Can You Count The Brides?

When I started traveling to Japan in the 1990’s, I was shocked to see brides lining up to have their wedding photos taken in public places like the major temples or scenic spots in Ueno Park.

I was at an age where a lot of my friends were getting married, so I had a sense that outdoor wedding photos were pretty popular at home, too. But I couldn’t imagine American brides lining up for the good photo spots or carefully posing to stay out of each others’ pictures. Americans want to be the only people in the place, especially for their own, special big days.

But there are too many people in too small a space for the Japanese to think that way.

What surprised me even more was seeing the same crowds of wedding photo sessions in China – even at much less iconic spots. China has a lot more room than Japan. But this random grassy lawn in Qingdao was littered with bridal shoots on a Saturday in May. I couldn’t even fit them all in the shot.