On top of the completely white kimono, I wore a black robe-like kimono that wasn't fastened by an obi. They clipped it up so I could walk, but in all of the pictures, they let it fall open in the front. It had colorful designs with lots of shiny colors and some glitter. The heaviest part was that over kimono; mostly due tot he fact that it was something akin to velvet and the sleeves reached almost to the floor. This was the point when my shoulders started to hurt. After I was all ready, my fiance came back in and I got to see his outfit. Needless to say, it looked much more comfortable than mine. He looked very good in hakama (kimono trousers... they look like a pleated skirt). I'll have to think of ways to make him wear them more often. We waited a little while and then were escorted to the indoor shrine to take pictures. I think the kimono positioning took the most time. I just stood there as they worked around me. I had to learn how to hold my fan. Apparently that's what you do with your hands in those kinds of pictures. Hold a closed fan. Why? Why is it closed? I don't understand. I didn't ask. It wasn't really the time for stupid foreigner questions anyway. After we took the couples pictures in the shrine, we went out to an open area and took family pictures.

We tried to rent a formal suit for my dad to wear, but they didn't have anything long enough in the arms. So he ended up bringing something from home. It had a fake breast pocket, so every time someone tried to shove a handkerchief in his pocket for the pictures, they were foiled by the fake pocket. I think three different people tried his trick pocket before everyone finally gave up. I hadn't realized the importance of the handkerchief in the pocket, but apparently they thought it was.

After the pictures were taken, we had to wait a little while for them to reset the shrine. After it was set, our families were ushered in and then were went in last. The priest guy said some prayers...none of which I could understand except my name. And then we were told to sit down. In that kind of kimono, sitting down gracefully is an art. And sitting down on a chair with no back and not falling over is a challenge. I had to practice sitting in the dressing room before I was ready to not crash during the ceremony. Luckily I didn't crash, and if I had, I'm pretty sure my fiance would have saved me. Anyway, we sat down and then there was more praying. I can't remember the order of everything...so not in this order, but we drank sake, exchanged rings and made a branch offering. The sake is kind of interesting. It's a three sip drinking of sake. The mikos (priestesses, kind of like helpers) pour sake in a small saucer, but they fake pouring twice and actually pour on the third try. It's like tip, tip, pour. Once they actually pour, they hand the saucer to my fiance first. He pretends to sip twice and then really drinks on the third try. Like sip, sip, drink. He gives the saucer back and then they bring me the same saucer. I sip and drink the same way and then with that same saucer my fiance drinks again. So there's always three. The next saucer is a little bigger than the last, and I get to drink first and last. Finally is the biggest saucer and my fiance drinks first and last. It took a while to finish, especially since I really wanted to drink but couldn't raise my arms to my mouth well enough. I did drink though. Otherwise it's a waste of good sake.

By the way, Happy Halloween!!