Oh thank God!
We have less than 6 months to go, and I *think* we’ve found our new location. The Hakone Gardens are the “oldest surviving Japanese-style residential gardens in the Western Hemisphere.
If everything goes as planned, we will have our ceremony in the Hill and Pond Garden on the Moon Bridge and our reception on the back deck of their Cultural Exchange Center.
D. and I visited the location this past Saturday, and we were very excited about it.
Front gate
Hill and Pond Garden (Moon Bridge)
Island connected by Moon Bridge. The island is in the shape of a tortoise.
D. on the Moon Bridge standing where we will take our vows.
Fish!
Waterfall in the Hill and and Pond Garden
Rear of Cultural Exchange Center on the deck.
View from the deck.
So, what do you think?
H.B.I.C. - Head Bride In Charge 
January 2, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Welcome to California, Ms. ManicBride! Good luck with the location choosing. G and I have to start that this week. The lack of indoor space (we’re looking at Oct.) took Ainsley off our list, too. I haven’t been to the Hakone Gardens, but they’re on the list.
January 5, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I think it looks beautiful and am looking forward to it! How is your search for a wedding dress shopping companion going?
February 16, 2008 at 6:26 pm
This is gorgeous 🙂 Such a picturesque venue! Takeing your vowsd on the bridge is a great idea too!
March 10, 2008 at 2:48 pm
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May 24, 2008 at 11:46 am
[…] location, for their annual Matsuri festival. The gardens were far more lush than they were when we first visited Hakone in […]