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Package weddings: No muss, no fuss If you think hand-addressing invitations and negotiating with a small army of vendors sounds like cruel and unusual punishment, a package wedding may be right for you. Makiko and Takashi Inoue got married in Hawaii this past July, but then organized a larger reception in Tokyo at Tenku no Niwa Hoshi no Naru Ki (http://www.ginza-cruise.co.jp/tenku-no-niwa/) in September 2010 to include their larger circle of friends. Since most wedding venues have contracts with specialist companies for things like flowers, dresses, MCs, etc., they will contact those companies on your behalf and arrange all the details. Makiko found this process to be quite straightforward – “Once I decided the venue, the restaurant manager assigned a person who was in charge of my wedding. All I had to do was have several meetings with her to decide the details.” Makiko mentioned that the venue was somewhat flexible and willing to fulfill her specific requests for details like floral arrangements. Working within the framework set up by the venue and the MC, Makiko and Takashi were able to add touches of their personalities to the celebration. As a Japanese couple, this system worked for them and Makiko found the arrangement to be convenient: “it wasn’t that daunting a task… I didn’t have to worry too much about the details.” However, international couples may find that the rigidity of Japanese wedding venues translates into a cookie-cutter reception, which may not be what they’re after. Heather Star Minowa was unpleasantly surprised by how her reception turned out: “My husband and I barely had a moment to put food in our mouths during the wedding party, it seemed we had to get up and entertain everyone quite often. This is something we said we didn't want, but my mother-in-law added in the last minute – yes, without us knowing!” For those who are new to Japan and unsure about what a “Japanese wedding” really involves, Heather offers the following advice: “It really matters where you are at in your life in Japan. If you don't understand the culture I would suggest marrying in your own country or waiting.” If you like the idea of working with one main vendor and letting them take care of the details (and budget isn’t a concern), many of Tokyo’s glitziest hotels like the Peninsula (www.peninsula.com), Mandarin Oriental (www.mandarinoriental.com), and Four Seasons (www.fourseasons.com) offer planning services in English and regularly cater to international couples. For a more traditional Japanese experience, Happo-En (www.happo-en.com) provides Shinto ceremonies, access to its spectacular gardens and luxurious dining options – all with service in English. Some wedding venues also offer bilingual MCs, so it’s always worth asking.
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