Hair Raising Wedding Planning

Oh, the things one must go through for beauty, or, er, authenticity, at least. 

Two weeks ago (a Sunday) found H and I setting out to a tiny little room of an office near Inokashira Park in Kichijoji. The office was home to a Japanese bridal professional who would help us with choosing and fitting kimono and shiromuku etc., in addition to dressing me the day of the ceremony (it's going to take two hours!!!!). 

While we were there, she asked about hair - I shared my desire to have my own hair, rather than the big, black wig that is sometimes worn. Alas, if I wanted to wear the big hat (which my mum is pretty sure makes me look like the pope), I would have to forgo the natural hair and get all wigged out. *sigh*

After tucking my hair up in pins and nets and a tie, I had the contraption put on by our lovely helper. But then my great big head had to go along and do something stupid...namely by being too big. But apparently, these wig-things come in different sizes. Saved! So on it went (see left), and then in went some decorations (see right) and voila, one step closer to going Japanese.  


They had a brown one and a black one, but before you go thinking that I went with the brown (for the actual ceremony, of course, as you can clearly see from the pictures that the one I tried on was black), being closer to my real hair colour, you have to understand that the brown is the colour of fake Japanese dyed hair brown - not exactly becoming on anyone. So, black it is.  


To look at it, you would never guess how heavy that wig thing is. The reason is that under all that hair, as you can see on your left, are metal bars that kind of groove together to make it flexible. So, luckily, although a bit creepy, the wig intrigued and pleased me. I'm not too sure that I'll be feeling as pleased with it the day of the ceremony as I attempt to navigate the shrine grounds with several extra pounds on my head, but for now, it is quite the novelty. I especially enjoy how every Japanese person who has seen the photos tells me, between gasps of laughter, how much the wig suits me. But is it really the truth when they're holding their sides from laughing so hard?? I guess it's all relative, though. The final product will look entirely different to boot, what with my face being painted all white, so it's anyone's guess as to what I'll look like in the end. 楽しみですね！