"People in their 20s and 30s cannot afford a wedding costing $300,000, and they have to do things at a low price," said Kumio Kamada, Chapel Green Bell’s president.
With the Japanese economy in a 12-year slump, it is no surprise that people are reining in spending. Yet surveys show that Japanese couples are more concerned about having a wedding they are comfortable with and that their guests can enjoy.
At Japanese weddings, it is traditional for guests to bring a cash gift of three 10,000yen notes -about $275. The gift is meant to symbolize the couple's union, since three notes cannot be split equally between two people.
IT is common to hear Japanese in their 20s and 30s complaining of kotobuki bimbo, or poverty from too many weddings.
The cost is felt all the more keenly if the wedding is dull. Many couples now put effort into arranging to have gospel singers or a jazz band to five their guests a day to remember.
Brides have dropped the custom of changing outfits throughout the day, opting for a single Western-style wedding dress. (本文より)
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