As destination wedding photographer it’s always challenging when the wedding happens in a country I don’t speak the language. Jennifer and Shinji’s wedding was in Fukuoka, Japan. I speak 3 languages and can understand 2 more but I have no clue about Japanese! I had multiple meetings with Jennifer and we talked about the timeline. I knew that she would put first the traditional white dress then switch to the kimono. What I didn’t realized is that the getting ready was very different to what we are used to in the United States.
When you book a venue in Japan you also book the dress, the kimono and all the clothes for the groom. They have multiples options that you can choose from. (I am talking here about Jennifer and Shinji’s wedding and I understand that it may different for other weddings). Jennifer decided for a beautiful long strapless white dress with a veil. She also had gloves as it’s a tradition in Japan; the bride needs gloves with the white dress. The hotel also helps with the getting ready. Two persons were in charge of Jennifer for the make-up, hair and the dressing and two other people were in charge of the groom. I didn’t realized that her family wouldn’t be there! It’s only the personal of the hotel and it this case, myself! The hotel wasn’t used to a photographer in the getting ready and didn’t understand why I wanted pictures of the shoes, bouquet, dress… but they were very nice about it and let me do what I wanted. You just have to remember that you can’t enter a room with shoes in Japan; you have to take them off. That made my work a little bit more challenging as I always come and go between the room where the bride is getting ready and different locations outside for the rings, dress, shoes but that’s also why I love being a destination wedding photographer!
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The flowers are also something that the hotel takes care of. Jennifer had different option and the hotel took care of ordering them..jpg)
I really love her silver shoes!
Photographs by Severine Photography, Wedding and Portrait photographer from Jacksonville Florida