How often do you get invited to be a guest at a Japanese wedding? If you're not Japanese then, that's pretty rare indeed. Count yourself lucky! It is indeed an honour! Now comes the next few steps... what's next? This post is a summary of how you can prepare yourself for the wedding, because every Japanese attending will be super mega prepared.
This is assuming you're a guest of course, if you're the bff of the bride/groom you have tons more to do.
Be sure to let your friend/co-worker/family member know as soon as possible if you are able to make it! This helps them heaps in planning.
1. Money... in a fancy envelope
Credits: Google
Having a meal at the wedding isn't free, so you're obligated to give an envelope as well as additional sums to wish them well. Minimum amount is 30,000 yen (approx $350 sgd) and they should be new notes. Money should go INSIDE the white envelope, and this is then placed in the fancy, bigger one. Don't forget to write your name! You can find these envelopes at any convenience store, there are some pretty complicated looking ones there, but if you think those are too 'cheap', check out department stores or Tokyu Hands.
2. Your liver
Have you heard of those 'Nomikai' parties where the boss of the department proclaims "LET'S HAVE DRINKS TODAY" and everyone basically ends up drunk BUT somehow reaches work on time the next day? So, these people can drink, and with free flow alcohol, you better train up. Don't be the person sitting down in a corner (or facing down in a corner).
3. What to wear
If you haven't already read this, I covered it separately here. There are some things to take note, so before you grab that 'perfect dress' off the racks, read this.
4. Figure out how to get there... in advance
EVERYTHING starts on time in Japan. Being late is an embarrassment. I made it with 3 minutes to spare, close call, but when I did, everyone was already there. If you're 15 minutes late the church vows may have already ended, and you missed your chance to shout 'OBJECTION!', okay that's a game reference, please don't actually do that at a wedding.
5. If you're a guy, prepare to kneel
Seriously because Japanese are so super considerate, they kneel when they think or know they might be blocking someone behind. I was so so surprised by this!! Japanese guys are gentlemanly after all.
6. I added 6 because.. there's actually nothing much you need to prepare to do when you're there.
Service in Japan is IMPECCABLE. It is FLAWLESS. There is even a lady on permanent stand-by just to ensure the bride's train isn't caught in something, she pushes the chair in and out for her, it is amazing. I am aghast.
Just go and have tons of fun, and try to spread out the alcohol so that you collapse AFTER the second party, not before, and that you actually remember what happened.
Take lots of pictures!!
xoxo.
Congratulations! You got invited to the wedding of the year! Now this could be your very first invitation to a Japanese wedding so you're kinda nervous and wondering what to wear. Don't worry! You're in the right place. Let me help you out.
THE GUYS
If you're male and you stumbled to this page somehow, here's an easy answer for you. A long sleeved shirt (most japanese guys will wear white because they don't have any other shirts they are allowed to wear for work), a suit, vest is optional, matching pants, office shoes, and either a tie or bow tie. Make sure your hair is styled and eyebrows are trimmed neatly.
Got it? Don't forget a handkerchief to wipe your sweat with. Great. You're good to go.
Okay if you're female you're in the right place, because it gets soo tricky I actually have to devote a whole blogpost to you. Let's begin!
THE LADIES
All ladies get checked out by the guys present there (and there are a lot!) so be sure to dress up! Which brings me to number 1.
1. Wear stockings, even if it's summer
Don't ask me how the Japanese ladies do it, but they say this is their secret weapon to make their legs look flawless. I believe them. Just compare my legs with the other legs in the picture above! Spot my scars yet? Haha!
2. Bring pressed/loose powder to touch up
Chances are, you'll have a tiny clutch or bag that can barely fit your phone, just grab a small loose powder from one of the Japanese drugstores you'll pass by. No drugstore? Then the convenience store is your next best bet (though it is probably a bit more pricey). I love how their stuff comes with SPF protection!
Lip gloss is a given so I didn't mention it. Okay I just mentioned it. Don't forget your lip gloss!
3. Get your hair done
Yes that means book a salon. Yes, if the church wedding is at 10am and you DON'T live in the same prefecture/city, that means you probably have to wake up at 5am, travel for 2 hours, get your hair done, then head to the place. This is completely normal. The bride will have her own hair stylist do her hair for her, and since I was close to the bride, she told me that the hairstylist was charging something like 6,000 yen, which is almost S$70? Insane!
Thankfully my other japanese friend found a salon near my hotel and booked an 8am appointment for the both of us. Yes 8am. And it was only about 3,400 yen, which is about S$40. Don't expect to be able to walk in! To save time, try to go for your appointment armed with a picture of the hairstyle you want. Japanese stylists can amazingly recreate anything.
Anyway, the weather was so crazy hot in summer I decided to wear my hair up. Would strongly recommend the ladies to consider that too so you would have no regrets.
4. Choose a fancy dress
Here's the trickiest part. Japanese are conservative by nature, and do not show their shoulders. There are a few Japanese ladies that do not observe this unspoken rule, but usually the elders will frown at them. If you noticed the lady in the middle of the group picture at the top of this post has her shoulders exposed, there is only one reason for it - she isn't Japanese. Your dress should not be anything shorter than 4 fingers above your knees. Get it now? Foreigners are easy to spot.
Oh, and here is a BIG TIP.
DO NOT WEAR WHITE.
You will be seen as 'stealing' the limelight from the bride. Try not to wear all black because that makes you look like you're attending a funeral.
5. Complete your look with heels
Nobody wears flats seriously. Everyone has a tiny heel AT LEAST. If possible, try to wear covered shoes to add to the formality. I didn't want to bring another pair of heels on my trip to Japan, so I re-used the pair that I went shopping in, which are wedges. I am a foreigner so I can get away with this.
Mika looking super stunning in a kimono!!
If you're female and you own a kimono, just throw option 4 and 5 out of the window and wear that. Though you'll probably be the only one apart from the bride's family to wear it, but hey! You're there to stand out, right?
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And that's it! If you have other tips please do share them in the comments below. Can't see the comments button? Please click on the subject of this post to view the individual post!
Will post more about my Japan trip soon!! :)
Recently, I was invited to the Starhub TVB Awards, courtesy of HTC. (Thank you HTC!) Having no idea what to wear, I panicked and decided to get heels first. Instead of the heels matching the outfit, the outfit can match the heels too :p
By sheer luck, I was introduced to Sinderella at Orchard Delphi who does customised shoes for formal occasions! Orchard Delphi is a quiet mall opposite Forum, further down from Palais Renaissance and along Orchard Road. I like that the shop is in Orchard Delphi because that's where you can
find a lot of wedding dress shops and it's a good escape from the hustle and bustle in town. I hate shopping in crowded places, sometimes I get so turned off I just leave even though there's a crazy sale.
Welcome to Sinderella
When I reached, I was taken aback because the shop was just so pretty!! With glistening evening heels, feathers, velvet seats, and a warm smile from the staff you know you're in good hands.
Sinderella specialises in customised footwear for ladies. Have an idea of what heels/flats you would like for a dinner, formal event or your wedding? Sinderella will custom make these for you and you'll receive your footwear in 3-4 weeks! Express services will be at additional charges.
Thanks Isabel for accompanying me! Without her help I might still be at the shop deciding on a design, pattern, accessory etc, there's just SO MUCH flexibility when it comes to custom made heels!!
I've summarized the different ways you can customise your heels at Sinderella so keep reading! ;)
The first step would be to pick a design. Do you want strappy heels? Slip on heels or open toed heels? Get inspiration from the heels on display, don't worry if you don't like an aspect of the heel, you can change that later. Be it weddings, galas, birthdays, DnDs or special events, Sinderella can help you create your dream pair of heels!
These heels with star shaped crystals stole my attention, especially with the unique v cut front! The other one looks like something a Disney Princess would wear. It's all about how you want to feel on your special day, right?
Going for the Starhub TVB Awards meant that it was going to be a red carpet event, so I picked an open toed pair with a simple motif! There are many designs to pick from, and if you head over to their website
Sinderella, you can take a look for yourself!
PSST! 3 weeks later, after I collected my heels, I realised that the only tough consideration
is that you're not 100% sure if the heels will cause discomfort or if
they will fit. Mine were too big and even though I was provided with
anti-slip paddings, they lost its stickiness pretty soon. Have to find
super glue to permanently glue them on or drop by the shop again to see if I can get a strap added to them! Before getting them made, one
size smaller was too small for me, and they don't have half sizes.
Remember to make sure your feet fit when you try the sample heels they
have in-store!!
Want to add more 'bling' on your heels? No problem!
If you think that your heels are too plain or the accessory on the base design doesn't fancy you, there are cases full of accessories made of crystals and even pearls to pick from!! This heel caught my eye because of its pearls and feathers. Instant attention to your feet ;)
These heels will suit 'The Great Gatsby' theme if you're having a movie star Company DnD night!
For my heels, I did not add any additional accessories because... I didn't feel like it. Haha! Okay the true reason is because I wanted bling heels and too many accessories will steal the limelight from that.
If you pick accessories, rest assured that they are sewn on to your heels so they will not fall out!
Timeless lace
Here's the black lace I was contemplating to add on top of the satin! You can remove the sample and place it on the heels if you need a stronger visual impact. That's what I did anyway!
Isabel really liked these heels because of the mesh sewn on detail, but it didn't look as nice in black!! If you're getting married soon you can consider this design, sooo gorgeous.
Of course, you can also pick the height of your heels, and the width of the base. I didn't want the tip to have too small a surface area (because it's harder to walk in for longer periods of time) so I picked the one in the middle. You can pick the material to wrap your heels, whether you want it to be the same colour as the body of your shoes or you can be daring and pick something totally different!
Did anybody say BLING???? Yes you can add bling crystals to your heels!!!! This is me trying to envision the final product :) You can ask for bling to be stuck on ANYWHERE so get creative and go wild!!
Better not lose your other heel like Cinderella or your heels won't make sense on their own!
Some people add 'I Do' at the soles so it would look nicer in pictures! That's an idea for you. You can add crystals on the platform, along the rims etc, and if your budget allows it, pick Swarvoski Crystals because they are wayyyy more sparkly!
PSST! They also have a section for you to pick evening bags! Your bag should match your heels, after all.
It was a great experience, staff are attentive and will listen to your every detail and note them down. The hard part was over, and now I had to wait for my final product. *crosses fingers*
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[3 weeks later]
The Finished Masterpiece!
Here's the final product of my heels that night! It's pretty isn't it? I had them swarovski-crystal'd individually, but some of the crystals fell out during the night. Guess crystals aren't that practical after all. Still no regrets though! :p Plus these crystals have a lifetime warranty so if they fall out you can head back to the shop to get them replaced :)
My final outfit for the night! Dress: Isabel's, Heels: Sinderella, Hair: Komachi Hair Cult Bag: Germany
I was going for a minimalist, chic look that was versatile and elegant. Painted my toes red to match!
*throws confetti* what do you think of 3.5 inch heels with bling! I like the little gathers by the flower and the open toed front is quite special. My last toe is completely hidden and gives the illusion of smaller feet :O
If you look closely at the crystals, you'll notice a star near the top! I wanted a star because my heels had to be original and have a dash of unpredictability incorporated in the design, and I think the pasting of each crystal must've taken quite a while to complete!
Oh, I also added 0.5inch platforms (front half) and padding at the balls of my feet so that my feet wouldn't feel so tired from standing and walking around a lot. These little details really add up!!
Be sure to check out their shop if you're looking for customised wedding heels, formal heels or just need an excuse to get a new pair. You can order online at their website below and they ship all over the world! ;)
Sinderella
402 Orchard Road
Delfi Orchard #03-04
Singapore 238876
Thank you Sinderella! :) Will be back again for sure!
No, I am not getting married soon. But I am definitely considering renting a vintage Volks for mine!! How gorgeous is this beetle that's really well maintained and check out the pretty colour it's in?!
Purple Sage invited me for their Fall in Love Wedding Workshop held at Mount Emily, which was craaazy hot weather to climb steps to, so I took a cab and managed to rush down. The welcome speech was held in a nice little tent and I felt like I was attending a wedding already.
Don't forget to have these if you decide to have an outdoor event. Phew!
All the attendees were with their significant other half... except me. I brought Crystal and people thought that we came here to find out about same sex marriages. I guess that's possible too! Haha.
I've always like the use of wax seals to seal envelopes, so you can consider that for your wedding too :P For a customised design, you can check out Butterflies & Cakes!
The theme for that day was Autumn so I wore a dress in autumn-y colours to match :D
You can consider having chefs serving food kiosk style on your special day!
Or a live band perhaps? Major weakness for saxophones + Kenny Rogers.
Neat and polished table decor!
Buffet lunch decor. Choose your location and Purple Sage will set up everything for you!
Now came part 2 of the afternoon. We were ushered upstairs for a buffet dessert as well as have the opportunity to complete some activities with the partners for the event!!
When you decide on a wedding venue, think about your guests. Do you want a small intimate wedding? Or a large scale wedding? Will parking be an issue?
The activities were really fun! We had a free 5 min shoulder massage from Mary Chia, could decorate our cupcakes from cakelovecoulture, fill up pails with sweets etc!!
To have roses at your wedding, or not?
Have you considered a Candy Bar? For your hungry guests to help themselves before your wedding officially commences.
Get as creative as you can with your weddings to create a memorable experience for your friends and family as well!!
I am considering have a Tiffany themed engagement party. Hmm.
One of the booths had this attractive microphone + stand. When I walked closer I realised the mike was a Shure. Woahhh expensive! Of course, had to pose with it. Hahaha.
I think I was going "oooooh"
Claire, singer extraordinaire! Sings for weddings and events etc drop me an email today! :)
No actually I've never done any events or sung live so I was just kidding. I pose only.
Thank you Purple Sage for inviting me this year! If you need a boutique caterer for your wedding, they'll help you realize it! Don't forget that you have to start planning wayyy in advance and you can't expect a miracle, unless you book with Purple Sage heheh
Purple Sage Group Pte Ltd
Tel: 6396 6990
Email sales@purplesage.com.sg
