Wedding in Kamakura on 24/12

Hello everybody -

My boyfriend and I (both from Hong Kong) are going to Kamakura on 24 Dec this year. We are interested to join a local wedding in the city. We hope to have a short stay at the ceremony.

So, will anybody have their wedding in the city that day, and have the VERY BEST WISHES from Hong Kong?

And, are there any popular online forums for Japanese locals that we can spread this message?

Many thanks,
Cobe

Cobe,

In Kamakura, among many shrines and temples, there is a famous shrine with a ceremony stage in the garden, where "shinto" wedding ceremonies can be held. I don't know if anyone is getting married on that day, but if there is on going on, you can quietly and unobtrusively just "watch" the proceedings. But you cannot possibly expect to "join" anyone's wedding without having been invited - and this place I have in mind conducts their ceremonies quite solemnly, following their procedures, so any outsider cheering or clapping would not be appreciated, and anyone who is not familiar with the proceedings are likely to get in the way...

Thanks for your comments! I'll just hope that I will meet a happy couple that day :)

I saw 3 weddings, on 3 different trips. One in Osaka, one in Tokyo (Meiji shrine) and one in Nara.

As in Europe and North America, quite a few bystanders were watching, taking photos and smiling at the couple and their relatives ....

Not during the actual ceremony in the temple, as access was restricted, but outside, when many official photos of the couple alone , then with family, were taken.
Weekends appear to be popular days for weddings...not to surprising isn't it?.

I often saw some wedding in Tsuruoka-Hachiman-gu Shrine.
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3102.html
By the way, it's so rare to celebrate wedding in the Buddist temple.In general, Japanese use the shinto-shrine or the church for the wedding, and the temple for the funeral.

But, for reference, it's maybe hard on December 24.
Because the day in this year is the Butsumetsu(•§–Å) and the weddings are best avoided in Japan.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_calendar)
And in other reason, in Japan, it's thought that X'mas is a day for lovers.So to invite friends to the wedding on X'mas is to disturb thier date.

I can recommend to visit Tsuruoka-Hachiman-gu Shrine.You may possibly see the wedding.
And I'll try to ask a online forum I can know of.I'm sorry, don't expect results.