UK Churches Conduct Fake Japanese Weddings

[Mulboyne]

[floatr][/floatr]Mail on Sunday: Here come the brides ... all the way from Tokyo
The Church of England has been condemned for selling "marriage tours" to Japanese couples - most of whom are not even Christian - in an effort to tackle growing financial shortfalls. Last year more than 200 couples each paid up to 2,000 pounds, plus flights and hotel bills, to sample the "English wedding experience" - a blessing conducted by a vicar at one of five London churches. Critics accused the churches of turning into "theme parks for tourists to use as photo opportunities and holiday playgrounds". The wedding package is being offered by Japanese company Watabe Wedding...more...

[cstaylor]

That's a steal compared to weddings in Japan.

[canman]

I don't remember a lot of people getting upset when Ryoko Tamura ni Tani, got married in Paris at some great cathedral. Nobody in France gave a hoot. If the Japanese are willing to pay, and the church needs money, so be it. I know my church here in Hachinohe doesn't like to advertise but they have been known to have a few non-Catholic weddings in the past. At Y80 000 for 45 minutes, its not a bad pay day, and who can blame them. As long as all understand that there is no religious meaning to it.

[Greji]

It's the same for chapel weddings in Japan, but the officiating minster/priest may not be real. That's a side line for a lot of eikai wa teachers who look the part. The couple who usually are not christian, don't care as long as it looks real and takes place in a chapel or church-like setting.

Must of the big hotels or wedding places have a chapel for this.

None of them are cheap. I just went through that in Miyazaki with one of my kids (I think it was number four or five) last Saturday and am still in shock from the bill.

[FG Lurker]

I had a good friend who used to do weddings here. He had a great gig going, averaging about 30 weddings a month at 15,000yen each. A busy month would be over 40, a quiet one around 25 or so. He worked weekends and had Mon-Fri off!

He went back to Canada last year. Probably timed it just about right too, there seem to be increasing numbers of "fake bokushi" articles coming out in the newspapers these days.

[dimwit]

My wife was not a chrisitian when we got married (and still isn't) but the church we had our real wedding in didn't seem to mind. In fact, I know a number of non-christians who have been maaried at real churchs here. I think the biggest objection that many real churchs have is that couples never receive any sort of moral counselling (and I am not talking about christian indoctrination here) prior to marriage. My gut feeling is that a hell of a lot of Japanese would have been better off with a bit of moral guidence.

[FG Lurker]

My wife was not a chrisitian when we got married (and still isn't) but the church we had our real wedding in didn't seem to mind. In fact, I know a number of non-christians who have been maaried at real churchs here. I think the biggest objection that many real churchs have is that couples never receive any sort of moral counselling (and I am not talking about christian indoctrination here) prior to marriage. My gut feeling is that a hell of a lot of Japanese would have been better off with a bit of moral guidence.

Fuck no!

"Christian morals" and all the guilt that goes along with them is the LAST thing Japan needs. One of the things I love about this country is that people don't suffer from that.

[james]

if i wanted to live in a theocracy wherein a puritan gov't can dictate what i'm allowed and not allowed to do in my bedroom with other consenting adults, a bowl of pudding and a pogo stick, i'd move to the u.s.

[Greji]

in my bedroom with other consenting adults, a bowl of pudding and a pogo stick

Ahh, could you provide a bit more detail? This has suddenly gotten interesting!

[dimwit]

Fuck no!

"Christian morals" and all the guilt that goes along with them is the LAST thing Japan needs. One of the things I love about this country is that people don't suffer from that.

No I am thinking more of the concept of sacrifice and responsiblity which seem sadly lacking in large number of J-marriages that I have seen.

[FG Lurker]

No I am thinking more of the concept of sacrifice and responsiblity which seem sadly lacking in large number of J-marriages that I have seen.

Yes I agree that many couples (not only in Japan) could use a large dosage of such teachings. Not from a priest though...

[canman]

Before getting marreid my wife and I went through marriage counselling(its part and parcel of getting married in the Cathoic church), and I think it did us both well. THere were topics that were brought up that we had never discussed before and were allowed to do so in an open and friendly manner. I think that is what Dimwit is talking about. I don't know how many couples, Japanese in this case that get married and they don't even know each other, let alone goals and hopes and the like. Then people wonder why the divorce rate is skyrocketing in Japan.

[kurohinge1]

Before getting marreid my wife and I went through marriage counselling(its part and parcel of getting married in the Cathoic church), and I think it did us both well. THere were topics that were brought up that we had never discussed before and were allowed to do so in an open and friendly manner . . .

Ditto for us - via the initial "interview" with the Anglican minister. Well worth it for anyone considering "tying the knot".

According to the Minister, simple questions like "do you eventually want kids and, if so, how many?" often surprise betrothed couples who haven't discussed the topic seriously. Very different expectations in that department can be a wedge that drives them apart.

[plaid_knight]

"Christian morals" and all the guilt that goes along with them is the LAST thing Japan needs. One of the things I love about this country is that people don't suffer from that.

Agreed. Here in the U.S. we continually suffer from the strong association between religion and ordinary society. I'm glad there are places where religion doesn't have a foothold.

[FG Lurker]

Agreed. Here in the U.S. we continually suffer from the strong association between religion and ordinary society. I'm glad there are places where religion doesn't have a foothold.

I think you're a bit confused about who said what, lol...

[dimwit]

Ya beat me to the punch there FGL.

[Mulboyne]

The BBC discovers fake priests.

BBC: Faking it as a priest in Japan

With a rise in the popularity of Christian-style weddings in Japan, some Westerners are finding they can make a lucrative living by acting as priests. But it does not please everyone, particularly genuine priests, as Kathleen McCaul reports. Mark Kelly is originally from Lancashire in England. He has been living in Japan for six years and, at the weekend, he is a fake priest. "I was living in Sapporo, studying Japanese, and I needed the money. It's far better paid than teaching in a language school," he said. "Being a fake priest is big business in Japan - I've done a TV commercial for one company," he added. "In Sapporo, there are five agencies employing about 20 fake priests. In a city like Tokyo, there must be hundreds"...more...

[omae mona]

After Mrs. Omae Mona attended a friend's Fake Christian Wedding this weekend, it got me wondering about how much money these fake priests can get for this racket. It sounds fun and profitable. Somebody on FG must have one of these businesses going on the side.. anybody know the going rate?

BBC: Faking it as a priest in Japan
"I give a good performance. I use an Apache wedding prayer in my ceremony. It works very well, although I had to take out the part about the bear god in the sky," he said.

My version would have left it in, as "Jesus Christ, the Bear God In The Sky, Our Lord and Savior". I think the crowds would eat that up.

I've already got my uniform picked out.


Mrs. Omae Mona is 100% convinced these guys receive special training in intentionally bizarre Japanese pronunciation for the parts of the ceremony conducted in Japanese. "Nobody could speak that way naturally", she said.

[FG Lurker]

After Mrs. Omae Mona attended a friend's Fake Christian Wedding this weekend, it got me wondering about how much money these fake priests can get for this racket. It sounds fun and profitable. Somebody on FG must have one of these businesses going on the side.. anybody know the going rate?

I knew one guy who did quite well doing weddings (see post on page 1 of this thread).

Since he left I am not sure exactly how things are but I believe it is still 10,000 to 15,000 per wedding depending on location, the "priest" in question, the group, and of course how much competition there is around. A busy day at a big hotel could get a guy 6 to 10 weddings.

[amdg]

Yeah I believe that's the average fee, but you quite often get a gratuity from the happy couple as well.

[Mulboyne]

Fake Best Man?
Telegraph: Hired and fake, wedded bliss for Japanese

As with any Westerner working in Japan, it helps to be smart and presentable and to have a grasp of the local language. But for Kevin Charles, a suave and friendly American living in Tokyo, being "just the man for the job" has involved exactly that. The 32-year-old's regular job is as a translator - but every weekend, he also becomes best man to Japanese bridegrooms...In the name of authenticity, foreigners stand in as fake reverends and best men, and while the vows over which they officiate are legally worthless, it is providing a lucrative source of income for growing numbers of Westerners. "I am basically a surrogate best man, and am at the groom's side during the ceremony to make sure it all goes smoothly," said Mr Charles, who has now stood in at more than 350 weddings...more...

[Samurai_Jerk]

Fake Best Man?
Telegraph: Hired and fake, wedded bliss for Japanese

Fucking pathetic.

[Iraira]

Fake best man and fake vows...."Do you promise to be faithful even when your company sends you on a business trip to Thailand and you are confronted with the possibility of being able to pay for a 14 year old Thai girl to have sex with you?"....makes perfect sense.