| The
number of Japanese holding their weddings abroad has tripled in recent years and
is expected to go on increasing very rapidly. Because
it has many churches with stained-glass windows and pipe organs, nice scenery
and no language barrier, Hawaii is the most popular destination at the moment. About
20 guests and family members go with each couple; this means that nearly half
a million Japanese "wedding tourists" had holidays in Hawaii last year. Many
couples see numerous advantages in getting married abroad. For
example, company employees don't have to worry about inviting their bosses or
colleagues to the wedding. Often, traditional weddings
are very luxurious with a lot of social pressure, so couples can have a much cheaper
and more intimate wedding if they go abroad. Some
people are asking questions about how suitable it is for Japanese non-Christians
to get married in churches. However, many priests
do not mind marrying non-Christian couples; they regard it as missionary work. They
believe that the important thing is getting people into a church, not why they
come for the first time! | 
