Actually the wedding was the highlight:



Husband and Wife



Mother-in-law and Sister-in-law



With Father and Father-in-law



Wife and Mother

It all went very well. At the shrine we got into our trad-garb and then processed quite slowly through the shrine grounds which looked great with all the autumn colours. Then we went into a side room where three guys played strange music and a priest said a lot of things and we did a lot of bowing. It was all quite serious actually and when I cam to recite my vows, which I had spent the last few weeks learning, I got quite nervous but I think I got them all in. Then H and I drunk three lots of sake out of different sized cups and then we all drank more sake and did some more bowing and that was it - married!

Afterwards there was a big lunch here where our family's joined together and photographed each other. I made another speech and there was crying followed by introductions and questions. Everyone seemed really excited about us and were asking us about how we met etc. Language and cultural barriers came crashing down and we all got on really well. It ended up with some traditional synchronised clapping which only I couldn't get the hang of and then we went back to my in-laws and carried on the drinking/family thingy.