Sake Cask Cracking

18 liters of sake (Japanese alcohol) plus a big mallet equals stains on the carpet. Here Takahiro and Hiromi Suzuki crack open their celebratory cask of sake. The guests then went to town on the dozen or so liters that survived the impact. The mallet inexplicably disappeared once the guests started drinking.

Sake Cask Cracking

Japanese Wedding

(l to r) Takahiro Suzuki, Christopher Pellegrini, Yong-nam Kim, and Hiromi Suzuki (formerly Kawagoe). Hiromi is in here second outfit of the afternoon. Takahiro, Christopher, and Yong-nam are still working on their first.

Japanese Wedding

Japanese 'Kimono'

This photo is actually from before the wedding. This is a picture of four of Hiromi's friends. Yong-nam took a picture of them because there's obviously a theme going on here. They are wearing traditional Japanese 'kimono'. Coincidentally, they ended up being seated at the same table as us during the reception (assigned seats). In this photo they are standing behind the desk where gifts for the newlyweds are dropped off. The guest book is front and center. You sign your name from top to bottom, and right to left (in that order, of course).

Japanese 'Kimono'

Hiromi and Takahiro's Wedding

Japanese weddings involve several costume changes. The bride, Hiromi in this case, wore three different outfits during the course of the ceremony and reception. Takahiro only had to make one costume change, and this is how we remember them from the end of the reception.

Hiromi and Takahiro's Wedding

The happy couple.

Takahiro and Hiromi Suzuki. Mr. Suzuki on the left. This is part of the receiving line on the way into the reception.

Japanese Wedding

Hiromi and Takahiro are married!

Today we had the pleasure of witnessing our first Japanese wedding. The ceremony itself was on the traditional side of the marriage-spectrum in Japan, so we weren't able to take any photos during that part of the afternoon. The wedding ceremony itself was solemn, and meticulously rehearsed and organized. That doesn't mean that Hiromi and Takahiro knew what was going on. Much like our experience in Korea back in September, a rehearsal is not part of the package!

We did, however, take a lot of pictures after that. 153 to be exact!

It was a beautiful day, and an educational one (for us) to boot.

Japanese Wedding