charlotte 0 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Well a fairly good friend of mine got married yesterday. I went to the do. First thing, I was told that the going rate for the present is an envelope with 30,000 yen in it. Write the number and your name on the back to be sure. The ceremony was ok, we had a nice meal, a lot of speeches and stuff. After I came home with a big bag of goodies: - flowers - cut glass wine glass with my name engraved on it - some red rice (!) - bottle of sake - some ham - sweets - 2 cakes Try explaining the present to give and the presents you get to your parents back home! It's all very curious and a bit over the top. Link to post Share on other sites
klingon 10 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Quote: cut glass wine glass with my name engraved on it With YOUR name on it?! I wonder what the cost per guest is and how much, er, 'profit' they make out of it? Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Did they pay for your transportation expenses as well? Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Hmm - profit is a tough one - it all depends on how much the wedding cost. The missus and I aren't expecting to make any 'profit' . Link to post Share on other sites
kokodoko 67 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 yew.. what is the point of it all? Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I made enough profit at my wedding to pay for the honeymoon and complete a bathroom renovation. We did ask everyone for cash and no gifts and our parents covered all the wedding costs. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 I have 3 weddings in the next few months here, and ALL of them have asked for cash in leui of gifts - and all are Aussies....the days of toasters/bathtowels and coffee cups are gone world over! Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Well most people nowadays have been living together for quite some time before getting married. They usually have most of the material things they need. We can always do with more cash though Link to post Share on other sites
keba 0 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Especially if it's Yen! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Wish it was socially acceptable to have asked for cash when I got married 20 years ago! I got masses of towel sets (you know the thin horrid ones that often have embroidery on them!) and lots of cut glass/crystal stemmed glasses (when at the time we did not have the money to afford to drink even moderately). I think all the wedding towels are gone now, in fact the only wedding gift we still have that still works is a tiny little colour TV that has its home in the garage with the punching bags and treadmill :-) But I have noticed that the Wedding Gifts have improved an awful lot over the last 20 years, when they are given instead of cash. Link to post Share on other sites
charlotte 0 Posted February 4, 2009 Author Share Posted February 4, 2009 Originally Posted By: rach Did they pay for your transportation expenses as well? It's funny you say that because - YES, I got 2000 yen for that! Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Noooo... surely you jest!? Link to post Share on other sites
js 0 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Don't know the cultural difference in J-Land, but in Oz I find it totally inappropriate to give money - it's an insincere and cold way to celebrate the event. Mamabear - even though you got heaps of towels, you eventually used them, right? If I was invited and told to give money (or anything else for that matter), I'd either refuse to go or do the right thing and buy them the best alternative - a gift voucher. There are simply some events where giving money is not right. Link to post Share on other sites
s3phis 0 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 Japan's big on the giving of gifts; if you receive a gift, people usually feel that it's required to return something of equal value. With weddings, the groom and bride will always be at a loss. Wedding receptions are usually a lot more expensive than in Australia (which is why a lot of people had a wedding in Australia... it was cheaper to pay for everyone's airfares + wedding reception than to host it in Japan). Funerals, on the other hand, tend to break even. Monetary gifts are also quite frequent. The difference between Australia and Japan is: a) It must be given in a ceremonial envelope (different envelopes for the circumstances) It must be fresh notes. You never give someone used notes or without it being wrapped. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 In Hong Kong, giving gifts is not the preferred thing. Cash, cash and more cash. Makes a hell of a lot more sense than wedding lists and surprise gifts. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted February 4, 2009 Share Posted February 4, 2009 SubZero I was married in Aus and no one seemed to have any problem with giving money instead of gifts. I'd already been with my wife for 3 years before getting married and we'd bought a house in our first year together. There were no real material things we needed by the time we got married, cash was much more appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites
RobBright 35 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Originally Posted By: Go Native SubZero I was married in Aus and no one seemed to have any problem with giving money instead of gifts. I'd already been with my wife for 3 years before getting married and we'd bought a house in our first year together. There were no real material things we needed by the time we got married, cash was much more appreciated. This for the win! Exactly how I feel. Except cut the living together part and keep the material things I have bought Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Originally Posted By: SubZero Don't know the cultural difference in J-Land, but in Oz I find it totally inappropriate to give money - it's an insincere and cold way to celebrate the event. Mamabear - even though you got heaps of towels, you eventually used them, right? If I was invited and told to give money (or anything else for that matter), I'd either refuse to go or do the right thing and buy them the best alternative - a gift voucher. There are simply some events where giving money is not right. We got a bunch of cash from our friends for our wedding, it was great and we really needed it at the time. Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Actually, a lot of peoples' weddings that I went to in the 80's and 90's have all split up now. It makes you wonder why they bother with all this trivial crap with their weddings anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 interesting. How many have died then? Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I'm afraid to think of how much my wedding is going to cost!!! Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Beans on toast with Worcester Sauce all round at my wedding. And some Mr Kiplings French Fancies for afters. Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 don't even start to think that YOU will be planning YOUR wedding. It's in the female genes, you won't get a say in ANYTHING. shut up, pay, turn up or you die Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 So is that what the lovely mrs thursday is like then, thursday? Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 I was more than happy to let my wife organise our wedding. I actually didn't want to do anything more than just turn up on the day which is about all I ended up doing. I did organise the honeymoon though. Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts