morganacademyfp

As our FPs are scattered over the globe I thought this might be an interesting, lighthearted topic.

I have just been shown some lovely photographs of the Marriage Blessing reception of a Carnoustie friend, taken last week in Brampton, Ontario. Kilts galore and lots of happy faces. One photograph was really quite strange. The bride was seated and her husband was on his knees in front of her, surrounded by a gaggle of young men. It looked as if the bridegroom was proposing! Not so! I have heard the groom's mother's explanation, but perhaps Dave D might like to enlighten the rest of us, as to what was going on. Dave, the matron of honour is a Newfie!

So . . .

As I left my family home on the way to be married, my father threw pennies (Meks) out of the Wedding car, to the local children. Why? Presumably to symbolise casting aside his financial responsibility to the bride!!!! (7 July 1973 was a very wet day, so the poor bairns had to "scramble" in the dubs for the pennies!)

WIMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pud, I hope you are referring, irreverently, to the bridegroom and not my Dad! (The bridegroom had been married 6 months previously, so had no reason to be begging!)

Dave, got it in one! ( Sorry if the term, Newfie is offensive. The matron of honour referred to herself as such, and mentioned that it was a Newfoundland tradition.)
Laird, I'm SURE the Japanese have interesting wedding customs!

DaveD and Thelma, The same custom in OZ

"Marriage" in Japanese is "fan yan."
For so many men in Japan, it is not so much a union with one woman as the enforced separation from all the others.

Gosh, did I actually say that in the previous post.

Anyway, this afternoon I attended my first Japanese wedding, the wedding of one of my son`s friends at a shrine in Kobe and I thought I would share it with you. Hope you find it interesting Thelma.

Coming from a nearby waiting room, under a large red bamboo umbrella with her groom, Shinno-san looked beautiful in her white kimono and headress, as they approached the shrine. They were led very slowly by a priest and followed by their parents and immediate family members, to the strains of a penny whistle like instrument and drum. Inside the shrine the families sat facing each other while the happy couple were in between them facing the alter. After the priest had chanted for several minutes, addressed the couple, and had purified everyone in the shrine, said another chant, both fathers approached the alter together to pray with the priest for the couple. Two "alter girls" then preformed a short ritual "dance" in front of the alter which was concluded with each of them picking up a golden flask of sake. They continued the service by offering the bride and groom sake from the flask, three times, and they sipped it three times. Next all family members were treated with the same reverance and also had a sip from their individual red lacquer sake cup. Then it was back to the couple for another three sips. A few more words from the priest and the penny whistle and drum starded again which was the sign for everyone to leave, when the wedding party formed their original line-up and returned to the waiting room for many photographs. Obviously every action, every section of the ceremony was preceeded by a bow and ended with a bow, true Japanese fashion.

It was a very formal, stiff affair but somewhat moving never-the-less. Pity I was not offered a sake! So, there you have it, a Japanese wedding.

Thank you, Laird. FASCINATING. In these troubled times in Japan it's good to know that such events are being celebrated.