Wedding | Aurelie & Kyran

Tell us a little about yourselves!

We met 13 years ago while studying at university in the Netherlands. Today, we call Luxembourg our home, where we live with two slightly overweight cats.

We are partners, lovers, and most importantly, best friends. About a year into our relationship, we travelled to Japan together and it quickly became our shared happy place. Perhaps that was not entirely a coincidence: Aurelie studied contemporary Japanese literature, while Kyran’s Dad was a tattoo artist specialising in Japanese art. Two years ago, we got engaged on Ishigaki, a southwestern island of Okinawa, Japan.

Why did you decide to get married where you did?

Getting married was never a ‘must’ for us, but we agreed that if it ever were to happen, it would have to be in Japan. It sounded crazy at first, until our friends started asking when we would get married “because we want to visit Japan”.

We chose to get married at Motoyu Jinya in Tsurumaki Onsen, a small town not far from Tokyo. Jinya is a traditional Japanese ryokan with a history of more than 100 years. Our brief was simple: a venue that was easily accessible from an international airport, where our guests could stay overnight and that would give them a chance to experience Japanese culture and hospitality. Jinya ticked all those boxes, and so much more.

Small details made it extra special. Jinya used to be owned by a family member of the Studio Ghibli filmmaker Miyazaki. The large tree in “Totoro” is inspired by a tree on the grounds of the venue. The venue also lays claim to having two swords wielded by the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi - a familiar name to Kyran, who read the 1,000-page epic about his life.

What really convinced us was the kindness of the Jinya staff. From the very beginning, Uchiyama-san and her team went above and beyond to make our wedding day truly special.

How many guests did you have?

38 guests, coming from five different continents. Not everyone knew each other, so in the lead-up to the wedding, we created a WhatsApp group. Some guests got along so well that they even met up during their trip!

What was your budget?

€30k, monitored rigorously by Kyran. Aurelie’s brother contributed to the accommodation costs, which we are still very grateful for. In the end we were comfortably under budget.

Tell us about your outfits.

Kyran: I wanted to wear a suit I already owned. Aurelie asked “are you sure you don’t want to get a nice new suit?” so many times that I eventually got the hint and started making inquiries 8 weeks before we boarded the flight to Japan. If I got a new suit I would have to do it properly: I wanted to take after my Dad and get a bespoke suit. At the same time, I wanted a band collar (aka Nehru / Mandarin collar). I looked to see if I could get a suit made in my birthplace (Birmingham), but I could not fit the visit in (shout out Colmore). Tateyana, the owner of Artefact London, responded to the inquiry rapidly. After a first meeting and trial fitting, minor alterations were made and the suit was picked up with one week to spare. I wore an old pair of dress shoes and my Dad’s cufflinks.

I cut my own hair (obviously from the photos) and Aurelie lines the back of my neck – the joke is that we will cut my hair ourselves a) until we recoup the wedding costs or b) to offset the cost of Aurelie’s hairdresser appointments (women’s hair is expensive and it is unfair), but now I have noticed lots of hairs sprouting out of my ears – in denial of old age and death I may go to a barber soon.

Aurelie: What mattered most to me was wearing something comfortable and reusable. For years, I dreamt about a matelassé (quilted) set from Cecilie Bahnsen. When I first asked about the pieces I had in mind, I was told they were no longer available. I decided to make an appointment at the showroom anyway and travelled to Copenhagen with my mom. They happened to have a sample sale on the day of my appointment. Among the sale pieces was the quilted set at around 10% of their original price. It was meant to be! I found the CB x Charles Keith shoes online: vintage but never worn, from a seller in …. Japan.

The hat was a different story. I had long admired the work of Yuki from Demure Hats, a Japanese milliner based in Amsterdam. She drew inspiration from traditional Japanese bridal headwear and used vintage Simone Rocha lace to create a one-of-a kind hat. The result almost resembled a hood, and I loved how it matched with the intricate floral details of the shoes and outfit.

What was the most important aspect for you, in terms of planning your wedding?

We wanted to make the journey to Japan feel like part of the celebration. Instead of a rehearsal dinner, we rented out a karaoke bar in Tokyo. It felt completely surreal to meet our friends and family on the other side of the world, drinking highballs and singing our hearts out together.

Even though Aurelie speaks some Japanese, we decided to work with a local wedding planner. Weddings in Japan come with their own traditions and it was important to us to find someone who could understand our understated vision, translate it to local vendors and help us approach everything respectfully. From the start, Ayaka Ishimura and her team understood what we were trying to create. We met several times online in the lead-up to the wedding and Ayaka did an incredible job of bringing everything together.

Were there any elements that were important for you to incorporate?

Without appropriating Japanese culture, we looked for thoughtful ways to incorporate local elements, such as kagami biraki (the ceremonial opening of a sake barrel), wooden masu cups as name plates, origami birds with conversation starters and strawberry Daifuku (Japanese dessert) instead of a wedding cake.

Any tips for couples getting married?

Budget well. Track decisions. Cut your own hair to save a few bob. If you decide to do a destination wedding, accept early on that some loved ones may not be able to attend. Don’t be shy to ask friends for help.

More than anything, we came away from the experience feeling grateful for the family and friends who travelled so far to celebrate with us and who continue to pour so much love into our lives. We hope our own love can be just as generous in return.

Are there any vendors that you would like to tell us a little more about?

All our vendors played an important role in turning our dream into reality, but beyond those mentioned above:

Barelli Manon – Manon has been making custom pieces for us for years and is incredibly skilled. She designed both our engagement and wedding rings. Kyran’s ring has an organic shape, which resembles the tracing of Aurelie’s name.

Sarah Joy Landon – As lovers of analogue photography ourselves, we knew we wanted to work with someone who could capture us authentically. Sarah was the perfect fit. We fell in love with her documentary style photography, prioritizing unscripted moments to tell a unique story. Her enthusiasm to visit Japan with her partner made us want to work with her even more. Book her!

Photographer: Sarah Joy Landon @sarahjoylandonphoto | Planning & Styling: Ayaka Ishimura @ayaka.i_wedding | Flora: Hiroyuki Itou @itou.flowers | Ceremony & Reception Location: Tsurumaki Onsen Motoyu Jinya @jinya1300 | Celebrant: Colleague of the groom | HMUA: Rie Mochizuki @rie___hairmake | Catering & Beverages: Tsurumaki Onsen Motoyu Jinya @jinya1300 | Stationery: Wenhsiu Wang @wenhsiu.wang | Aurelie's Outfit: Cecilie Bahnsen Rosie skirt and Selena Top @ceciliebahnsen | Suit: Artefact London @artefactlondon | Veil: Demure Hats @demurehats_amsterdam | Engagement & Wedding Rings: Barelli Manon @barellimanon | Shoes: Cecilie Bahnsen x Charles Keith (Aurelie, Ceremony) @ceciliebahnsen; Vibram FiveFingers (Aurelie, Party) @vibramfivefingers; Loake Shoemakers (Kyran) @loakeshoemakers