Vietnamese bride personally prepares "flower wedding" in Japan.

Chúc Lan, 32 years old, currently lives in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. She has been married for four years and is now living a "peaceful" life similar to Li Ziqi's. Every day she cooks, decorates her house, grows vegetables and flowers...

This year, because she plans to go back to Vietnam to celebrate Christmas and New Year with her family, she certainly won't be able to have a Christmas Eve party with her husband like every year. Between now and her return to Vietnam, there won't be another opportunity to throw a cozy party. Therefore, the end of the year might seem monotonous for Chuc Lan and her husband, so she decided to use their wedding anniversary to liven up the holiday season.

"Flower wedding" in Japan

In previous years, on their wedding anniversary, the couple would usually go out to eat at the restaurant where they first dated or combine a trip with a celebration at a homestay. This year, however, was the first time she held a celebration at home. With the intention of keeping it a secret from her husband, the small, cozy party turned out to be wonderful and filled them with unexpected happiness.

Let me tell you a little about Chúc Lan's love story. She and her husband had a long-distance relationship for two years and have been married for four years now. After the wedding, she learned that in Japan, the fourth year of marriage is called a "flower wedding." Coincidentally, the concept for her wedding featured a lot of flowers and greenery.

“I came up with the idea for this small party two days before our anniversary. As soon as I thought of it, I started planning. The first day was for decorating. The second day was for planning the menu and cooking. I didn't know about flower weddings in Japan; I only learned about this after reading my sister-in-law's letter,” Chúc Lan shared.

Later, she learned that in Japan, the first year of marriage is a "paper wedding" – the newlyweds are like a blank page, and they both write down their plans and intentions for their future married life.

The second year is a wedding ceremony made of cotton (cotton, silk), signifying that the couple will save, limit, and distance themselves from unnecessary luxuries in order to build a happy married life.

The third year is like "skin and leather," meaning that a marriage entering its third year also enters a phase of saturation and boredom. Therefore, be as resilient as "skin and leather" to continue a happy marriage.

The fourth year is a wedding anniversary, marking the beginning of a "fruitful" stage in marriage. It's a period that signals the culmination of love.

The Vietnamese bride meticulously prepared everything for the wedding reception herself.

Starting with the decorations, she took a 3-meter-long bridal veil, repurposed it, and tied it with lace, attaching it to a eucalyptus branch.

In an intimate and romantic party, scented candles are an essential element. She chose white and olive green to match the concept. She decorated the scented candles with a loving note, wrapped it in some twine, and adorned it with a few mimosa leaves.

The basket was repurposed from a previous flower gift; she filled it with dried zinnias she had grown herself last year. And on the plain wooden board, she meticulously and skillfully wrote a message of love with a fine-tipped pen.

"Japan is gradually entering late autumn right now, with average daytime temperatures in my area around 20-24 degrees Celsius. These conditions are favorable for the leaves in the garden to stay firm and fresh even without soaking them in water or special care when used for decoration. You can just comfortably arrange them in floral foam or decorate the table with them," Chúc Lan said.

In addition, Chúc Lan also creates her own menu, prepares and presents dishes in the style of fusion food (or fusion cuisine), which is a blend of ingredients and cooking methods from two or more countries and culinary traditions, offering diners a new experience.

Chúc Lan said: “First, I bake the sponge cake the night before so it has time to dry. The next day, I knead and proof the bread dough. While the dough is proofing, I marinate the chicken wings and cook the garlic soup. While the bread is baking, I finish the cake… I alternate the steps in a way that is as efficient and time-saving as possible. It takes me about 5 hours to prepare this menu.”

Chúc Lan's skillful combination of ingredients and spices resulted in a completely new and unique menu. Mini tomatoes dipped in sesame caramel, Mexican-style shrimp, Focaccia bread and garlic soup, orange-grilled chicken wings, grilled salmon skewers, fruit, cake, and white wine created a special flavor of love for the couple's celebration.

The 4th wedding anniversary of Vietnamese bride Chuc Lan and her Japanese husband was not only a romantic party with candles, flowers, and delicious food, but more importantly, it was when her husband read a handwritten letter in Japanese, meticulously crafted by her own hand.

Sharing more about her and her husband's love story, Chúc Lan said: "In love, and in life relationships in general, lasting relationships require the effort of each member to nurture them. Sincerity will be reciprocated with sincerity. In married life, always be generous and cherish your partner. Nurturing your spiritual life every day is the way to make your marriage last forever."

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Phuong Thao