Japanese shrine weddings

Hello,

My fiance and I are looking to get married somewhere near or in Tokyo next year in 2010. We would both like to have a wedding ceremony held in a shrine or japanese garden. My question is, is it possible to have a Catholic priest perform a wedding at a shinto style shrine or is that totally out of the question. Also, where and how can you hire a catholic priest to have an outdoor wedding such as at a Japanese garden?

We are looking to get married during the cherry blossom season, and would like to have a Catholic priest perform the ceremony somewhere outdoors such as a garden or shrine where you can appreciate the cherry blossoms.

Does anyone have any information regarding my questions, or just any recommendations of where to look and get started?

Oh yeah, none of us speak Japanese so we would need an interpreter as well.

I would greatly appreciate anyone with experience with Japanese weddings, catholic or not, or even just shinto style weddings.

Any information is greatly appreciated.

I very, very much doubt that a Catholic priest would consent to perform a wedding at a Shinto shrine. Shinto is a separate religion which worships gods believed to be present in places like mountains, trees and rocks- can you really see that being compatible with Catholic beliefs?

If you want to be married at a Shinto shrine you will have to go ahead with a Shinto ceremony.

I was under the impression that Catholic marriage ceremonies needed to be performed at a consecrated place, i.e. inside a church, although I may be wrong.

I have attended a number of outdoor wedding ceremonies- none of them had a priest or minister present; rather a wedding celebrant.

I 100% agree with Sira, plus I do not think any shinto shrines would accept Catholic priest performing wedding ceremony at their premises, either.

Maybe it is easier for you to understand if you replace "Shinto Shrine" with synagogue or mosque...

The above poster is exactly right, asking whether a Catholic ceremony can be held at a shrine is like asking whether you could have it at a mosque- that kind of thing just doesn't happen.

It is a conflict of religions. Also, priests can't do weddings outside of churches. A non-priest marriage celebrant is allowed to conduct weddings outside of the church but not inside (as far as I am aware, but please feel free to correct me).
You may be able to organize a catholic wedding in a nice garden somewhere, just not a shrine. Start by googling catholic churches in Tokyo (or wherever you are thinking of having it) as they probably have experience in this kind of thing. Many churches will have English speakers too.

http://www.ignatius.gr.jp/eng/activities/eng_center.htm...

I know St. Ignatius Church is a Catholic church in central Tokyo, and I know they have cherry trees nearby (not a park/garden but quite beautiful), so it would suffice for a photo session, but they say book at least six months in advance of your scheduled wedding day, so I suppose that is out of the question; also they being a proper church, yes, they hold the ceremony only on premises.

Why on earth would you want a Catholic wedding in Japan? Traditional style is the way to go. Or just find a Japanese garden near home and book a priest.

Many couples [my family being one of them] opt for 2 ceremonies, to satisfy family and friends who are unable to travel: you could maybe do the Catholic one at home, and have a Shinto one in Japan