Western Style Weddings in Japan

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Western-style wedding ceremonies or 'white weddings' are currently very popular in Japan. These ceremonies are modeled on a traditional or stereotypical chapel wedding.

Over the past few decades Western-style wedding ceremonies became widespread, to the point that currently they are the standard form. The adoption of western weddings dates back to two events in the 1980's. ^[1] The first pivotal moment was the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer to Prince Charles, and the second - among the Japanese - was the televised wedding of the pop star Momoe Yamaguchi.

In 2001 it was estimated that of the 800,000 weddings in Japan, 60 to 70 percent of couples opted for a western style wedding.^[2] The popularity of these chapel weddings has only increased since then.

Their popularity stems from the fact that, not only are they cheaper than a traditional shinto ceremony, they are considered much more stylish. A western style ceremony allows the bride and groom to tap into the status of American culture, copying movie and soap opera weddings. Although less than 3 percent of Japanese consider themselves Christian^[3], there is no perceived contradiction in participating in a Christian ritual. The Couples choose it not for any religious reason, but rather as a fashion statement.^[4]

The ceremonies themselves have no legal standing in Japan. Formerly, when it was performed according to Shinto ritual, the wedding allowed the union to be blessed by a priest, and gave the bride and groom an occasion to be welcomed as a married couple by family and friends - to make their debut. Presently, although they are devoid of any sanctioned spiritual significance, these white weddings still serve the function of having the marriage officially celebrated by loved ones. Couples are officially married once they have successfully submitted the required documents to City Hall registrar. No ceremony of any kind is required under Japanese law.^{[5] [6]}

Because the ceremonies have no legal status, no license is required to perform them. This has led many wedding service companies to employ unordained foreigners, to complete the illusion of a western ceremony. Japan has a substantial amount of native English speakers catering to the demand for conversation classes, and some of these people are able to 'moonlight' as wedding ministers.

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