Let's Wedding
Megumi-n-Pete tie the knot
We got married on November 22, 2001, in a romantic ceremony known in Japan as "signing some papers and handing them to a bureaucrat at city hall." Our ceremony was held on March 31, 2002. We wore kimono and did the Shintô thing at Hie Jinja, a shrine in downtown Tokyo. Then we donned Western garb and headed to the all-you-can-eat-and-drink party at the New Otani. There was laughter, there were tears. Adam made a speech in Japanese, which was nice. Here are some pictures of the day:
 |
Here we are receiving instruction in how to be married. Turn the sacred branch this way, drink the sake in three sips. Don't burp. Dad is paying attention too; he also had to present a branch at the altar.
|
 |
Megumi is wearing an outfit called shiromuku. Under that silk hat is expensive (rented!) pearl jewelry; under that is a wig. Very heavy. Not to be worn in summer, unless you want your white makeup dripping down your face.
|
 |
Here we are in front of the shrine's main hall. You can see the rope used to ring the bell that hangs at the entrance; people use this to wake up the gods and get them to listen to prayers.
|
 |
More of the same. Gosh these kids are good-looking.
|
 |
Here's the Durfee/Swenson side of things.
|
 |
And here are both families. At top right are Megumi's brothers Tomoya (l) and Yoshimitsu (r). Below are Minoru, chef at the world-famous Enchante, and mother Michiko.
|
 |
Now dressed like a pair of foreigners themselves, the new couple is surrounded by relatives and champagne-fans.
|
 |
Megumi's brothers made memorable speeches. Yoshimitsu burst into tears and embraced me fiercely; Tomoya lost his prepared speech and searched frantically for it as his mom yelled at him to put his jacket on straight. Great stuff.
|
 |
Yet more tears. Minoru broke down and was the cause of much mirth, especially for Michiko, who basically laughed all day.
|
 |
And the couple at last make their escape to a new life!
|
|
