Joey and David's Seaside Wedding in Japan

Photography byThayer Allyson Gowdy, Phillip Nondorf

We love any chance we get to travel to Asia, and heading to Japan with Joey and David was no exception. Joey and David wanted to turn their wedding into an adventure, and took the opportunity to bring their family and friends to a place that is truly special to them. They invited their loved ones to Ise-Shima, a peninsula on the southern coast of Japan, to share the coastal region (and its famous fresh seafood!) in celebration of their wedding. The area is also home to Amanemu, a luxury onsen surrounded by thermal springs and some of the world’s most famous pearl diving locations.

The rehearsal dinner took place at the Pearl Museum, where the country’s famed female pearl divers prepared a simple and fresh meal of incredible seafood grilled in front of the guests.

The next day, the bride and groom wed in the hotel’s garden. Vibrant hydrangeas, dahlias and peonies were draped from the branches of a tree, and at the end of the ceremony, David and Joey toasted with sake before being whisked away on a cart adorned with bamboo cans.

Guests enjoyed cocktails as local drummers performed, then the group headed into the hotel for an indulgent four-course Japanese meal.

The menu ranged from abalone shabu shabu and assorted sashimi to truffle soba, braised octopus, and beef sukiyaki. The tables were draped with pink, champagne, and purple linens, and peonies, roses, and hydrangeas in the same tones floated out of white ceramic vases.

As the night drew to a close, the couple wrapped up their wedding in true Japanese fashion: With hours of karaoke!