1/18/2003: Rolling groom
 

http://cellar.org/2003/rollinggroom.jpg

In the US, it's tradition to throw handfuls of rice grains at a new groom and bride as they leave the wedding chapel.

In Matsunoyamamachi, Japan, they have a better tradition - they throw the groom. Down a snowy hillside.

The tradition developed centuries ago, when locals gave the same hurl to an out-of-towner who had the nerve to marry a local gal.

Are you sure that he wasn't just standing on top of that hill, and smushed wedding cake all over the bride's face? That justifies sending him ass-over-teakettle (now what's the origin of THAT little gem?) down a damn mountain.

Especially if he gets any of the cake on the dress.

I wanna have a wedding like that. It could be, like, an EXTREME WEDDING! No Fear, Dude! We'd be married in mid-air, like, after base-jumping with the minister from a microwave tower! That way we'd have the microwave burns to memorialize the event! Then my groomsmen would throw me down a hillside, only without snow! Yeah! And I'd have to rock-ski down it! The ring-bearer would be on a bungee cord, too. That way he just jump in, hand me the ring, and then go flying! Wild! TO THE EXTREEEEEME! SURRRGE!

At my wedding, the crowd was calling for mutual cake-smushing, but we'd agreed to just be cute and dab each other on the nose with it. One little "doot!" apiece and everyone went back to their seats.

As I passed the best man, he said something to the tune of "What, nobody gets cake on their face?" I took a small handful, said "Well, I wouldn't say that..." and got him right between the eyes with it. Nobody else caught it until it was over with (my mom took a picture of Rick wiping off his forehead several seconds later), but we got a kick out of it.

Aw, c'mon, it's not like she's going to wear it again...

that figures
 

You'd *have* to be rolling to keep a smile on your face while being thrown off a cliff at your own wedding party.

I believe the tradition had been to throw the bride. They changed this, as wearing white, it took some 3 - 4 weeks to find the bride in the snow.

now you can get married absolutely anywhere you want ...
 

Thanks to the amazing, new, inflatable church!!!

Nothing in the advertising indicates whether an inflatable bride is included.