Japanese weddings

In a traditional Japanese wedding, brides wear a kimono called a shiromuku, The headdress is called a wataboshi which conceals the bride's face from guests, saving it for the groom.


The traditional religious ceremony is held at a Shinto shrine. Today this shrine may be inside the hotel where the wedding party will stay. A Shinto priest conducts the ceremony in which the couple is purified; they drink sake and express their commitment to each other.

A reception is held, and then the wedding is celebrated with a meal. A bride may change her attire several times.

Wedding gifts are traditionally new, crisp yen presented in a white envelope with the giver's name printed on the outside. The amount of the gift is determined by the guest's closeness to the couple.

Western-style weddings are acceptable in Japan, and it is up to the bride and groom to decide.