Planning to get married in Japan? Surely, you must be concerned about how much is a wedding in Japan. In this article, we will introduce the average cost of international marriages in Japan, and the breakdown of related costs. We will also introduce ways you can save on wedding costs in Japan.
Table of Contents
- How much does it cost to get married in Japan?
- Breakdown of Costs to Getting Married in Japan
- How to Reduce the Cost of Getting Married in Japan
- Cost of Starting a New Married Life in Japan
How much does it cost to get married in Japan?
The cost of getting married in Japan differs between a Japanese couple and an international marriage. This is because of additional procedures and expenses that an international marriage would incur. Below is a comparison for your reference.
Cost of Getting Married for Japanese Couple
The average cost of getting married between a Japanese couple is around 4 to 5 million yen. This wedding cost is an estimate from engagement to the honeymoon. If you are starting a newly married life, additional costs may be necessary. The wedding cost may vary depending on whether or not you hold a wedding ceremony, and the scale of it. It is certainly possible to have a wedding that costs less than the average.
Cost of Getting Married for International Couple
The average cost of getting married between a Japanese person and a foreigner, or between foreigners, is around 5 to 6 million yen. It costs significantly more than a marriage between a Japanese couple. This is because of additional costs such as hiring an administrative scrivener to obtain a spouse visa, overseas travel expenses to visit and greet future in-laws, and other expenses unique to international marriages. In addition, if you plan to hold a wedding in each person’s country then the cost would be even more expensive.
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Breakdown of Costs to Getting Married in Japan
Here is a breakdown of the cost of getting married in Japan.
Wedding Ring Costs
The average price of wedding rings for a couple is around 200,000 to 300,000 yen. The price of wedding rings depend on the design, material, jewel, jewel size, etc. If you are planning to prepare an engagement ring, expect it to be more expensive in the range of 300,000 to 400,000 yen.
Engagement Expenses
結納式 (Yuinoushiki) is a traditional ceremony in Japan where the families of the couple getting married exchange money and gifts. Recently, there are many who replace traditional Japanese engagement ceremony with a meal between the families of the couple called “顔合わせの食事会 (Kaoawase no Shokujikai)”.
If you are going to do a Yuinoushiki, you can expect the cost to be around 200,000 yen. This amount does not include the gift money given during the Yuinoushiki, or transportation costs for inviting family members. As for a meal with both families, it would cost around 60,000 to 70,000 yen.
Wedding Ceremony and Reception Cost
The wedding ceremony and reception is the largest expense when it comes to getting married in Japan. The average cost of holding both a wedding ceremony and a wedding reception is 3.6 million yen. However, depending on the number of guests, the size of the wedding venue, and what else goes into the wedding, there is a big difference of 2 to 5 million yen or more, so think of it as a reference only.
In the case of international marriages, it is common to hold another marriage ceremony or reception in your home country as well. This will of course incur additional expenses. It is important to discuss and decide on the wedding location, the number of receptions, and the scale of wedding with your partner.
Honeymoon Expenses
The cost of a honeymoon is estimated to be around 600,000 yen for transportation and accommodation costs. Taking into account additional spending on souvenirs and daily expenses, it is best to prepare around 800,000 yen for the honeymoon. If you want to save money, try having your honeymoon at a local destination or at a nearby country.
Spouse Visa Expenses
In the case of international marriages, additional costs may be incurred. Foreign residents in Japan need a status of residence according to their activities. If you are marrying a Japanese national and moving to Japan, the relevant status of residence (visa type) is “Spouse or Child of a Japanese National”. And, if your spouse is also a foreign resident, then a different status of residence (visa type) may apply.
The procedure may be quite complicated as it involves many documents, so it is common to seek the services of an administrative scrivener, which generally costs around 100,000 to 150,000 yen.
How to Reduce the Cost of Getting Married in Japan
International marriages and getting married in Japan can be quite expensive, but it is certainly possible to reduce the cost. Here are some ways to help you cut down on your wedding expenses.
Have a Small Wedding
Downsizing the scale of the wedding ceremony, which is the most expensive part of getting married, can lead to saving money. In recent years, there are a wide variety of wedding plans to choose from, such as weddings with only close friends and family, or wedding ceremonies just with the couple. In particular, photo weddings where only photos are taken, and casual restaurant weddings that have a homely atmosphere are popular among people who want to keep wedding costs down.
Hold Your Wedding and Honeymoon Together
Some people save money by having a destination wedding at their honeymoon destination. Recently, hotels and airlines have been offering honeymoon and wedding package plans, so you can have a destination wedding at a discounted rate. If you get married at a resort in Japan or a tourist destination overseas, you can leave wonderful photos as keepsakes.
Prepare Wedding Props and Decorations Yourself
Save on wedding expenses by preparing wedding invitation cards, welcome board, wedding bouquet, etc. wedding props and decorations yourself. There are many small decorative items in weddings that may not cost much individually but add up to quite a sum. By hand making whatever you can, you can save on costs and add some originality to your wedding.
Skip the Wedding Reception and Ceremony
Having only the wedding reception, having only the wedding ceremony, or some couples skip having either altogether to save on the most expensive part of getting married. However, make sure to think carefully and decide with your partner as many people regret not having a wedding ceremony. Therefore, we recommend having a small ceremony or reception.
A 1.5 Party (1.5次会) is both formal and casual, somewhere between a wedding reception and an after-party. There are no rules and restrictions on how 1.5 Parties need to be, so the couple can freely decide on it. Many 1.5 Parties are held on a participation fee basis, the amount of which is decided by the couple. It is calculated by dividing the cost of the party (venue, food, gifts) by the number of guests. The out-of-pocket expense for the couple is limited to their outfit, hair and make-up, decorations to make for a presentable event.
Cost of Starting a Newly Married Life in Japan
Even after the wedding and honeymoon, there may be additional expenses for starting your newly married life in Japan.
Moving Expenses
If you are moving into a new home after getting married, it will cost about 700,000 to 900,000 yen including furniture and home appliances. The cost will vary depending on the type of living arrangement, for example apartment or house, and the number of new furniture and home appliances you are getting.
If you have already been living together, or one person is moving in with another person, then it is possible to reduce the cost of moving. To save on furniture and home appliance expenses, start with getting only the essentials and gradually purchasing what you need along the way. You can also try to buy second-hand.
Return Gifts
It is customary to give return gifts to people who have sent you congratulatory money. There is no need to give return gifts to people who were invited and attended the wedding as they would have received wedding favours. If you did not hold a wedding ceremony or reception, then the return gift should be 1/2 or 1/3 the cost of the congratulatory money.
If you receive congratulatory money collectively from a group of people, then the general rule is to divide the amount by the number of people, and give each person a gift costing half of that amount.
Child Expenses
When you have a child, you will need to pay for child-rearing expenses and education expenses. Other expenses include meals, medical, nursery or kindergarten, school, tuition, etc. expenses. It is important to budget carefully to ensure your child’s future until they become independent. The cost will vary depending on how many children you have and each of their career paths, so prepare some extra for leeway.
For more information about raising children in Japan, read this article.
To Close
Marriage and weddings are auspicious events that many of us look forward to in our life. To ensure everything goes smoothly, it is important to know what costs will be incurred and budget accordingly. Many people are concerned about how expensive getting married and having a wedding is. Make sure to discuss and decide how to share the cost with your partner.
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