Quote Originally Posted by budd
"That made me think that Japanese do not care enough about what's really important, and prefer talking only about their gorgeous wedding party and what age they should get married."
still sounds like america to me
50% of the available magazines @ the health club were bridal/brides or something
Do Americans usually have wedding parties in 5-star hotels or similarily expensive reception rooms ? Do many Americans have their wedding abroad (or in Hawaii) ? In the last three month, Japanese aquaintances of mine have told me about maybe 8 wedding parties they went to, and 3 of them were in Hawaii (one in the Sheraton on the Big Island, and over 20 guests who came on purpose from Japan).

Weddings can be quite different depending on the country in Europe, but in my family's case it is normal to have the wedding at home or if there is no space (rare case) in a restaurant or public hall in the area. It doesn't have to be luxurious because we don't invite people from work at all. No boss, no colleagues (except if they are very good friends)... just the family and a few best friends (not like my wife's case, where over 60 friends were invited and nearly 50 came).

Just imagine the cost of what you have to give back by attending all your friends' wedding parties. As there are often 2 or 3 receptions in one day in Japan (from the most formal with the boss, etc. to the least formal with intimate friends only), the best friends are expected to attend the 2 or 3 of them and pay something like 2x 30,000yen (2x 300US$) and 10,000yen (100US$) = 70,000yen. That's just for one day and one friend ! My wife has on average 7 wedding parties a year (sometimes 3 in a single month) and I sometimes also attend when I know her friend well. Just count that if she goes to 50 wedding parties in total, even if she attends only 1 ceremony that is 50 x 30,000yen = 1,500,000yen (+ the clothes she buy sometimes only to attend those wedding parties, and that are more expensive than usually clothes).

Let's say that 2,000,000yen (20,000US$) is what (young) Japanese people usually spend on their friends wedding parties. I don't think my wife is an exception for having so many friends. ALL the Japanese women with whom I spoke about wedding parties have as many friends and wedding parties to attend (of course I don't speak about weddding parties with all the people I know...).