Quote Originally Posted by Maciamo
I have never heard about that. Usually nowadays, the guests pay everything as they have to pay a fixed amount of money (usually 10.000 to 30.000yen in Tokyo, depending on the formality of the party, but I heard it could be over 100.000yen in some regions). That replaces the gift and pays for all the wedding's expenses.
Oh, wow. That's interesting, indeed. I guess it's getting more modernized/progressive(don't know what term is best?) now? In Tokyo, anyway? Every Japanese person I've ever known has told me about the groom's family paying for the wedding and giving a gift of money to the bride's family. Of course, most all the Japanese people I've known are from the country(Gifu area) and tend to be a little more traditional and conservative than people I've met who were from Tokyo.

When my best friend got married, her husband's family gave her family enough money that they were able to take a 2 month long trip to S. Korea, Hong Kong, Hawaii, etc. They didn't waste any time. They left the same time the newlyweds left for their honeymoon...