The dummy guide to our Wedding in TOKYO 24/11
Be at shrine no later than 11:15!! it’s a beautiful shrine offers many things to see or good photo spots, so highly recommended to be there early!
For you that are usually late = This is Japan, late comers are treated accordingly and the police have not that much else to do.
The ceremony is a traditional Japanese wedding according to Shinto religion. You can read more about a shinto wedding here
In the shrine their will be 3 levels where people will be seated.
Closest family member / relatives will be seated inside the shrine next to the wedding couple at the highest point. As family you will participate in the wedding and be obligated to perform certain movements.
Tip of the day: If Maho’s family bows — you should bow to.
Wedding guest / friends will be seated inside below the close family members.
Other visitors or people you have travelled to Tokyo with are also welcomed to view from the outside the shrine.
You will be shown where to sit by staff and friends with extra responsibilities.
The ceremony will take around 30 minutes. Before/after the wedding, we recommend to take photos in Toriri (red gates), and then move to Hotel New Otani to have time to take photos in their Japanese garden.
Hotel New Otani is 6 minute car ride or 12 min walk. There will be taxis waiting for people. We recommend everyone to spend time in Hotel New Otani’s wonderful Japanese Garden. The pond have some really fat and cool Carps in it.
Tip of the place: If you want many instagram likes, this is the spot to strike a pose together.
If get lost in this big hotel, ask the staff for the Kowase / Eckervall wedding or any other need you might possibly have.
At the actual Reception
Once you made it outside reception room you will check-in with Maho’s close friends Junpei, Nikki, Yuya & Tomomi. If you have any gift/money (not required at all), you can hand it to them.
Then you will move into the reception room that Maho’s parents got married 28 years ago for a welcome drink and mingle.
The reception will be bilingual in Japanese and English and hosted by our toast master Justin Patterson. He will entertain you trough speeches, wardrobe changes, Japanese food, videos & gift ceremony.
Note to Swedish cultured people: There will be no unplanned speeches even if you would find the courage for it after 2–3 Sake drinks.
At the second party around additional 40–50 people will join the wedding party.
As tradition in Japan, you as guest will pay 8500 Yen cash before entering the restaurant. We know that this seems strange to many but we see this as your wedding gift to us! *Children below 15 and Japanese over 100 are excluded.
Once inside there will be an open bar and food (that kind where we don’t pay more because you drink / eat more.. We have fixed price).
Prime 42 is on the 42nd floor overlooking the entire city and famous for the meat they serve.
Note: Bring the cash.
The second party is bilingual and hosted by our friends Kenta and Serina. There will be games and other surprises and time for all of you to mingle and enjoy the fantastic view.
For us as-well it’s the opportunity to spend time and share this moment with you.
Oh well, if you have not had enough yet, there more party coming your way. We have booked a private area in the nightclub Esprit in Roppongi, where Tokyo nightlife is.
For measly coughing up 2000 yen at the entrance, you will be treated with a open bar for 2h in one of Tokyos great nightclubs. The place is open until 5AM, so there is no rush getting out there but get your buzz on before 12:30AM.
If you get adventurous and want to try your luck elsewhere, expect nightclubs entrance fees to be 50–75USD for guys and free for girls. Hilariously enough the nightclub queues is only filled with guys. Drinks will be 5–10 USD dollars.
