Rental Wedding Guests, And Other Weirdness

"So you even rented the BRIDE?"
Oddly Enough, Reuters (June 8, 2009)

"We have this story today that says if you don’t know enough people to invite to your wedding, it turns out you can HIRE total strangers from this Japanese agency who will come and pretend to be your family and friends.

"Surely this is another sign of that approaching Apocalypse. In addition to all the other runaway expenses of having a wedding, you can now add $200 a person so you don’t look quite as much like the total loser you really are?..."

The post includes two photos: one of a poodle wearing a wedding dress and another of a model wearing a bra that includes a timer, battery pack, and - - - oh, never mind.

I don't know enough about Japanese culture to know how sensible hiring a wedding party is. I have heard that, not all that long ago, in parts of Europe, mourners could be hired for a funeral: so I suppose it's not all that unusual.

By the way: despite the title, the groom apparently can't hire the bride.

Maybe next year.