Explainer | Lifting the veil on solo weddings in Japan where there is no bridegroom
- Some want the dress, others go it alone to mark a personal milestone
A new trend has emerged in Japan in which young women opt out of traditional marriage ceremonies in favour of “solo weddings” where they “marry” themselves.
The woman plans the whole event but leaves the groom bit out.
Some women are drawn by the desire to wear a lovely gown, while others want to mark a personal milestone.
Adult video star Mana Sakura, exemplifies the trend.
At her solo wedding in March 2019, she placed the ring on her own finger and boldly pledged: “I will respect my own life. In health or in sickness, I will always love myself and make myself happy.”
Another woman called Hanaoka, conducted a solo wedding ceremony at a restaurant in Tokyo, inviting 30 friends and spending a total of 250,000 yen (US$1,600).
“Marrying myself does not mean I don’t want to marry a man,” she said.
“I read about solo weddings in a blogger’s article and thought I could not do it. But about three years ago, I started doing things that made me happy, like wearing beautiful clothes, enjoying delicious food, and taking baths with flower petals. That is when I began to think about marrying myself.”
Solo weddings are not just for the unmarried.
In 2018, 47-year-old wife Yukie, held such a ceremony.
She explained that she wanted to relive the feeling of being a bride and symbolically bid farewell to her past self as she embarked on a new beginning.
The Post takes a closer look at the trend.
Why ?
Last year, Japan recorded its lowest number of marriages in 90 years, with fewer than 500,000 couples tying the knot, according to government data.
The declining marriage rate has fuelled the growth of the “single economy” with solo ceremonies emerging as a new business opportunity for the wedding industry.
Services include photo sessions where the bride can invite friends or family to participate. Women can also customise their own solo honeymoon.
“Solo weddings are a sign of the changing times. Now, more Japanese women can support themselves without getting married, and they do not want to be constrained by traditional roles,” a planner at a Japanese wedding company said.
Businesses are developing other products and services for the single demographic, from solo camping to karaoke.
This caters to the lifestyle preferences of Japanese singles who have fewer family burdens and more disposable income, allowing them to focus on enhancing the quality of their lives.
Mixed reaction
The trend has sparked a lively online discussion in Japan and China.
In the latter, some praised the promotion of female independence, with one person saying: “Solo weddings seem great. There are many ways to achieve happiness. The most important thing is to love yourself first.”
Others, meanwhile, are baffled: “I don’t quite understand. Is it a pledge to take myself seriously from now on? This is just a way to avoid the ridicule of being unmarried, serving as a last line of defence,” one person said.
In China people also voiced diverse opinions.
“This is nice. It satisfies my desire to wear a wedding dress without having to get married,” wrote one online observer.
“Although there’s nothing wrong with it, placing the ring on your own finger seems a bit lonely,” said another.
“Maybe it’s just a way to collect wedding gifts,” quipped a third.
