what do I wear to a Japanese wedding?

I'm going to a traditional Japanese wedding in just outside of Tokyo in April. It's during the day, and a medium size group. Do I wear the same type of dress I would wear to an American wedding? Should I be more conservative? More colorful? Any colors NOT to wear? Help.

This is a random photograph I pulled from the net:
http://www.geocities.com/ralph_grundler/WeddingGroupSmall.JPG

Most wedding parties I have observed at shrines the dress of the audience was like that.

A nice fairly conservative dress or suit and high-heels are just fine. The most important thing is *not* to outdo the bride at the wedding.

I think a black dress is pretty popular these days, or some solid color. Usually nothing too colorful or flowery. I'm going to a wedding in the summer and I'll wear a suit and flat shoes. I've been told not to wear white.

I usually wear a slip dress (nothing too sexy!) and always have a chiffon shawl over the shoulders. I think alot of people wear clothes like that.
Black dresses are popular, but you know, practically all the men wear black suits and so do the parents with black kimonos... I think color would be more appreciated! Not to mention, just avoid white and ivory.

I just went to a night wedding (on March 25), and it was fairly formal. My friend (the bride) said that anything other than white is okay. Most people wore black, especially the men. Men wore black suits with white shirts and white ties. Women wore what mostly appeared to me to be cocktail dresses (dark colors, knee length). There was not much color in the room. Most of the women had shawls or jackets since it was cool outside, but did not necessarily wear it inside to cover their shoulders. I saw some women with white shawls, so I gather that a little whtie is okay.

Where can i find cocktail or evening gowns in Okinawa, Japan. I need to find dresses that will fit american women.

I'm also wondering about what to wear to a Japanese wedding in April. Is any white okay? Can it be in the print of a dress or should I just find a solid coloured dress with no white or ivory? Any advice would be appreciated.

Having white in your clothes is no problem. The idea is to distinguish yourself from the bride. It comes from Western custom.

I'm mother to a Western groom at an informal Japanese wedding. The plan so far is to hire kimonos for the ceremony, but what is suitable for an informal party afterwards (or another day)?

Completely forgetting the no white rule, I've had an impulse buy of a floral 50's style dress. My thoughts were not to try and ape the Japanese style but be different. Is this OK?

That dress sounds fine- I think people are misunderstanding the so-called "no-white rule" here. It's just the same as it would be in English-speaking countries- don't wear anything that looks like a wedding dress unless you are the bride!
I doubt your dress will offend in any way at all.

Women tend to wear cocktail dresses (not too sexy) with a great professional up-do. Jewelry, heels, a shawl and a cute handbag are a must. Black or colors are ok.

Men wear black or dark suit, white shirt, white tie. No BLACK TIES!!!

I am going to a wedding next month, and discussed this topic with a Japanese girlfriend, age 25.

I am half-Japanese, 27 years, lives in us.
The wedding is at a "chapel" in Roppongi.
There are photos of people and the experience here:

http://ayw.jp/gallery/index.html

One note: women here seem to not cover their shoulders and some also wear bright colors, which is opposite of what my friend mentioned. It might be that they are trying to look more open and western in the photo shoots, but I would be safe and stay away from that.

Since I am considered a foreigner, it is excused if I don't follow all the rules, but the general rule is to look classy and respectful (think work holiday party.)

Japanese weddings are generally formal affairs, and ladies wear cocktail dresses or kimonos (older women.)

-No White/Ivory UNLESS you wear a colored shawl
-Nothing provocative ie cleavage, skirts more than 3-5" above knees
-Hide tattoos
-No loud patterns/bright colors
-Hide shoulders/back

People usually wear:
Beige dress + black shawl/jacket
Black dress + colored shawl/jacket

Shoes: can be open toe
Flats
Heels (not too high)
No sandals

Jewelry is ok. You can use your accessories to play up the bland color palate.

Purse: can be colorful
Clutch, small purse

Make-up:
Japanese girls are generally very made up, so it is okay to be wearing loads of make-up, but don't use bright colors, think classy.


to summarize, you have to look respectable, but using the accessories and details in the dress can still look nice. Zara seems like a good destination for that kind of balance.

WEDDING vs AFTER PARTY
There is generally a party you go to after the wedding, which is where people who were not invited to the main event come, and is generally for the younger crowd to mingle and drink. No parents, grandparents, kids.

For the after party, or Nijikai, it was mentioned that it will be okay to remove shawls, jackets.

I'm going to a traditional Japanese wedding soon. Is it ok to just wear my skirt suit? I don't own any dresses. It's all I have and unless I go home I can't shop for clothes here.

Why don't you buy online? You must be able to get something suitable easily that way. I buy clothes online regularly that come from overseas.

Anyone? ^^;

At my point of view in japanese wedding you should wear a 5piece suit with tie.

I'm going to a traditional Japanese wedding soon. Is it ok to just wear my skirt suit? I don't own any dresses. It's all I have and unless I go home I can't shop for clothes here.

I'm not female, but I think a black skirt suit would be a little too businessie for a wedding. You might end up feeling out of place (or worse maybe mistaken for staff). The women on the board may have a better idea, but I imagine something more casual would be in order.

At my point of view in japanese wedding you should wear a 5piece suit with tie.

But SSJ Jup81 is a woman...

Anything 'smart' would be ok, remember that the color 'white' is not appreciated, this is a color that the deceased are dressed in, suggests death so to be safe and comfortable 'no white'.