fromTOKYO) - Japanese weddings consist of two parts - a ceremony where they exchange vows, and a reception followed afterwards.
A typical Japanese wedding ceremony and a Japanese wedding reception can be quite different than western weddings. In Japanese wedding culture there is a dress code. Let me just say it’s typically a lot more strict in Japan as there are countless rules, especially for females. For example, women can’t show their shoulders, knees, toes, wear furs or animal prints. They must wear only nude stocking and not black ones and the list goes on. And when you attend as a family of the bride and groom, you must absolutely follow the rules so they don’t lose face. For friends though, there is some gray area. When you attend a Japanese wedding, you must absolutely bring a wedding gift, which typically, only cold hard cash, called Goshugi. No wedding registries really exist. Japanese don’t even know what that is. In addition, it’s critical to use a special envelop, specifically designed for the wedding gift where the ribbons are made to not be untied. And the amount itself is important. Friends and co-workers are expected to give at least 30,000 yen per person, about $225, while cousins and relatives gift at least 30,000 to 100,000 yen and immediate family members are expected to gift even more.
