In these difficult economic times, ZakZak notes (Japanese) that couples are cutting back on wedding expenses. One Nagano company called The Y's Wedding has seen increasing demand for its Photo Wedding service which costs 49,800 yen. As the president Tukio Sato explains, "It's pretty much as the name suggests. There's no Japanese shrine, guests or reception so it's cutting costs to the bone". The company lends the couple a wedding outfit and performs a ceremony in a small chapel on the premises. Sato says that the service was mainly aimed at young couples but it has also proved popular with remarriages, older couples and those who simply want a low-key affair. If you started to add flowers, guests and a small reception then costs would be five to ten times as much so the saving is quite substantial. The Y's Wedding is no pioneer in this field. ZakZak writes that a Kyoto wedding outfit rental company is believed to have first introduced the concept in 1997. It proved so popular, they opened branches nationwide. One commentator interviewed for the piece says that as long as there is no recovery in sight, people will likely continue to economize, even for once-in-a-lifetime events/
