W is for Weddng News….
In an effort to improve on my writing I have decided to sign up for Encyclopedia of me which started over at Bella Dia (and which I found out about by reading Laura`s blog here...)… participating in this hasn`t actually improved my writing at all but I still live in hope…
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W is for Wedding News…
I tossed up many ideas for “W is for…” including the following: words, wiccans, witches, women, women`s rights, where is wally, wax museum & wallowing . These were just a few of the contenders but then I realized it has been awhile since I have done a proper wedding update and a lot has been happening and I have much to report!
We have crossed many things off our list and it is hard to believe that this weekend will mark six months to the big event! For those who don`t know Shun & I will be getting married on May 9, 2009 in Brisbane. We set the date back in February when we were still in Tokyo and my mum organized a venue for us before we even came back to Australia.
We have since been the venue together and it is lovely- perfect for kind of wedding we want. Our ceremony & reception will be held at the same place and there is also hotels on site which will be able to accommodate our international guests. We actually went just a couple of weeks back to see how it all looks when a wedding is coming in and it was all so pretty and enchanting.
We have also sent out “save the date” cards due to the high number of international invitees (The fan in the background was a gift from Benay & Naoki`s wedding)
I am still working on trying to incorporate some other Japanese traditions into the wedding…Any ideas are welcome.
We have gone for a cherry blossom theme (with pink and silver as the colour scheme!) as previously mentioned and are busy trying to incorporate that into as many aspects of the wedding as possible. It might be difficult to do that in the bouquets (which is a little dissapointing but I figured that already since May in Australia is not the right time of year for them) but we can use silks for the decorations etc.
We have organized a band, Soul Therapy and also cars (champagne coloured rolls royces!). We also have an awesome photographer who we will actually be having an engagement photoshoot with sometime in the new year. She will come to my mum`s house on the morning of the wedding to take photos of us getting ready and then will go to see Shun & the boys at Shangri-la (the venue!) before photographing the wedding and also coming with us down to the bay to have some photos taken by the water. All of this is part of the package we choose and it will include a magazine style album & some large prints. I have met with a a florist who will do all our bouquets, button holes & possibly deocorations for outside in the garden. I have also found a terrific dress maker for my dress & for the bridesmaids dresses…The style for the bridesmaids is choosen and I have a fair idea what I want for my dress also. We will meet with the dressmaker again in December or January and the bridemaids (none of which are in Brisbane by the way- one in London, one in Tokyo & another in Mt Isa) will send their measurements to me directly. When Clarie, one of my bridesmaids, was in Brisbane a couple of weeks ago down from Mt Isa we went and bought the material for the bridesmaid dresses- It is a bright fushia pink in dupian silk.
Several months back we found a great celebrant also who we both felt extremely comfortable with. We still have a lot of things to read through and choose for this though for example readings and what kind of vows we would like to say. I am hoping to find time in the next couple of weekends to go through this all with Shun as it will involve a little translating on my part.
Our wedding rings have also been chosen, bought and paid for! We already have them and we are both sooooooooo happy with them. I would show pictures but I am not sure on the ettiqutte of that kind of thing?! You might all have to wait six months to see pictures! Mine was made especially to fit with
Lastly, we also already have a cake maker (it will be a cherry blossom cake- probably marble mud cake with pink icing- she is also making us customized wedding cake toppers which Shun is so excited about as he had no idea people could do that kind of thing!)- Going to visit the cake maker in general has been Shun`s favourite wedding related meeting I think! Although he also loved seeing the venue all set up for a wedding as well.
Next on the list to organize is suits, honeymoon, bridal accessories, favours & getting the proper invitations ready to go. I will then have to start working on translations for the programs etc…Although T from TJ in Japan sent me translations from her Aussie wedding a couple of years back which are going to be extremely helpful!!!
I don`t think we are forgetting anything – we have no idea where to go for our honeymoon. We had a couple of ideas but I think we are back to square one now I think. Any suggestions??
So there you go, that is all the wedding news as of now….Am I forgetting anything?
I wish I could show more photos but it is a little hard I guess. All in due time though!!!
Some of the wedding planning has been a little stressful- like when one our groomsmen said he didn`t think he could come…we are still not sure if he is or not. The concept of groomsmen is kind of lost on Japanese people and I don`t think this friend understood that when Shun asked him and he agreed that it meant he would actually have to come to Australia. I know this is a big ask…Shun doesn`t (or didn`t- he has more of an idea now) exactley understand much about groomsmen and bridesmaids either.
Overall, things have gone fairly smoothly though. I can not believe that this time next year we will be married…It sounds a little crazy when I say it outloud but it still sounds so right! I am really looking forward to being married to Shun….
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So this is why you said I was crazy for contemplating organising for March?! ;o)
I think the engagement sessions are a lovely idea – I didn’t actually get many pics with The Hun at our eng party, and I didn’t get one with me and my family, or The Hun and his (or any combination!). So it would be nice to have proper photos of a very special time for the both of you.
Sounds to me like you have everything in order – I’m copying from as many people as I can, Magf sent me her budget which highlights the things I need to keep in mind, and I spend a LOT of time on the net looking at pics… I need to start printing them out to keep them in a folder!
The differences would be hard with culture – I have a hard enough time trying to explain things to The Hun, and we’ve lived only a suburb apart for most of our lives
)
I’m glad you found a good celebrant too – my dads cousin is a celebrant, so we’re trying to track her down at the moment, would be nice for family to do it. I can’t wait to see the rings!
For honeymoon, I think we’re thinking Great Barrier Reef (Haymen Island meybe?!), somewhere like Fiji, or maybe conning The Hun into going to a cheapie Europe trip
)
And I think your last sentence is what it’s really all about.
HOW EXCITING!!!
My idea of a perfect honeymoon is romance and relaxation and a beach (rather than sightseeing and running around). I LOVED our honeymoon spot- so unique that most people have never heard of it
Langkawi, Malaysia. The best part was our hotel that was RIGHT ON THE BEACH and caters to honeymoon couples. Casa Del Mar is the name- look it up on Trip Advisor. You can also see photos on my blog under Sept. 2007 (we had a belated honeymoon). We flew business class on my airmiles which made it all more special (totally recommend if you can do this). Anyways, sounds like everything is shaping up to be just what you both want and I’m sure you’ll pick a honeymoon destination that suits you both best too. That part is so much fun!
Wow, how exciting!
I love the theme colours and I don’t know about your bridesmaids but I would totally wear a fushia pink dress again- lucky bridesmaids!!
Advice from someone who’s done it before? The groomsman who doesn’t understand the job? Assume ALL Japanese guests know nothing. We asked K’s dad to sign the register for us and he thought it meant *he* was getting married- uh no thanks!! The kiss the bride, bouquet/ garter toss, walking around mingling thing etc etc were all foreign and anxiety inducing for K’s family.
Honeymoon? I haven’t been on mine yet but you can bet 6 years and 2 kids later I am planning a honeymoon to end all honeymoons! Similar to Christelle I’m looking at waterfront hotel but in Vanuatu. Tropical setting without the tourists.
And I’m with Shun- cake shopping was definitely my favourite wedding preparation item!
You must be getting excited! I had a sneaky feeling “Cherry blossoms” would be your theme some how = ) !
Like, Oh my gosh.. Fushia is the new White– how thoughtful of you to think of your bridesmaids.
We celebrated our engagement at Disney World, then hit all the Broadway shows. We had a private ceremony and had to cancel plans (wedding plans) TWICE, one family member had an accident and the second time another family member was in the hospital- this was my dad so we had to postpone, so we went ahead with a private wedding, just he and I, then went to Thailand, India, then off to AU for work.
Then life happened, so we decided we would have a celebratory wedding on our 10th anniversary which is next year hopefully with one extra person added to our family =) I was crushed but did not want to have it without Dad being there and were thinking of heading to Malaysia this time but our party is next year, so I know how excited you are- I just hope my dress still fits.eeek
That is a lovely invitation card.
I love the colors and theme you have chosen! : )
Having a “Save the Date” notice is a good idea. I’ll also have international guests (we’re not sure how that’s going to work) but if some do want to come over, we’ll do the save the date thing too. I think cherry blossom theme is a good idea – it’s very pretty and Japanese. How exciting – six months to go!
Oh wow, you have done so much since last time I was speaking to you!!! I’m so excited!! You would think, I would need a rest from wedding planning since we just had ours, but no, I live hearing all the exciting news from both you and Kylee!! We are buying our ticket soon!! We think we will be leaving Japan on the 1st of May and then coming back on the 11th!! YAY!!!
Oh, yeah… the garter throw… not sure if it really went down well with Naoki’s family – rofl!! Also, the speeches they do at a Japanese wedding and the funny/emotional/embarrassing ones they do in Oz are SOOO different – Naokis’ groomsman and his family were really surprised about the things that people said in their speeches at our wedding – not a good suprised though.. hrm..
I third the idea about having a nice and relaxing honeymoon… we were just way way too busy… It’s probably the only thing I slightly regret about the whole thing. But maybe for our 5 year anniversary or something we can go somewhere nice!
Enny- I think it could be done but I am just saying I would be too stressed to enjoy the process!!! We started planning in Feb when we got engaged I guess and that gave us 15 months til the wedding. I think the next couple of months won`t be so busy. I think also that the reason organizing a wedding so fast would be difficult is that a lot of things seem to get booked up early so if you have your heart set on a particular venue or photogrpapher and they book out early then it can make things a bit difficult.
That would be so cool to have your dad`s cousin act as a celebrant- keeping it in the family and all. I would like that. I am sure your cousin would be honored as well.
I am sure you planning and everything will come together though! My parents have been very supportive of the whole thing and I think they are excited also.
We are tossing up Fiji as an option for a honeymoon! Or somewhere up North!
Christelle- I will definitely look into the place you mentioned. It sounds great!!! I am leaning more towards a relaxing beach holiday too I think- I liked the idea of showing Shun NZ or going to Vietnam but am starting to think a week relaxing on a beach somewhere might be a better idea.
I think we will do our honeymoon soon after our wedding though. I will finish work up end of April, get married 9 May, spend time with family and international guests, then head on a honeymoon a week or so after the wedding. That is the plan at this stage at least!!!
Heather- The bridesmaids dresses are pretty cute and I think they will all be able to use them again! They are not too formal either so would be perfect for a day out of the races or somebodies birthday party! I hope the girls can get use out of them again.
Pink is my favourite colour! Can you tell?!?!?!
I am not sure how Shun`s family will go at our wedding- there will be a lot of foreign things at the wedding that while Shun is starting to understand I am not sure how is parents will go. mmmm….
Vanauatu is supposed to awesome!!!! When are you planning on going? Will the girls go with you or stay with family?
Girl Japan- Are you pregnant??? Congratulations!!!!
Thanks for commenting as always- a private wedding sounds nice also! You are also very lucky you could fit in so much travelling after your wedding. I am so jealous.
Glad you like the idea of the colour for the dresses! Once they start getting made I will post photos! The bridesmaids love the dresses too which is good!
SHerry- Thank you! We had to do save the date cards so that those coming from overseas could decide if they were going to come and get flights etc. The wedding, been the week after golden week, will mean flights go fast and are unfortunately a little bit more expensive for those coming from Japan.
Gina- Thank you! SO do I!!!!!!!!!!
Katie- If you plan on having international guests then it is definitely a good idea! An added expense but worth it. When are you getting married? I don`t think I knew you were engaged? Or are you just planning ahead
Where will your guests be coming from?
I am glad you like the theme!!!
Nay- I loved the speeches at your wedding- both from your family and friends and the Japanese family and groomsmen- I really think it added to the international wedding feel!
Things are definitely coming together for the wedding planning. Once we are back in Japan we can start wedding planning for Sarah`s ceremony in Tokyo! Will be in 2010 right?
I am so happy to hear you are booking your tickets soon- I am really worried that some people will miss out if they don`t book soon or at least have to pay a lot of money. WIll you fly with Jetstar???
A honeymoon in New Zealand to catch up would be a great idea before you head back to Japan!!!!!
It sounds like everything is sorted with the wedding plans. You do know when it feels right.
What an exciting time for you and Shun. Enjoy every minute of it!! xx
I LOVE the colours and theme of your wedding- it sounds very you (okay, I don’t actually know you but you know what I mean). A lot of my friends married Japanese guys and I think it must be really tough to have a wedding that suits everyone and doesn’t have anyone feeling uncomfortable (and seems to have caused a lot of stress on brides- just what they DON’T need)- so don’t forget, at the end of the day- it’s yours and Shun’s Wedding- I am sure it will be great!!
Allanah- I really hope Shun & I can come to visit all the rellies in NZ! It is definitely in the top three- thinking we might need a bit of a relaxing beach holiday too so might stop at NZ on our way to Fiji or something perhaps?
Phillipa- We are trying too!!!! hehehe!
Beckie- Thanks for stopping by again- Glad you like the colours and theme- I think it was more my influence over the choice than Shun`s perhaps- can you tell??? Shun is a bit clueless abotu what will make his family uncomfortable though and while I know them quite well it is hard for me to figure it out. I am hoping we have no issues on the day!!!