And they lived happily ever after - A and Y's fairy tale wedding!

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude, irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with truth: Love bears all things, believes all things, endures all things. Love never ends." (1. kor 13.1, 4-7)

No words are enough to describe how I feel after this wedding. I can only speak for myself but I’m sure no words are enough to describe how we all feel: bridesmaids, family members, friends. And most important, the happy couple.

I think I have never been this genuinely happy for anyone. A and Y are meant to be. And their wedding was just adorable. Here’s a small part of the almost 600 photos I took (+ some photos I stole, thanks). Years later we can look at all the photos and go back to this wonderful summer day that will always stay in our minds.

Are you ready for the wedding? I am! In my Ted Baker dress!

The wedding started at Munkkivuori church in Helsinki with the bridesmaids' long-awaited reunion. It felt amazing that we were finally all there together. The church started to fill up with guests and suddenly it all felt so exciting. Our friend is really getting married!

Coincidentally three of us had dressed in coral red, it is definitely the colour of this summer.

J and boyfriend



E and boyfriend

Me and E (I didn't have a boyfriend so E had to share her date with me)
 

But where are the bride, the groom and the maid of honor?

Finally I got to see the bride in her lovely dress! A was a little nervous but not much, I think my heart was beating even faster when I had checked her dress, left her with her dad and walked the aisle to my place.

Let's get married then!

The whole church fell silent to listen and the first tears fell when their friend sang Josh Groban's You Raise Me Up.

"You rise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up, to more than I can be."

Beautiful words sang and then read by the priest and the bride's sister V. I do and I do, rings and time to kiss the bride.

Congratulations Mr and Mrs Sugihara, you are married now!

Out from the church and in the middle of flying roses. A told me later that this tradition of guests throwing rose leafs on the church steps when the bride and the groom come out was something she enjoyed in particular in the wedding.

Next, to the car and to Villa Aikala where the party went on.

Once everyone had arrived, we started with welcome drinks and general chit-chat. A magician did a tour among the guests and everyone got to write greetings in postcards that will be sent to A and Y in 2017.

Since the groom and a part of the guests are from Japan, and multilingual as I am, of course I tried to learn some Japanise (thanks for the translations in the program leaflet). This is how far I came:

Nihongo o hanashimasen. Dàn asa made paatii shimashoo. Kakkoii des. Kanpai!
Meaning: I don't speak Japanese. But let's party until the morning. You are handsome. Cheers!

But it's so hard to memorize....

A made a beautiful bride. When I first heard that she was about to marry Y, I was a little skeptical (and I wasn’t the only one). I thought it was just crazy to get married like that, to someone she had known for less than two years and who’s from the other end of the world. And why so soon! But when I saw her last winter and asked her about this, she told me again and again that yes, she is sure.

 

She has grown so much these past years and she is happier than never before. When you see happiness like that, what can you say. I also think that A is really brave. She is not afraid to throw herself for love and to trust that he is the one and that this love will last.

I asked Y what he likes most about her wife. He told me that A is sincere which is something he appreciates a lot in people. And as her dad said in his speech: A is honest, loyal and passionate. She knows what she wants and she has always gone her own way, made her own choices and mistakes. And again, she got what she wanted. And she deserves all of it.
 

We are so happy to be your friends! And what about Y then, handsome he is at least.
 

This was the first time I met Y and it was a great pleasure. I don’t know him very well yet but I already noticed that he is someone particularly warmhearted and trustworthy. What A told me she likes the most in Y is that he is selfless and always thinks about others, especially her. That he always puts her needs and wishes first. This seems to be so true. Afterwards when I asked Y what was the best thing in their wedding he said that he loved that he could feel how happy A was about everything and especially about the fact that all her best friends were celebrating with her.
 

Romantic he is as well. Last spring in his sister’s wedding he proposed to A in front of 100 people. They had already decided to get married but Y wanted to do it the traditional way and with a shining purple diamond engagement ring. More about traditions, last winter when he was in Finland and met A’s parents for the first time, he also asked them for their daughter’s hand.
 

"And he dreams big!" said A.

Time to change clothes, go out and take some photos.

Families

Bridesmades

Hug

I had to zoom on the shoes they were so cute!

Some of you may not know yet how I met A. It was in 2004 when we both started competitive cheerleading. In our bridesmaids group we have two other cheerleaders as well, E and J. I have so many good memories from my cheerleading years, but the best thing this hobby has given me is new friends. Together we have experienced so much; hard training, funny performances and enjoyable get togethers, Finnish championships, coaching... J is still pretty much involved in cheerleading and had asked her sister with some friends to perform because what would A's wedding be without cheerleaders!

 

Go girls!

 

Y probably thought that he would get it over with just by standing there and looking cute...

 

 

... but no way, me and J wanted to participate as well!

 

And here is the official photo of the newlyweds, they should absolutely put this one in their thank you - cards.

 

Or maybe this one is better? I loved the flower decorations btw.

 

Anyone hungry? We are ready to start..

 

 

 

 

 

The food was delicious. And between every course, someone hold a speech. This is the made of honor S in her beautiful Karen Millen - dress.

 

 

 

 

During dinner we had time to catch up with the bridesmaids and other friends. It was so good to see everyone. We live in different places around the world but somehow A manages to stay in touch with all of us. She is a great friend and I'm proud I got to be one of her bridesmaids.

 

 

J and V

 

 



Me and E

 



 

A with J
 

 

A with R

 

It was great to hear people say wonderful things about A and Y. Some of us got emotional...

 

 

 

...but after a couple of glasses of sweet dessert wine that no one else liked, regained their energy and started smiling again!

 

 

Like S said, it is crazy how time flies. I was just yesterday when A was a giggly teenager who collected everything related to Japan and organized sleepovers and poolparties at her house. Now we are grown ups and our lives have changed. But there was still enough of giggle in the wedding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The dessert number one was a white chocolate pannacotta, yummy.

 

 

 

 

 

The dessert number two was the wedding cake, accompanied with Japanese pastries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A told me that the decorations where supposed to be dogs but looked more like Pokemons. Well...

 

 

We didn't forget to admire their rings...

 

 

 

 

 

After dinner, time to play all together. The first activity was called "chairs and shoes". A and Y were asked questions and they answered either "A" by lifting up her shoe or "Y" by lifting up his shoe. They didn't see each other so they couldn't know what the other was answering.

 

Some of the questions were for example Who says the final word?  To which one of you happens more embarassing situations? Which one of you snores? and Who said "I love you" the very first time?

 

Did someone lie? We will never know...

 

 

 

 

Back in their table, there they are, the happy couple looking so cute.

 

 

 

 

 

When the door opens and a shouting noice begins. The thiefs are here!

 

 

 

 

And they stole the groom!

 

 

 

 

In order to get her husband back, A had to come up with a poem and perform it to the guests.

 

 

Meanwhile, we had fun with Y and taught him how to say I love you in 12 languages. When we came back, he declared his love to A.

 

 

 

 

One other wedding tradition we did not forget was the bride throwing her bouquet. All the unmarried ladies lined up and tried to catch it. As the photo shows, me and S gave our 100% but it was P who was lucky so she's the one getting married next.

 

 

 

 

For the rest of the night a band played and we danced. Everyone seemed to enjoy and have really good time.

 

I like A's dress so much!

 

 

 

A with sister V

 

Japanese table




Groom's sister M, so stylish and pretty





S and boyfriend
 



V and boyfriend



A's bachelorette party was in the beginning of June. Me and R were not able to participate since we live in Paris but we were present through a video we made to A. In the video we are at Pont des Arts and lock A and Y's love to the bridge so that they will have to stay together forever. What I know about the actual bachelorette party is that they had so much fun that even champagne bottles explosed...

 

 

 

The girls made a book full of memories from the bachelorette day and where A also had to collect tips for the marriage. I read it through and same words where written over and over again: talk, trust, respect, enjoy, have fun. And love, love and love.

 

 

To sum up, I loved this wedding and I'm sure so did everyone else as well. The atmosphere was relaxed and happy with lot's of talking, smiling and laughing. Families, old friends, new friends, different cultures, everyone had fun together. It was especially heartwarming to see how welcoming A's family were towards all the Japanese guests, A's mum told me that they would even experience the Finnish sauna all together the following day. And how sweet words Y's dad said about A and her family. And how happy Y was to meet all A's best friends. Also A said afterwards that what was best in the wedding was the ambience and the guests. And that she loved all the speeches. Love was definitely in the air.
 

It was such a perfect day and a perfect night. Thank you A and Y and your families. And a big thank you also for the maid of honor S for organizing.

 

This is the funniest photo to end the wedding with, it looks like A has Minnie Mouse ears!

 

But it didn't end here. The day after, when the Japanese were testing the Sauna, we had lunch at Café Torpanranta, a lovely restaurant by the sea. The newlyweds came from a nearby hotel where they had spent the night. V and J were in charge of decorating the wedding suite and only two cones had been found in the bed. Such warm and sunny weather again and it was great to spend one more perfect moment together with everyone before I had to hurry to catch my plane.

 

 

E and A shining brighter than the sun

 

And then with S. Note A's beautiful dress and flowers in the hair, she still looks like a bride.




Me and J, a friend that I hadn't seen in long time.

 

 

Here we are!

The only remaining question is: How does it feel now?

 

Y: I'm just really happy that I've gotten to know everyone she loves. I'm so proud to be her husband and at the same time I feel responsible for her and for our life in Japan.

A: I'm super happy, cloud 9!
 

 

Well I wish you all the best for your new life as husband and wife!

 

 

 

 

xoxo: Emi

 

Ps. Now I want to get married as well! My prince charming, if you are reading this, here I am come get me! ;)

 

 

And they lived happily ever after. The end.