A Tokyo Wedding Pt 8 ...The Real Party Goes On...

Well, this is it. The last post. Now I'm sure that you're all wondering .... why so many pictures? Well, the first reason is that I took a ####load of pictures. The second reason is that unlike my normal photos, I've been working pretty hard to clean these up... Photoshop has been working overtime.. something I might post about later. The third, and perhaps best reason (if they weren't good enough) is that whilst T-chan and L-kun have been away, I haven't really done much to write about. Stayed home, did lots of work, browsed lots of internet, had a few red-wines, and basically been very quiet.

But I digress. This post is really about the last big thing... the after-party-party. T-chan's parents had gone home (it's sort of tradition that the parents don't attend, to allow the young-un's some fun). They also took L-kun home as well... which meant T-chan and I could have our first night out together in a long time. Of course, when I say night out, I don't mean to suggest a late night. We, I hate to say it, were bushed.

The married couple were however, surprisingly chipper... although that might have something to do with the amount of alcohol consumed. Including by the photographer*hic* as well... 

Anyhow - we arrived fashioably late after having afternoon tea with S-chan's family (reads: lots of ice-cream for our brilliant young ring-bearer, L-kun, and coffees for the rest of us). By the time we arrived, the party had already begun in earnest. Now whilst there had been some videos before hand, and lots of photo montages (I can't help but think Team America here... but that's another story).... they brought out the real videos of family interviews. And they were fantastic (if I get hold of them, I will put them up).... I have to say, once again, Otousan was the star of the show... he's becoming quite the celebrity.

The other aspect of the night was the "question-and-answer"... this was the point where the husband and wife would have to ask a series of questions. Now... let's just say that as H-kun and S-chan had been at working at the same company for perhaps over 10 years together, there were a lot of questions concerning when they started going out together.... come'on... you can tell us.

Indeed - very cutting questions, that left the couple a little lost for words. Now I know the answer, but that, as they say in the classics, would be telling.... so let's just say that they gave an answer.

But the real business of the evening was to practice some more of that whole kissing thing... take one:

Hmmm - definite improvement on the earlier effort... no smiles of mock-horror from S-chan... good.... very good. But, that's how you might kiss your aunt... lets see the real thing... er... now... there may be minors watching... take two:

Ok... let's just leave it there... this is a no-adult-content blog after all (and we have to leave something to your imagination). Let's fast forward to the after-shot, where H-kun is being very reflective of the occasion... and thinking seriously about the institution of marriage... and all sorts of serious things.

Actually - he wasn't thinking about anything serious at all... because, not only was balloon-man (and a strange, balloon groupie) there this evening, we had another special guest appearance. This time from.... Aluminium-Man. He wrinkles, he crinkles, and he's even microwave safe! And apparently he was here to put the hard word on S-chan to see if she really, really wanted to marry H-kun (or something like that). To be honest, I was laughing so hard that I really wasn't paying attention to what was happening. I'm sure it was an ancient Japanese marriage ritual however... very culturally rich, the Japanese are.... a little mysterious though....

And S-chan seemed to be enjoy Aluminium-man's finer points a little too much.... hmmm... either that, or it could have been those suspender stockings (let's leave it there shall we).

The party was a great success, and there was lots of great food and drink to fill to the brim each and every one of the many guests... and it should be said that this party was quite a bit different to the formal reception that we had before. There were a lot more people, and the mood was quite a bit more raucous. It was a time to let the hair down, and also a time to say thank-you to all the well-wishers.... but above all, it was a time to enjoy and celebrate the marriage of these two wonderful people.

The recent time may have been a hard one for all people in Japan, following the horrible March 11th earthquake, yet that wasn't on assembled people's minds tonight. It was a happy, joyous time, and one that shows that love, like life and the flow of time, heals wounds and grounds us in the here-and-now in the prospect of a future. At this difficult time, two lives have come together, to share each other's happy times, as well as sad times. And we were so very happy that we could share it with them!

And what a party it was...Actually, after this, there was even another party for their closest friends.... the after-after-party party. Unfortunately, I have no photos to share of that... but my hat goes off to them. They really know how to get married!

Omedetou!