I’m very happy to announce that Mari and I were married on November 19, 2005 at Akasaka Hikawa shrine in Tokyo!
Mari’s immediate family and relatives and my parents and brother attended. We were also lucky enough to be joined by some of our Tokyo friends.
It was a cold sunny day, and the ground was covered with bright yellow ginkgo leaves.
Following the ceremony, the couple held a reception lunch (cooked by an iron chef!) at Nihonbashi Yukari restaurant.
Heartfelt thanks to all our family and friends (including all of you blog-friends) for their blessings and support. To all who couldn’t attend the ceremony, we hope to catch you in Kyoto this December or in the Bay Area next year.
Yay!
Snapshot taken by my brother Andrew. About my expression: they said you’re not supposed to smile! And I thought my eyes were smiling, but i guess they weren’t. I was smiling inside.
More photos to follow…
Comments
8 responses to “husband & wife”
I’m repeating myself, but Congratulations!
I like the photo. You both look dignified in the traditional wedding habiliments, and the play of the natural light — as if through trees — across both of you has a quieting effect, makes it a more intimate scene.
Please tell the Missus she looks great in shiromuku.
Woo Hoo!! Congratulations!! I’m sure I’m not the only one looking forward to more photos–and this one is Wonderful!! You both look Great and I wish You the best in Your future Together!! Congratulations Again!!
Oh–and great page redesign w/the rings!!
congratulations to you both! you guys look stunning, i love the photo and your traditional wedding garb. can’t wait to see more pictures… i love the rings, did you get them locally or online?
Wow! I am so happy for you both! Can’t wait to celebrate w/ you, stateside, next spring. It’s snowing here – we need something sunny to look forward to!
lovely photo!! you guys look surprisingly natural in those clothes. congratulations again!
Thank you, all, for your comments and congratulations!
I hope to post more tomorrow, now that I’m almost caught up with work.
Nils, yes, it does look intimate — too bad I don’t have, for contrast, a photo from my perspective. In addition to the photographer and her assistant, there were the three kimono attendants adjusting Mari’s kimono at each step and advising me to puff out my chest and tuck in my chin, my brother with his camera, my dad with his camcorder, friends assisting with the green cloth under our feet, aunties and uncles, etc., etc.
It wasn’t a madhouse, though. It was a quiet morning and pretty relaxed.
Azim, Cat, Tessa, Jenny, thanks!
About the rings, maybe I should do a separate post on them…
After browsing all the department stores and Kyoto’s famous but too-high-end Niwaka, we found a shop downtown, Lucie, that designed the rings for us based on our suggestions.
Since we met in Hawaii, where Mari was deeply moved by the ocean, waves were our starting concept. The finished form feels less like water than I expected, but it has its own grace, and we’re very happy with it.
The shop asked us to name the rings. We chose “nami: ebb & flow,” thinking about the eternal, soothing motion of tides and waves and breathing, of the give & take of a relationship. Poetic, no?
Wow, fantastic picture! I feel like she’s smiling more than you are. I saw most of gumby’s pics, and some of your dads, but i haven’t seen them all yet. Hope you can make Ric’s wedding.
PV