What to wear in Japanese Wedding?

I have been invited by a friend to attend her wedding ceremony at a Temple and I would like to know what the proper dress code for a woman is if I am attending the ceremony in the temple?

If you don't have a kimono, you can't go wrong with anything that is dark / conservative.

ps. Weddings at temples are rare, I assume you mean a Shinto style wedding at a Shrine?

Here you can see some wedding photos for ideas:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jhandelman/3358266848/ (lady on the left)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/harcourt/1386346336/ (some women on the left)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrandmrsrobertson/485196993/

Light colors are okay, too!

Going to attend friend's wedding at the Meiji Shrine in late August (it starts at 10:00 am) and have no idea what to wear.

So the little black dress works? I feel strange wearing black to a wedding though, but I don't want to go against the norm.

I was thinking about this lovely mint green sheath dress embroidered with flower petals. Too much? Too loud?

While ir's fine to wear black to a wedding (the kimonos worn to weddings by married women are traditionally black), it's by no means compulsory. The mint sheath sounds fine- generally in Japan people don't wear really short skirts/dresses or show any cleavage at weddings or other formal occasions, so keep that in mind as well.

I agree with the above that it is likely to be held at a shrine, not a temple.

I attended a shrine wedding last November and because it was a particularly cold day, I was shaking with cold in the shrine (they are usually not heated). If the wedding is in November or later bring a shawl or similar!

You are probably confused with that peculiar male black suit often worn at Japanese wedding parties. I am a Japanese and have seldom seen women dressing in black at wedding parities. However, one thing to remember: you are not expected to surpass the bride in clothig at the party.

Thanks a lot. Okay, so I don't have to rush out to back a conservative black dress. Please tell me, since the wedding ceremony itself is at 10:00 am in a shrine, I thought I should wear a day dress rather than an evening dress and avoid sequins, beads, crystals, full length gown, etc. Is that correct?

Var,

I thought I should wear a day dress rather than an evening dress and avoid sequins, beads, crystals, full length gown,

I agree - in addition, since you are coming in late August, you don't want to be standing there in the heat in heavy-looking evening dress :) Your "mint" sheath dress sounds fine; maybe a light jacket or a shawl (just to cover the shoulders - being modest around a shrine - in case it's no-sleeve type).

definitely going to drape a semi-sheer shawl around the shoulders, since it is a sleeveless dress (fairly conservative otherwise). Thanks.

the green mint dress will probably be the best thing to wear .
I only saw ppl. wearing black in funerals!
so its better to avoid black
am advicing you as if its me who is gonna go.

I have been to several weddings and it seemed to me that age often determines the color of clothing. Black IS worn at weddings, especially by married women or women over 35. Young people will often wear a pastel color dress or colorful kimono.