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All elopements are different, after all, they reflect the uniqueness of each couple. That said, one of the most commonly asked questions is “what can we expect at our elopement?” Well, this isn’t an exact science, but using some of our previous elopements as a guide, we can give you an idea of what to look forward to, on your big day. For the purposes of this article, We'll assume the ceremony has been set for 3pm. Elopement Timeline in Summary 13:00 - Ross and Ayako meet the couple at their hotel 13:10 - Ayako takes bride to the hair salon for hair and make up 13:10- Ross takes the groom to the venue, where he can get changed and prepare for the big event 13:45 - The Photographer arrives at the venue or at the Hair Salon 14:45- The bride arrives at the venue, “first-meet” photos ensue 15:00- The ceremony 15:25- Photo-shoot 17:00- Dinner 13:00 Meet the couple Perhaps the most important part of the day! We will arrange to meet, either at your hotel or a convent pick up spot. In some cases, we will drive the bride and groom to the venue. In other cases, this is the last time time the couple will see each other until just before the ceremony. Ideally, however, we will meet the bride and groom before the big day, over a drink and/or a bite to eat. While by this time we will have made a connection with our couples virtually, nothing beats a live meeting! This is all to ensure that every one feels comfortable on the big day. That way our couples simply focus on enjoying and maximizing the experience. More recently, some of our photographers are offering pre-wedding shoots in the town or park. This is another great way to beat those first time nerves and ensure everyone feels comfortable on the day itself. 13:10 Ayako takes the bride to the hair salon This is where the bride and groom usually part ways for a few hours. Ayako will accompany the bride to the hair salon for styling, make up, and to change into the wedding dress. At the same time, Ross will take the groom directly to the venue. There he can wait, get dressed and mentally prepared for a lifetime of happiness!! While there, Ross will take the groom through the procedure for the ceremony. Other than that, the groom can generally just chill, before the bride arrives. Some grooms choose to steady their nerves with a cheeky drink or two! 13:45 Photographer arrives at the venue or hair salon This is where having two photographers is handy. If the venue and preparation space are in two different locations, either Ross (usually the second photographer) or the photographer goes to the salon. One will photograph the bride in the final stages of preparation, while the other will document the progress of the groom. The groom and whichever photographer is present, will discuss and decide on possible first-meet photo locations. 14:45 Bride arrives at the venue Once the bride is finished at the hair salon, Ayako will call Ross or the Photographer (whichever one is with the groom) to let him know that they are on their way. This the cue for the groom to get in position for the first reveal. We work hard to keep the surprise and build the suspense right up to the moment of the “first-meet”. This is always a lot of fun. Everyone is excited to see and document the reactions, and we haven’t been disappointed yet. From whooping and hollering to tears of joy, the moment is always a good one. And with two photographers on hand, we are sure to get multiple angles!! This whole process takes anywhere from 10 minutes to half an hour. There is never any hurry, this is the couple’s time; we just let them savor the moment, and take in every detail. 15:00 The Ceremony This is the heart of the day. Indeed, for many of our clients, it the sole reason of the whole trip. The ceremony takes just about 15 ~ 20 minutes. It will be in English, though if you choose a shrine elopement, it will be in Japanese. Read more about that here! Serendipity’s very own Ross Harrison officiates the ceremony, at no extra cost, and includes a small flavor of Japan in the proceedings. By all means, if you have a friend who would like to officiate, just let us know. During the ceremony, the couple will have a chance to recite their own vows, and inject their own brand of romance or even humor! Shortly after the ceremonial proceedings that couple will be presented with a certificate to mark the occasion, accompanied by a tasty mug of Japanese matcha - green tea, or sake!! 15:25 Photoshoot Now the photographers can have their fun, and explore every nook and cranny of the venue to show the couple and location in the best light. Depending on the venue, for example in Kyoto, we may be able to go out and include some location shots. There is never really a fixed time limit here. We like to let the photographers and couples' imaginations run wild! If you have any ideas about how you want the pictures to turn out, just let us know - all ideas welcome! 17:00 Dinner (Optional) Some couples, especially those who choose to marry in Kyoto, like to round off the day with a romantic dinner for two at a beautiful, romantic restaurant. This is where serendipity will part ways with the couple, but not before arranging to drop off any bags and belongings at their hotel. Obviously, if you choose our Kyo-Machiya plan, you can stay at the venue over night, in which case such arrangements won’t be necessary. Some of our favorite restaurants to recommend are: In Kyoto - Inayoshi or Endo In Tokyo - Ryoutei (in fact we can do the whole thing here. Read More!) To find out more, or to start planning your own special elopement, contact us today!

This intimate garden elopement was special! The couple, from Texas, travelled to Japan for the first time, just four days after their town hall ceremony. They wanted to commit to each other in an intimate setting, for which we chose one of the most beautiful gardens in Tokyo, hidden away in a suburban area, and well off the beaten tourist path. It was perfect! The bride had contacted us about three months previously to inquire about the possibility of an intimate garden ceremony. We were excited to be asked and were only too happy to oblige. It had to be intimate, so no guests. They just wanted to enjoy the day without the stress of deciding who to invite and who to leave off the list. The plan was to just focus on each other and enjoy the setting and experience. Ceremony Day We picked them up from their hotel and escorted them to our often used kimono vendor. At the kimono studio they selected their kimonos and with the help of the friendly staff got ready for their special intimate garden elopement. Since the couple's priority was to enjoy the experience and simply to have fun, we selected a kimono vendor who is popular with tourists. Couples can mix and match patterns and accessories. The nature of which can leave people spoilt for choice, as they experiment with different patterns and accessories. However, this couple seemed to know what they wanted and we were in and out very quickly. We were out so quickly that we were significantly ahead of schedule. Luckily Tokyo has many spots of interest to first-timers in Japan, so we took the opportunity to take photos at one of the many small, street-side shrines. Then, it was into a taxi and on to the venue for the intimate garden elopement ceremony. Being mid-winter, it was cold and, rarely for Tokyo, it was also very overcast! Thanks to this, there was almost no one at the garden, so we had free rein of the place. We were rather worried about how they would fare since it was so cold and kept asking them if they were warm enough in there kimonos. However, they were so excited, I don't think the cold registered with them. In fact, their excitement was so infectious that we soon forget about the cold, gloomy weather. The ceremony, with a strong Japanese element incorporated their own personal vows and although it lasted barely 20 minutes, it will be remembered for a lifetime. Casual Lunch Following our time in the garden, we escorted them back to the kimono vendor, stopping off for a bite to eat and a photo or two at Shinjuku's famed Memory Lane (Omoide Yokocho). It was the perfect end to a perfect intimate garden elopement. We wish the happy couple a lifetime of love and happiness; we hope to see you again soon!! What did the couple say? From TripAdvisor "This was the best part of our whole trip! Ross and Ayako feel like long lost friends! They were very professional, on time, and great people to work with! I didn’t have to stress over my big day thanks to them! Every mistake I made with scheduling and time zone differences, they were able to fix. The venue and pictures taken were beautiful. The kimono choices were abundant. If you are debating going here, don’t give it a second thought and just do it. I never dreamed my wedding would or could be so perfect. It all went so smoothly and stress free! They went above and beyond for us and I appreciate them and their business. I have and will always continue to recommend them to anyone wanting to have a ceremony or renewal in japan! Thank you Ross and Ayako for everything!"

Our aim is to find places off the beaten tourist path, to offer couples truly unique settings and experiences. This Elopement in Kyoto did just that. In fact, it has quite a story! After four months of planning, this Kyoto elopement nearly didn't happen. It was almost scuppered at the last minute by not one, but two huge typhoons! This couple, from Canada, got in touch in July, shortly after we launched the first website in April 2018. They wanted an October elopement in an outdoor setting in Kyoto, the cultural center of Japan.  And we couldn't have been more excited for them... and us! We love this city, so we’ll take any excuse to spend time there! The brief for their elopement in Kyoto was to find a beautiful garden for an intimate ceremony, with no guests. They wanted something simple yet elegant; just a venue, celebrant and photographer. With that in mind, we got searching for the best gardens in Kyoto, and there are many! However, what we found was that only one garden allowed western wedding dresses…  Since Kyoto is the cultural center, they like to keep everything culturally homogenous, so most gardens only accept kimono clad bridal parties. Nonetheless, we found a beautiful garden, scouted it out, and located several spots within the garden for the ceremony and photoshoot afterwards. On our return from our research in Kyoto, we shared the findings with the couple who liked what we proposed: a simple garden ceremony and photo-shoot followed by dinner at a romantic restaurant. They liked it. Everything was going well. Roll on September, and typhoon season… The Weather Turns The beginning of the month saw the biggest typhoon to hit Japan in over 25 years.  Kyoto got it in the neck! The Kamogawa (the river that runs through the city) nearly burst its banks; passengers at Kyoto station were nearly killed by falling glass, and the main artery (bridge) to Kansai international airport was badly damaged by a stray tanker. It was like something from Armageddon. On top of this, the garden, in which we were planning to hold the elopement ceremony, was severely damaged. Large parts of it were destroyed and closed to the public. With less than a month to go, things were not looking good. Yet, while some of the garden had been rendered unsafe, the ceremoeny spots were undamaged. We contacted the couple and relayed this info. They were quite cool about this. It would all become part of the story, they thought. They were still good to go, even if some of the photo-shooting locations were closed. The planned elopement in Kyoto was still on. Then the second typhoon hit... The whole garden was rendered unusable... We only had one option – Iiori Machiya Stay.  We had met them in August on our trip to Kyoto, seeking venues and vendors for this and other weddings.  They were really excited at the prospect of diversifying their service offering, they wanted to see how it would work out, and offered our next Kyoto couple the opportunity to use their venue.  We contacted them to see if the offer still stood – they said yes! One of our aims at Serendipity is to find places in Japan that are off the beaten track, to offer each couple a truly unique setting and experience.  The old town houses of Iiori Machiya Stay do just that! They offer a perfect, intimate setting, right in the heart of Kyoto. So, with the blessing and assistance of the wonderful people at Iiori Machiya Stay, Ayako worked her magic, to create a simple, yet unique ceremony space. Elopement Day The couple wanted to get ready at separate places, before meeting at the venue just before the ceremony. We took the bride to a local hair and make-up salon, while the groom waited at the machiya (old Japanese town house).  Looking dapper in his suit, the groom waited anxiously for the arrival of his bride, who looked stunning in her long flowing white dress.  His eyes, up on first seeing his bride, were a sight to behold – he couldn’t stop looking at her! The ceremony was a simple mix of western and eastern traditions, and was held on the balcony of the machiya overlooking the Kamogawa. It was perfect! Then, afterwards, the photographers got to work! Following the outdoor shoot, we provided them with champagne and Japanese snacks to relax, celebrate and take in the the events of the day. One week later Although the Kyoto elopement ceremony was a success, and the setting was beautiful, and the couple were blown away with it all, we we not satisfied. Their brief was for a garden wedding, so we were going to right the wrongs of mother nature!  One week later, on the Tokyo leg of their trip to Japan, we met them again, dressed them in Kimonos with help from the wonderful people at Vasara Kimono Rentals, and did a photoshoot, this time at a park in Tokyo. This park was not nearly as badly affected by the earlier typhoons. Again the weather threatened rain, but thankfully, it held! We were having so much fun, we didn’t notice the time: we were there for almost two hours! Thank you to the couple, for being so cool and easy to work with, and congratulations on taking this important step in your relationship together. We wish you both the very best as you embark on your journey as husband and wife! Remember, next time you are in Tokyo, we are going for drinks and a bite to eat, together!! If you would like to have your very own Kyoto Elopement, please email us at info@serendipity-flower.com or leave a message for us on our contact page, and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

What is a Shinto Shrine Wedding? What do all the elements mean? Can non-Japanese get married at a Shinto Shrine? In this article, we will examine these questions and more, as we pull back the layers of mystery that surround this beautiful exotic part of Japanese culture. You would be forgiven for thinking that a shinto shrine wedding ceremony has its roots in ancient Japanese history.  After all, shinto itself, the religion of Japan, was codified way back in the 8th century.  However, a shinto shrine wedding is a recent invention. The earliest was performed little over 100 years ago for the nuptials of Crown Prince Yoshihito to Princess Kujo Sadako.   Before looking at the wedding, let's explore a little bit about Shinto itself. What is Shinto? Shinto (神道), sometimes referred to as kami-no-michi (kami - god, michi - road) or “way of the gods” focusses on ritual and ceremony to establish a connection between the past and the present.  The kami are said to influence everyday lives, bringing good and/or bad fortune. Though codified 1200 years ago, the earliest writings did not refer to it as a religion. It was instead thought of as a collection of beliefs and myths that governed a way of life. These days however, it is considered a religion and has over 81,000 beautiful, ornate shrines across the country. Each shrine devotes itself to the worship and honor of a great number of spirits or deities. In English “kami” translates to ‘spirits’ or ‘gods.’  But in Japanese, it is an all encompassing term. It includes the sacred essence that takes the form of rocks, trees, rivers, animals, places or even people.  Furthermore, according to the shinto belief, kami and people occupy the same world and plane of existence. Almost 80% of Japanese people regularly participate in Shinto practices or rituals. However, only a few would identify themselves as true believers. Like westerners who only attend church at Christmas, many Japanese only attend a shrine at New Year or for Shichi-go-san (a special event for the blessing of children). Now we know a little bit about Shinto, what about the wedding itself? Can non-Japanese couples get married at a Shinto Shrine? Short answer: yes! The long answer is that it depends on the shrine. Some shrines are ok as long as one of the couple is Japanese. Luckily, more and more shrines are opening to the possibility of performing weddings for non-Japanese couples. We only work with those that do! Portfolio Read: Japanese Shinto Shrine Elopement A Guide to a Shinto Shrine Wedding A shinto shrine wedding ceremony is usually a small event. Most Shrines will be able to accommodate between 10 and 20 people; few shrines can cater for beyond 30.  For this reason, the ceremony is usually attended by just close family and friends.  However, the reception is open to larger groups. Unlike western weddings, that incorporate the legal signing of the marriage certificate, a shinto ceremony is not legally binding. As with all weddings in Japan, there is no administrative link between the wedding ceremony and the marriage. All marriage applications must be applied for at a city hall on a separate day. Some shrines will draw up a certificate for the couple to sign, but this is merely a keepsake rather than anything of legal value.  The ceremony is a purification ritual designed to bring blessings on the couple and their families. It takes about 20 ~ 30 minutes to perform and is divided into nine parts: 1.参進の儀（Sanshin no gi) - Procession to the altar A shinto shrine wedding starts with a procession through the grounds of the shrine.  The first port of call is the 手水 (temizu), to ritually wash (purify) your hands in preparation for standing in the presence of kami. The procession is part of the ritual and is led by the priests and hand maidens, who lead the wedding group slowly towards the place of kami. The idea is that with each step the heart and mind is cleansed of impure thoughts. By the time the party reaches the altar, each person is prepared to stand in the presence of the kami. 2.修祓の儀（Shubatsu no gi) - Bow - signifies the start of the wedding ritual Once the party reaches the altar, the wedding can start.  A shrine attendant signals the start of the ceremony with an impressive Taiko Drum role. Then the saishu (the lead priest of the ritual) offers a bow, which is then reciprocated by the couple and other guests. Each person must offer a deep bow to both the priest and the kami. 3.祝詞奏上（Norito-sojo) - Report of the marriage to the shrine deity The leading priest will bow again, this time to report the marriage of the bride and the groom to the kami. He will also offer a prayer for this purpose, which is spoken in a form of classical Japanese that only priests and the kami can understand. Through the prayer, the priest asks for the kamis' eternal blessings on behalf of the married couple and their relatives. During this stage, it is customary for no photos to be taken. It is quite a reverent moment, one that has great meaning to followers of shinto. 4.鈴弊の儀（Suzu hei no gi) - Bell ringing The priest's assistant rings the ceremonial bell.  It is thought that the sound of the bell brings blessings from the kami. While the bell is rung, the couple should bow their heads reverently, to receive the blessings bestowed on them by the grace of the kami. 5.三献の儀（San ken no gi)/三三九度（san-san kudo) Following the prayer and bell ringing, the couple drink sake. The couple each takes just three sips from three cups offered by the shrine maiden (miko).  This is known as the san-san-kudo.  This basically means, three cups, three sips, three times. It could probably be likened to holy communion in the catholic church. Since ancient times, food and drink offered to the kami was thought to contain divine power. The couple drinks the sake, withdrawn from the alter, from the same cup. By drinking the divine-powered sake from the same cup, the bond as a couple is strengthened and they are blessed by the kami. If you are not alcohol drinkers, you don’t need to ingest the drink, merely touching it to your lips suffices. The priest will present the first of the three cups to the groom, who will take three sips before handing it back to the priest. The priest will then have the same cup refilled before handing it to the bride. Once she takes three sips, and hands it back to the priest, a shrine maiden will fill a second cup which the priest will hand to the bride for the process to be repeated. E.g. Groom three sips - hand back to Priest - Bride three sips Bride three sips - hand back to Priest - Groom three sips Groom three sips - hand back to Priest - Bride three sips 6.誓詞奏上（seishi sojo) Now for the fun part! Up until this point, the priest and maiden have lead the procedings. Now, the bride and groom stand in front of the kami by themselves, and recite the wedding oath. In Japanese! We will provide a romaji (alphabetized) script for you to practice beforehand, and you can read from this during the ceremony. You don’t need to do anything from memory! Just note, each shrine is different: sometimes only the groom needs to read out while at others both need to read the script. At shrines we use, usually both bride AND groom read the oath together. 7.指輪交換の儀 (yubiwa koukan no gi) - Ring exchange As with weddings the world over, there is an exchange of rings. The kimono staff will take your rings off you at the kimono studio, and present them to the priest at the shrine before the ceremony, ready for the ring exchange. Naturally, all cameras will want to be primed and ready for this point! 8.玉串拝礼（Tamagushi hairei) It is said, that during this part of the ceremony, the couple are as close to the kami as is humanly possible.  Tamagushi, an evergreen branch with a hemp line or a zigzag paper slip, represents the sincerity of those who present it to the kami. The bride and groom offer up the branch by hand; bow twice; clap their hands twice and bow once more. This is an expression of thanks for the blessings of the kami. Offering tamagushi branch requires the bride and groom to follow a certain protocol. This will be taught beforehand. However, in a nut shell, the priest and attendant will hand you each a Tamagushi, which you need to rotate clockwise and present to the kami in prayer. During the ceremony, the priest and attendant will demonstrate how to do this at the rehearsal before the ceremony. It is all part of the experience! Following this, a shrine attendant performs a taiko drum role to signal the end of the proceedings. Congratulations, you are now Husband and Wife! When is the best time to get married in Japan? There is no real hard and fast rule for this. However, since Japan lies in a temperate zone, it experiences distinct seasonal and temperature changes. The summers are blazingly hot and humid, and for anyone wearing a traditional, multi-layered kimono, it is quite uncomfortable. Conversely, in winter it can get bitterly cold, with a chance of snow. Most people tend to choose spring or autumn for a shinto shrine wedding. Both seasons are astonishingly beautiful: white and pink cherry blossom in spring; red and orange leaves in autumn. To find out more, or book your own wedding in japan, email us at info@serendipity-flower.com, or contact us here. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto_wedding https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto Japanology

Design Something Unique Picture yourselves standing in Nara Park, surrounded by the world famous deer, on your wedding day; or perhaps you are in a stunning private house and garden, possibly one that was once owned by a famed Samurai; maybe you are in a private part of a world heritage temple in Kyoto, standing in front of a centuries old tea-room or you are simply reading your vows to your beau with Mt. Fuji providing a stunning backdrop! ​ Japan is perhaps one of the best destinations for eloping couples. The natural and landscaped beauty, mountains, shrines, lakes, exotic traditions and gorgeous costumes can all give your special day a dreamy feel - sure to be memorable! ​ Simple elopements in off-the-beaten-path-locations are what we at Serendipity Flower and Wedding absolutely love! And with a cool and growing network of connections at stunning locations across Japan, we have got you covered! ​ Some ideas to get you started: Ceremony at iconic old house in Kyoto’s historic Secluded garden in Nara followed by photoshoot in the park with the deer and world heritage sites as a backdrop Mountain top ceremony in Hakuba - snow country World heritage temple garden and tea room in Kyoto Mt. Fuji and one of the five lakes Simple garden ceremony followed by Tokyo photo tour Simple Tokyo Bay ceremony Tokyo city lights as a stunning backdrop; perhaps even on a boat! Intimate old house and zen garden in Tokyo followed by dinner at a beautiful, old style restaurant with private dining Get married in winter, spring, summer or fall - each season has something unique Anyone of these ideas or many others could be yours! Perhaps you have your own vision for your special day. If so, let us know and let’s start planning. Allow us to be your eyes and ears on the ground in Japan, to bring together your ideas and introduce fresh ones to formulate the perfect elopement. We will mobilize our network to bring you the best that Japan has to offer. ​ Key words: simple; romantic; intimate; secluded; adventurous; stunning; memorable; unique; exotic; mysterious; cultural; beautiful; easy; stress free; fun; travel; ceremony; photogenic; special; ethereal; ​ A few Japanese images to whet your appetite: From left to right, top: Kyoto Samurai Villa; Ukimido Gazebo, Nara; Mt. Fuji, Yamanashi. Bottom: World Heritage Temple, Kyoto; Japanese Alps, Nagano; Anywhere you want us to consider. ​

What’s a more Japanese wedding experience than a Japanese shrine elopement? Picture this: the sun glistens through age old trees surrounding a beautifully exotic shinto shrine, where you are wearing gorgeous, regal, silk wedding kimonos, walking in a ceremonial procession. Around you in this procession are attentive maidens and priests all bedecked in the exotic attire of Japanese shintoism. A musician is playing a flute, producing airy, ethereal sounds. At the end of the procession and inside the shrine, you sit before the Shrine deity, which is surrounded by gorgeous cultural art, the dramatic sound of taiko drums announces your marriage to the shrine deity. Then the priest starts the dreamy chant of the ritual which will confirm you as husband and wife. This need not be the stuff of dreams. It can easily be a reality. More and more shrines are opening up to the idea of performing shinto ceremonies for non-Japanese. Before, they were nervous of the language barrier and misunderstandings of the importance of the shrine protocols. But luckily, with an increase in popularity of Japanese culture, this is all changing. And just as importantly, couples do not need to be practitioners of the Shinto faith. In spite of protocols surrounding a shinto ritual Shrine weddings are actually quite simple affairs, and are sure to create moments of magic that will last a lifetime. All our shrine weddings are wrapped in a package and come including the following: kimono fitting hair and makeup photography transport. Optional extras include: videography Japanese garden photoshoot. Not included, but can be arranged: dinner reservations at a nearby restaurant of your choice for you and your beau to complete the celebrations. What does a Shrine Elopement Entail? Shrine weddings themselves take between 20 and 30 minutes, maximum 45 minutes, depending on the shrine. And from preparation to the end of the whole affair takes around 4 hours and 30 minutes. Depending on the timing, you can either be finished by lunchtime or by dinnertime. An example timeline: 08:00 - choose kimonos and get fitted 10:00 - arrive at the shrine. 10:05 - pre-ceremony photoshoot around the grounds of the shrine 10:40 - ceremony rehearsal; meet the priests and run through ceremony rituals and practice vows. 11:00 - Ceremony starts, with a procession to the altar 11:30 - Ceremony ends 11:35 - final photographs inside the shrine with the shrine priests and maidens 12:00 - get changed back to normal clothes 12:15 - final chat/refreshments with the shrine master 12:30 - the shrine event ends, but the memories are guaranteed to last forever ​ Notes: Depending on the shrine, you may both be required to read your wedding vows in Japanese. Not to worry. If this is the requirement of the shrine, they will provide a written copy of the vows which are translated and alphabetized, for practice and to read from during the ceremony. We will be on hand to help you practice via video chat, prior to your arrival in Japan. Currently most of our shrines are in the Tokyo area, but we are slowly adding to our list of amazing shinto venues from which to choose. Like the Sound of this? Contact us today!

You know when you fall in love with a place so much that you have to return again and again; a place that feels like a home from home? That is how this couple feel with Hakuba. They had been snowboarding there several times in the past, and knew that they had to get married there. And why not?! Hakuba is an absolutely stunning place in winter, with snow-capped mountains and snow-covered trees; powder snow and the white covered roads and narrow lanes. It is incredibly romantic; it is a veritable paradise: quiet, slow, and picturesque. It is such a popular place for Australians and New Zealanders, as well as people from further a field, that during the winter months, the population of this small town almost quadruples! This year was no different. And it proved the perfect setting for our couple from Australia, Natasha and Jonas. And it is quite a story! Destination Wedding in Hakuba: The Beginning They had actually started planning directly with venue before they found us, but they were experiencing two problems: language and guest capacity! Neither of them speak much Japanese, and so some things were getting lost in translation. As for the other problem, practically every invite they sent out was returned with a “yes, definitely”! 115 people were committed to making the long trip from Australia to Hakuba to be at their wedding! What a wonderful testament to this couple! Unfortunately however, the original venue had a capacity of no larger than 60! The wedding was going to be bigger than either of them had envisaged. This is when they contacted us. We contacted the first venue on their behalf and it quickly became apparent that the couple’s guest list had outgrown it. There was simply no way for the venue to host the numbers expected. And so the search was on for a new one. We had never been to Hakuba before and so were eager to explore a new place and build new relationships. So we gladly hopped on a train and made the long trip to this winter wonderland. It is a place that Ayako and I quickly came to love. The Venue The venue we settled on was Sierra Resort, a gorgeous resort hotel set in the side of a mountain, surrounded by picturesque forests and with stunning views of the peaks. It has a lovely homey feel, which Ayako and I instantly fell in love with. The hotel was full-to-brimming with warm hospitality: free hot snacks and drinks, including sake for guests; hot springs; a guest lounge and even an igloo in the garden, in which you could enjoy yet more hot snacks and beverages. On top of all that, they have their own chapel and reception room capable of supporting the numbers we needed! Another exciting discovery with Sierra Resort is that the Chef is something of a local celebrity. He has won numerous awards and accolades from his industry peers. So we knew the food was going to be great - obviously we sampled it - never turn down an opportunity to eat great food! As my uncle often says - eat when you can, you can never reliably know when you can eat next! Anyway. I digress.... back to the story! We passed all this information on to the couple together with photos and videos. It was an easy choice to make! The couple was excited, the staff were excited, and we were excited! Fast forward a year to January 2019… The weather Weather always plays a major role in a couples' wedding story, and it was no different here. In the weeks leading up to the wedding we were aware that there had been no snowfall in Hakuba yet. It usually starts snowing in early to mid December, but by mid January it still hadn’t arrived… While the wedding would still have gone ahead without snow, we really needed it to complete the winter-wedding-feel we had all envisaged. Furthermore, the guests needed the snow so they could all enjoy snowboarding or skiing on the days either side of the wedding! The ski resorts and hotels in Hakuba were all sweating on this… their businesses can only survive as long as there is snow! Luckily, the weather gods were smiling on us, for on the very morning of our arrival in Hakuba, just two days before the wedding, the snow came. After leaving Tokyo at 5:30 am, we arrive at 9:45am in Hakuba, just as the snow started falling. Pretty much as soon as we got off the motorway (highway) it started snowing. And as we got closer to Hakuba, the heavier and deeper the it got. It was beautiful – we were all like kids again! None of us had never seen such fluffy, powdery, dry snow before. Even our dogs loved it! (Yes, we didn’t leave them at home or in a hotel by themselves. They accompanied us for this trip!) And it didn’t stop snowing! It continued to snow right up to ceremony time, two days later, by which time it was over three feet deep in places. In fact, it was so deep that it took a good hour to dig the car out of the snow on wedding day! The Wedding The chapel itself is beautiful, and didn’t need much in the way of decor. There was a large window behind the altar, from which the beautiful snow scenery could be viewed, perfect for the winter, snow wedding the couple envisaged. Inside the chapel, the bride wanted a candle-lit aisle. We scattered rose petals along the runway and lined it with real and LED candles to create a pleasing warm feeling in the otherwise cold setting. It looked perfect! The bride, was the most relaxed bride we have ever worked with. She was a breeze to work with, because nothing seemed to stress her out. Which is good! The only people allowed to stress on wedding day are the planners. She just savoured every minute of the day, as should all brides! The groom admitted to nerves, making several pre-ceremony trips to the john’s but otherwise he too, once the ceremony had started, was a cool cucumber! The bride wore a white wedding dress, accompanied by her bridesmaids, all sporting pink, adding a splash of color to the white winter landscape. The groom and groomsmen wore matching blue/grey blazers, all tailor-made by a friend of the groom. Another friend also gifted the groomsmen with cool ninja stars for their lapels - a nod to their chosen theme! Theme There was nothing inherently Japanese about the wedding, other than the fact that it was in Japan. However, there was a subtle ninja theme running through the day, hence the ninja stars for the grooms men. The couple gifted each guest with, among other things a ninja Lego man. These were put at each table place and, despite childish appearances, looked really cool! The Perfect Wedding! While it was minus three degrees outside during the day, falling to minus 13 by the end of the evening, it was nice and warm inside. It was a very happy day. No one was stressed, as can often be the case at weddings. It was one of the largest weddings this venuehad done, and certainly the largest we had done. However, everyone had a blast; even the hotel staff and management who had been concerned about the number of guests. With the size of the guest list; the need to find another venue after initially booking another, to the weather concerns, this was some story! As a member of the planning team I may be biased, but this wedding was perfect!! The Couple For their part, the couple were great to work with! From the start they were aware of potential cultural differences between organizing a wedding in Japan and Australia. Even when the first venue fell through, due to the number of expected guests, they never panicked. This was the first time we had organized a complete wedding and reception at a venue that neither the bride nor groom had ever laid eyes on. And it was the biggest wedding we have done to date. Despite this, they trusted us entirely. And for that we offer our sincerest thanks and appreciation to the couple. Summary: A year of planning for a wedding at a venue neither the bride nor groom had ever laid eyes on, was an unprecedented success and, more importantly, was the beginning of a lifelong friendship – we love you guys! What did the couple say? From TripAdvisor “My husband and I thought we would have a smiple, small wedding in Hakuba with a few friends and family. To our surprise, over 100 guests RSVP’d and our venue could no longer accommodate us. At this point we found Ross and Ayako. We had completely under estimated the work involved in planning an overseas wedding. Ross and Ayako explained the cultural differences between a wedding in Australia v Japan, they set expectations so that there were no surprises, they found us a new venue, helped us plan before and after wedding events for our guests and were in constant communication with us during the whole process. Our wedding went off without a hitch and we had the most amazing day. If there were any problems on the day, we had no idea because Ross and Ayako handled absolutely everything. Aside from saying YES to my husband, hiring Ross and Ayako was the best decision we made in this whole process. We definitely would not have been able to pull off such a fantastic day without them!”

This beautiful Japanese tea house elopement was a wonderful way to start our story as a business. They were the first couple to sign up with us after launching the website back in May 2018. They love Japan and so for them, the decision to elope in Japan was a no-brainer. Despite this, we had no track record in early 2018. However, thankfully there are always trailblazers. They are the ones who go first and venture where none have been before; the ones who risk it all when there is no proven track record for success! For this, we are thankful to this couple, and indeed to all our clients in our first year of business! At that stage of our business we hadn’t worked with venues or vendors, so everything was a first, and required research. It was an exciting time, as we were able to put our plans into action and test out and develop our ideas. And this is a great little story to start our business with! Japanese Tea House Elopement Initially, the couple wanted to get married at a Shinto Shrine in Tokyo, at the beginning of January. However, most Shrines are unable to host weddings during the New Year period, because this is a very important time in the Shinto calendar; indeed in Japanese culture as a whole. During this period, Japanese people attend shrines up and down the country to receive New Year blessings. It can get very crowded. Most shrines will have lines stretching away from the temple for 100 meters or more! So we had to adjust the plan, and came up with a tea house elopement in a beautiful, traditional Japanese garden. Japanese gardens are plentiful in Japan, so we were spoilt for choice! Most of the gardens we currently use now are a result of this research, so we have this couple to thank for these great finds! Like nearly all of our couples who invite guests to their destination wedding, they not only wanted to have a garden elopement and Japanese wedding for themselves, they also wanted to put on a unique Japanese experience for their friends traveling all the way from Australia. Everything needed to be authentically Japanese and to achieve this we included: Kimonos Koto for background music Kagami Biraki (sake barrel, more on the later) Authentic Matcha (Japanese Tea) for guests Kimonos No Japanese wedding can be considered authentic without kimonos. These were supplied by a local Kimono vendor, Hoshiya-San of Tinkabell Kimono. Her kimonos are absolutely stunning. She often supplies them to movie and TV studios for period dramas. Therefore, needless to say, the quality of her kimonos is second to none. They were even featured in Martha Stewarts Wedding Magazine for the elopement we helped out with in 2017. Hoshiya-san is passionate about her work, and was so excited, that she even offered three kimonos for the price of one: one for the ceremony, another for the indoor photo-shoot, and yet another for the garden shoot. Hoshiya-san was clearly thinking in terms of a story, and the bride was sold! After the bride learned that black was the traditional bridal color at weddings in Japan, she chose to go against her western influences – she wanted to be as true to Japanese culture as she could. And what a good decision it was! The black fabric contrasted splendidly with the hand stitched, brightly colored, silk patterns and motifs making her look absolutely stunning. This particular kimono was almost 100 years old which, along with the antique hair accessories she also wore, added a touch of history to the proceedings. After the ceremony, the bride donned an exquisite gold embroidered Kimono gown, drawing sharp intakes of breath as the guests laid eyes on the amazing contrast between the black and the gold. See for yourselves in the gallery at the bottom of the page! The groom, on the other hand didn’t have nearly half as much choice… men never do! Yet he still looked the part with his white kimono and blue and grey hakama (trousers). Japanese Koto This was a perfect addition to the event, tying everything together to complete the authentic Japanese feel. Not over powering, yet not understated, the sound of the koto filled the air with a perfect mix of Japanese-ness, romance and culture. I for one, hope we get an opportunity to use a Koto in future ceremonies; it made the whole thing feel so much more authentic and special. Indeed, it completed the story. Kagami Biraki This was something of a surprise for the couple from Ayako and me. The couple originally wanted a shrine ceremony, which typically, includes a sake-drinking ritual, known as san-san-kudo. While, neither Ayako nor I are of the shinto faith, we thought it might be a nice nod to their original plans, since it is uniquely Japanese and involves sake drinking. Kagami-biraki is a ritual performed at many different types of celebratory events, but especially at weddings. The couple break the lid of a sake barrel with a wooden mallet and share the liquor with everyone present. The circular shape of the lid is considered to be a symbol of harmony. Therefore, breaking open the lid represents opening harmony and good fortune. The Ceremony The ceremony, performed in English, was held in the tea house of the garden, which had beautiful views of the winter garden landscape, and was warm! And in keeping with the surroundings we wove Japanese elements into the English ceremony at the couple’s request. It was, quite honestly, perfect! Following the ceremony, and the opening of the Kagami Biraki, they shared sake with their friends and had a 90 minute long photo-shoot both inside the tea room and in the garden. All in all, it was a lovely way to start the new year! Congratulations to the couple: wishing them a lifetime of love, laughter and true happiness! Gallery

We have moved! After residing at https://wedding-in-japan.serendipity-flower.com/elopements/ for a little over two years with WordPress we have made the decision to move over to this new domain: www.elopeinjapan.com and use a Wix platform. We could cite many technical reasons for the move, and they were plentiful! However, it all boils down to one thing and one thing only - our clients. We wanted a platform where we can do more and offer more specialized services for the fantastic couples that we have the pleasure of working with. Thank you! Before we get into the nitty gritty, we want to make a big shout out to all our couples who have stayed with us during this most difficult of years. Your positivity, flexibility and overall awesomeness have been a great inspiration and motivation for us to continue and keep looking forward. Let's not kid ourselves, we have all found it hard this year, whether we are business owners or not. And trying to stay positive, when each day seems to bring increasingly negative news has been a devil of a job! But, you guys, those we have already worked with and those we are currently working with, have been incredible - from Ayako and me, thank you! What's new? Now, on to the big announcement! As many of you may know, Ayako has been studying inbound travel and tourism. She has been doing this not only for her own enjoyment - she has had a lot of fun - but also because we feel it is something that was perhaps missing from our service offering. While we are and always will be primarily in the wedding business, given that 99.99% of our clients are from overseas, it makes sense to be able to offer the best advice and consultation for before and after the big day. It is only natural for clients to ask for recommendations and travel advice, and we are only too glad to give it. However, until now, we kind of felt that we were lacking in our knowledge of the very country we live in! Now, we can confidently offer advice on tourist hotspots, places off the beaten path, modes of travel and even ticketing! How does it work? On this site there is a members' forum, which is going to be reserved for clients only. When clients sign up with us, they will receive an invite to this forum. Here, we will provide information exclusive to our clients, and being a forum, you will be able to follow and comment on certain posts; post your own ideas and meet other members of our the Serendipity Flower and Wedding community. The best part? We will be extending invitations to all our clients, past and present so even if you have already been to Japan you will have access to all the great tips and tricks for your next trip to Japan. I mean, you ARE coming again, right?!! #bloggingtips #WixBlog