Marriage: An Unprecedented and Unbelievable Relative's Greeting, Conclusion Part 3.37: The Wonderful Scenery of the Wedding Reception (So Wonderful That Several Senior Couples Showed Off Kisses and Hugs at the End) ~ Modern Weddings: Things We Take So Much for Granted That We No Longer Notice Them

I apologize for the spoiler title of this series, which mentions that it was so wonderful that several senior couples showed off kisses and hugs at the end...

A sequel to the essence of the wedding reception

Background

Before reaching the relative's greeting during the perfect flow of the wedding reception

1. The phrase "Wishing you happiness" is no longer needed...
2. Thanking the participants is also no longer needed...
(Including requests for support)
3. Sharing thoughts on the bride and groom mixed with old episodes is also no longer needed...

I have already conveyed 1, 2, and 3 many times. In short, the representative of the relatives...

Hmm, I have nothing to talk about...
Unexpected

That was the situation. Even without that, the venue was at the peak of excitement. At that moment, what came to mind was a small, wonderful happening that occurred at the reception that day. It was,

The groom's sister's hug
~The sister, a genuine returnee who had moved to the U.S. before turning three, hugged the groom...

When the bride left for a costume change and the groom was left alone
She boldly hugged the groom on stage, and at the reception at that. I decided to use this happening that caused a stir in the venue. After deciding on the hug topic, I built the flow in three seconds and carefully made the necessary arrangements.

I also tucked in a bit of foreshadowing to pin down the fact that all the relatives, including the bride's parents, are happily married for the sake of future children...

Finally, the relative's greeting.
The venue was buzzing with excitement. Just as the party games ended and prizes were handed to the winners, the lights in the bustling venue gradually dimmed. Prompted by the reception coordinator, the bride and groom and their respective parents lined up in front of the center entrance of the venue.

I was hesitating in my heart. Even with the perfect flow, is the father going to deliver a relative's greeting that ruins the final touch here...
Is it necessary to take such a risk...
After hesitating, I went conservative.
"Thank you for coming today despite your busy schedules..."
Although I started with a simple thank you,

I'm... boring right now

I strongly rethought...And...

This might be bad

My head was spinning at high speed. And the conclusion was...
Make use of the arrangements...
Wow...
Stop the speech,

"A greeting like that can be done by ChatGPT, so..."

I shifted the tone and tested the venue's reaction with an AI joke... and the future that awaited in the next moment was, surprisingly,

A huge hit

The roar of the crowd was like a live concert...

This is going to work

At this point, it was like a raging torrent...

Actually, I had prepared three types of greetings for the relative's speech, but...
this ceremony was so perfect that everything I was going to say has already been said. So...

it's boring, so I'll stop.

(Once again, it was a huge hit, with thunderous applause...)

This ceremony was so perfect that everything I was going to say has already been said...
Therefore, if you would like the greeting I prepared, please let me know and I will send you the manuscript. I will send it.

If you send me a friend request on LINE, I will send it there.

(The LINE joke was a huge hit here too)

(And here, the bad habits of a Showa-era person came out again...)

Especially the ladies, you are more than welcome.

(The groom's father got carried away and made a comment that made people wonder what he was saying...
but)

(Once again, a huge hit, uproarious laughter... thunderous applause...)

We, the old folks, will show you an example of what a loving couple ends up like...

So,

it's boring to just talk about it, so I'll show you an example...

(Then, entrusting the microphone and bouquet to the staff,

I gave my wife a big hug

Huge cheers

Pausing for a moment to build the excitement...)

Isn't it nice... with this kind of vibe...?

And you know... I actually negotiated with Ms. ◎◎ (the bride's surname) in advance... it's not trendy now, is it... (I thought the word 'negotiation' had gone extinct among the younger generation... so I rephrased it as 'nego' in advance. Even so)

Laughter and cheers)

Oh, negotiating in advance isn't really trendy anymore, is it... or rather, these days you're not really supposed to negotiate in advance, are you... So, I negotiated... and they agreed to give us a hug...

(As the spotlight turned toward them, the bride's parents had beaming smiles on their faces... Slowly)
(As the spotlight turned toward them, the bride's parents had beaming smiles on their faces... Slowly)

Applause

(Even before I could stir them up, cheers and applause naturally erupted from the venue)

Photos, photos...
(I also encouraged them to take photos with their smartphones, and firmly pinned down the happy couple as a secret menu item...)

And then, a hug)

"How about that? Us old guys can still give it our all, right..."
(Here, too, there were cheers in response to the word "old guys")

"And, there are even older guys here."

(I reached out to my aunt and uncle (early 70s), whom I had negotiated with in advance, and the spotlight and official camera crew turned toward them)

"Right. Here."

(As I stepped forward a bit and reached out to my aunt and uncle, there was another huge round of cheers and applause.)

"Actually, I spoke to the people on the screen in advance, and told them that if they hugged for a 'long time,' we could take photos... So, please hug for a long time..."

(After letting the applause and cheers continue...)

"This lady here, I call her Auntie ♡♡, and she is my mother's sibling (I should have said sister (laughs))."

"Right, are you ready... A passionate hug, okay... Not me, face that way... face that way..."

(They happily snuggled up together and flashed peace signs repeatedly. From the women in the venue...)

"So cute~"

(Voices called out, along with applause and cheers.

The venue was in a state of wild excitement...

And then, to my surprise, my uncle-in-law suddenly planted on my aunt's lips...

A passionate kiss

Of course, the venue erupted in thunderous applause and cheers...)

“How is it? Isn't it nice?...
Next.

A rising star. A Self-Defense Force officer.”

(And so, at the groom's request... I introduced my daughter and her husband in their crisp white summer uniforms. A spotlight hit them, and the pure white uniforms and the groom's sister, who had just given him a surprise hug... This was also intended to leave a strong impression that the hug on stage was from his married sister, and to help everyone re-recognize that the hug incident was a wonderful scene between siblings.)

“Actually, a former artist.”

(And, since a series of monotonous hugs would be 'boring,' I introduced a slightly unexpected career path within acceptable limits. This definitively turned the previous moment into a heartwarming story. And here, too, the lively crowd, especially the women...)

“Wow! Amazing.”
(The reaction was exactly as expected.

Good, good.)

“So, after becoming a Self-Defense Force officer... they will kiss...

Oh, wait, no.”
(I said, getting a laugh with a sly, cute remark...)
“So, they will hug... I didn't say they had to kiss... though they can if they want...”

(Oh, I'm getting carried away, using Showa-era jokes to keep the laughter going...)

“The photographer is going to take a picture, so please do it (the hug) slowly. So, over there (in the wide space)...”

(Well, since they are returnees who handle kisses and hugs in a smart, American way, they were called out to, and applause erupted. It felt like a fitting grand finale for the hugging.)

However, a Showa-era person doesn't stop here. After all...

..................................................................................

And this time, too, here is the continuation of the live coverage of the relative greetings after the bouquet presentation to the parents.

A Showa-era person doesn't stop at a series of relative hugs as a model of a happy couple. After all...

My life is built on luck, intuition, and persistence, so... I left the bustling venue alone until it quieted down a bit...)

“So... is there anyone here who has the guts to say, 'Actually, I want to hug this person'? Yes, please raise your hand.”

(And I raised my right hand high with vigor... The venue buzzed. There was a slight pause, and since I was under the spotlight, it was hard to see the room, but there seemed to be a figure raising their hand and coming toward us... That person was called up to the stage.)

To my surprise, the groom's friend wanted to hug the groom.

The groom's friend, a good-natured young man with a bright, beaming smile, appeared.

Amidst the laughter and heckling, he actually hugged the groom. The venue erupted in cheers... I judged this to be the right time to wrap things up... While I'm at it...)

That concludes the example set by us old timers. Let's have the bride and groom, who are about to join the ranks of us old timers, give us a hug here as well.

Now, let me borrow this fan from the bride's rental costume...
(I tried to get a laugh with the rental costume, but it was unnecessary... I pulled the fan from the obi and handled it skillfully like a rakugo performer)
If you don't applaud, you're going to get punished...

(A classic line that makes people ask, 'Are you Sailor Moon or something?'...
Even so, the venue erupted in loud cheers and applause...)

The bride and groom were also good sports, and not only did they hug, but they also kissed...

(The venue erupted in thunderous applause)

Everyone, please follow the example of us old timers...
(Looking at the people in the venue)

Are you ready? You must follow our example...
(This also got a laugh...)

Please have a happy marriage like ours, causing happiness like an avalanche...

That is how he concluded it.

(Looking back, 'avalanche' implies a chain reaction, but translating it into the Japanese word 'nadare' (avalanche) was truly 'superfluous'...)

And finally, the closing words from the bride and groom.

This was also a standard, solid performance; it was a truly impressive conclusion that aimed not for a best score, but to reliably raise their average.

After that, the six of us, including the bride and groom, saw the guests off outside the venue.

I'm sorry, we did something a bit reckless...
I said to everyone, but
It was wonderful. It was fun...
That was the only reaction I got, so I was relieved.

I was worried it might just be polite conversation, but it seems the reaction was the same at the after-party.

Phew...

................................................................................

Superfluous
For the sake of completeness, here are the details of the background...

Background
In Part 1,
~Thinking about it again
Starting with organizing basic perceptions,
I reviewed what marriage is.

In Part 2,
~It starts with submitting the marriage registration
I thought about marriage as understood from the structure of the marriage registration.

Part 3.01, in order to delve deeper into modern weddings, first introduced the carefree and bright weddings of the early bubble era in the Showa period as a reference.
After that, in contrast to the set of ceremonies and receptions at hotels that became mainstream, I introduced ceremonies and/or receptions using university or company facilities.

In that deep dive, I introduced the fact that university and corporate facilities are quite open and that rare equipment can be used at a reasonable price.

Part 3.02 introduces one concrete example of that.

Since this is a reference, I am describing it in detail so that the atmosphere of the time can be conveyed.

Part 3.03 is a continuation of the introduction of one specific example.

Details of the wedding day, where the Nippon Kokan Takanawa Club was completely booked despite it being a Saturday, a lucky day (taian), and a June Bride.

The trendiness (a word not used much these days (lol)) of arriving in a high-society car, having a Shinto wedding ceremony despite being non-religious, and holding a flashy reception with over 120 guests consisting of company connections, school connections, and relatives.

The beginning of a new style of wedding reception where laughter is sprinkled even into stiff greetings.

“I heard that XX (me) was a lolicon (short for Lolita complex)

but I am relieved to see such a proper and lovely bride.”

and things like,

“When XX really comes to the lab, other than experiments, it’s only for the monthly full-day research progress report meeting and the twice-weekly seminar. He doesn’t hang around the lab unnecessarily. Even though the other four in his cohort are properly in the lab. So, when I saw his face, I could tell it was ‘Oh, is it time for the meeting?’—he was that thorough.”

and other remarks that could be taken in different ways...
The lightness and brightness of teasing even in the scene of stiff greetings...

Part 3.04 is a further continuation of the introduction of that one specific example.

Wedding receptions in the early bubble era were, in any case, bright.

My company colleagues made a slideshow of photos of us as a couple and brilliantly teased me with lolicon jokes.
Well, at the time, I had a

Love “in” at First Sight

(It was truly “in,” feeling like I was firmly locked on to her charm)
so I wasn’t shaken at all (lol).

Part 3.05 was a further, further continuation of the introduction of that one specific example. It was about the topic of teasing games. The wedding reception was bright and fun...

The punchline was that it had become

nothing more than a party.

As an aside, I wrote candidly about the outcome of my being an unbelievably “spoiled son.” It seems the readers were put off by it, though... (The intention was to leave it in anyway).

Part 3.06 was about how the

after-party was amazing...

as a story.

The wedding reception was delayed and delayed, and we arrived at the “orthodox” disco, the “high-class” disco “Rajah Court” at the Hotel Ibis in Roppongi, an hour and a half behind schedule from the Takanawa Club. The after-party venue was already lively, my wife was warmly welcomed, and although I was messed with by some of my wife’s fans, it was a very bright after-party typical of the early bubble era.

Part 3.07 starts from the point of returning to the Takanawa Club by taxi after finishing the ceremony in Takanawa, the reception, and the after-party in Roppongi.

We were both exhausted, as expected. While looking at my wife’s profile as she napped comfortably, I saw the Ken Corporation sign and thought, I want to be able to lease properties someday...

A future where that would be realized was waiting, but...

Far transcending such trivial matters...

(That level was something my grandparents' and parents' generations did. As for something of value that exceeds that...)

“A wonderful future beyond that, which money cannot buy”

was prepared for me, the “ultimate spoiled son” (laughs). Arriving at the Takanawa Club, we went to the top-floor suite. After taking care of chores with an exhausted body... At the time, I was quite thin, having lost muscle, and weighed 58.5kg. Even though I was tall, my wife was quite slender, but... I couldn't lift her and put her on the bed. It was truly

a case of failing to put the finishing touch on something

feeling. My kind wife laughed and forgave me, but... Still, we were happy to be alone, and of course, the punchline was that we went to sleep “hugging each other tightly.”

Part 3.07 was a story about a traffic accident that happened the day after the wedding. Before returning to our company housing, which was our new home, while I was putting away non-essential items at my wife's parents' house and trying to go to the post office in front of the station... When I tried to pull over where there was a gap in the cars parked in front of the station, after checking the passenger-side door mirror and slowly changing lanes to stop, a Cub motorcycle driven by an old man trying to pass me on the left collided with the rear side of the passenger side near the trunk. Perhaps my attention had dropped...

The moment I failed to put the finishing touch on something

It was a story that remains in my memory as a lifelong warning.

Part 3.091 was a story about how we held a second wedding ceremony, feeling like it was “an era where even doing this kind of thing is acceptable,” but because the lead-up to it became too long, I made that Part 3.091 and the main theme

Failing to put the finishing touch on something (Sequel)

The content was... For our honeymoon, I managed to get 16 days off by spanning across the month, and we went to New Caledonia with a relaxed itinerary. Moreover, we chose a very carefree package where we could enjoy various sports such as yachting, windsurfing, tennis, swimming in the sea, the pool, and archery, mostly within the Club Med facilities. All three meals were also included in the package tour price. That meal, the accident at the first dinner. We sat down at a large table and enjoyed international interaction with people staying there from various countries. We also sat at that table. Naturally, we were spoken to, and the conversation started. Since it was English by non-native speakers, the difficulty was as high as solving a system of equations, and my brain was full just trying to maintain the conversation, so I was talking while ignoring my wife. At that time, unfortunately, my wife's main dish was delayed due to the waiter's mistake. On our honeymoon, I didn't notice that. My wife, who had been left waiting, was furious...

Failing to put the finishing touch on something

It was a story with a punchline that ended up being a continuation of that.

Part 3.092 was a story about the main topic, holding a second wedding ceremony, feeling like it was an era where even doing this kind of thing is acceptable.

As an option, we had a wedding ceremony at a church in Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia, and a photo shoot at the city hall. On the day, three newlywed couples participated in the tour. My wife brought her own wedding dress, tiara, bouquet, and other items from Japan, and I brought a full-scale shoulder-mounted 8mm video camera and a tripod for a second chapel ceremony and a commemorative photo shoot by a professional photographer, including at the city hall. It was held within a week of our Shinto ceremony in Japan.

A perfect Christian-style wedding for commemoration

A heartwarming story, or perhaps a story lacking in consistency

3.93 is a story of a failure after perfectly completing the second wedding ceremony on our honeymoon.

It was a story about how, in a dinghy that I had underestimated as being easy to steer, when tacking in a light breeze, I was caught by a gust of wind and caused an accident where I knocked my wife down with the pole that was holding up the sail.

Although my athletic wife took a breakfall and it didn't lead to anything serious, it was truly a moment that ruined our peaceful day in an instant.

Missing the finishing touch.

It was a moment.

Of course, in the world of yachtsmen, it was a story about a serious accident at a moment that lacked the level of tension that would make you say, 'Don't ever get on a yacht again'.

Part 3.093 was a story about the Isle of Pines, which I visited as another optional tour.

We went to the Isle of Pines in an old twin-engine propeller plane... Guided by my wife, who is also good at snorkeling, we looked for and enjoyed spots where there seemed to be fish.

Lunch was a fun time with lukewarm beer, local fish, and large grilled lobsters.
After that, I was struck by a stomachache on a beach without a restroom, and the punchline was that I used a method I had used for the first and last time in my life.

From Part 3.0, this is a series where I set aside references and appreciate modern weddings. As a subtitle for the theme of marriage,

Wonderful scenery for the two of them

I chose this. This is because the mainstream definition of modern marriage has improved, moving away from the style of family (family, clan...) to family, and instead clearly defining that the family is merely a supporting role, while the main characters are the two people getting married.
Along with this, the focus of weddings has shifted from form to content, and the most direct improvement is the definition of the wedding organizer.

From the head of the groom's family to the bride and groom themselves.

And it was also a story about how the mechanism of the matchmaker once collapsed and was reconstructed into things like marriage hunting businesses, which was a major change.

From Part 3.1 onwards, I have been looking at that wonderful new trend by taking a specific example of a wonderful wedding, while keeping in mind the fundamentals I have experienced and learned.

In the flow of weddings in the early Showa bubble era, introductions to each set of parents, consent, greetings to the matchmaker, the ceremony, and the reception were still very much alive. But now is truly the era of diversity. Even so, it feels like it is roughly converging into a reasonable flow of a meeting between involved parties (meeting of parents), the ceremony, and the reception. In particular, I feel it is very desirable that the process of 'introduction and consent to each set of parents,' which contradicts the idea of 'consent of both sexes only,' is becoming an endangered species.

[Meeting of involved parties (meeting of parents)]
In addition to the parents, at most, perhaps up to the siblings within a reasonable range... It is a style of pleasant conversation at a casual restaurant with private rooms. If you do it at home, you can't concentrate on the conversation, so you decide to leave the hospitality to the professionals. What is surprising is that with the development of smartphones and computers, a little bit of information is delivered in advance, and it is very modern to be prompted to prepare as an adult by sharing simple profiles before the meal.

With this kind of feeling, I would like to set aside references, appreciate modern weddings, and savor the progress and harmony of humanity.

Part 3.2 was about the wedding ceremony.

This is the part that has not changed much from the Showa era. It is said that Christian-style ceremonies are popular.

Source example

It seems that some people choose Christianity to enjoy the atmosphere, including the music. So, using one example of a modern Christian wedding ceremony as a subject, I learned about the trends in wedding ceremonies, which are becoming more free while still beautifully incorporating religious etiquette.

From 3.32, it is finally the essence of the wedding reception.

The beginning is a masterpiece of a video work.

The prelude began, and a high-definition video started. Against a backdrop of beautiful scenery such as cityscapes and the ocean, the meticulously crafted video continued, utilizing exquisite angles that allowed you to see even the movement of every single hair on the bride and groom. The editing, which included moments of silence and a sense of pacing, was truly the work of a professional. It was content that allowed us to fully understand the couple's happy present.

In other words, the phrase 'wishing you happiness' is no longer necessary...

The bride and groom appeared to a clever choice of music. Their greeting came after they had already captured the hearts of the attendees.

Thank you all for coming to our wedding today despite your busy schedules...

This is the line of thanks to the attendees that used to be spoken by a representative of the relatives.

The expression of thanks to the attendees is also no longer necessary...

It was a moment where I took my hat off to the masterful construction of the reception, which followed the theory of stating the conclusion first. In short,

1. The phrase 'wishing you happiness' is no longer necessary...
2. The expression of thanks to the attendees is also no longer necessary... (including requests for their continued support)

Within just about 15 minutes of the reception starting, almost all the information had been conveyed through the arrangements of the hosts, the bride and groom.

Part 3.32 is a continuation of the reception.

Speeches proceeded in order, starting with a senior colleague from the company.
Heartwarming recent stories from work were woven together based on the standard three-episode theory, showcasing each person's work ethic. In the speeches by friends, who made up two-thirds of the venue as the main guests, thoughts about the bride and groom were shared in great detail, including old stories from their university days, club activities, high school days, and so on. In short,

3. Sharing thoughts about the bride and groom mixed with old stories is also no longer necessary...

The reception was in full swing when the bride and groom entered after changing their outfits. The serious talk had already finished in the first half, and from here on, it switched to party mode all at once with various activities for everyone to participate in.

They actually brought in a putter golf set and played putter golf, which was a huge hit...

Part 3.33 is...
By the time it reached the relative greetings in the perfect flow of the wedding reception,

1. The phrase 'wishing you happiness' is no longer necessary...
2. The expression of thanks to the attendees is also no longer necessary... (including requests for their continued support)
3. Sharing thoughts about the bride and groom mixed with old stories is also no longer necessary...

I have already conveyed 1, 2, and 3 many times. In short, the relative representative...

Hmm, I have nothing to talk about...
Unexpected.

That was the situation. Even without that, the venue was at the peak of excitement. At that moment, what came to mind was a small, wonderful happening that occurred at the reception that day. It was,

The groom's sister's hug
~The sister, a genuine returnee who had moved to the U.S. before she turned three, hugged the groom...

When the bride left for a costume change and the groom was left alone,
he was boldly hugged by a child on stage, right there at the reception. I decided to make use of this happening that caused a stir in the venue. Once I decided on the hug theme, I put the flow together in three seconds...
and started laying the groundwork...

Part 3.34 was the details of that groundwork.

First, the venue manager and emcee. The photographer and the videographer. And then the relatives. I asked my aunt and her husband, and the couple whose child had hugged the groom, to 'please surprise us with a hug during the representative relative greeting, and since we'll be filming, please make it a long one.' Finally, I asked the other side's parents as well.

Actually, I also snuck in some foreshadowing to pin down the fact that all the relatives, including the bride's parents, are happily married for the sake of our future children...

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………