REAL WEDDING: SAMAYAH & RAY

During the ceremony we integrated the San San Kudo tradition. San-San-Kudo literally means ‘three, three, nine times.’ The cups used at San-San-Kudo is a special one called ‘sakazuki,’ which is only used to drink sake and no other beverages. The bride and groom take turns taking three sips each of three different bowls of sake, each one larger than the next. One does not drink the sake like a ‘shot’ but rather tilting the cup up very gradually and sipping lightly. Three is an indivisible number, and it is considered a sacred number in Buddhism. Nine means triple happiness.

On to the reception. We wanted things to be simple but yet stunning, so the look and overall design of the decor was the illusion of a white Japanese garden.

The room was accented with Bleached Japanese Mitsumata Branches, with eucalyptus to add color in small birch covered pots surrounding the tall columns to symbolize the trees in the garden and each table was meant to be a separate garden at a specific Japanese destination with the fish centerpiece reminiscent of a pond in the garden. Each guest was given a small white pot with a plantable favor to symbolize us giving them a part of our garden to go start their own.

Paper lanterns surrounded the entire room to help with the accent lighting.

Suspended from the ceiling were 1000 paper cranes. The cranes symbolize as a wedding gift by the folder, who is wishing a thousand years of happiness and prosperity upon the couple.’