What do you mean, "Be Nice". Those are great pictures! You look very happy...Good stuff.

lol why do i cried

What beautiful pictures! I wish you two the best!

Uh... don't know if you are aware of it, but you have also released all the photos on your album to the public; from work to graduation, etc etc...

just a heads up, dunno if u meant to share all those to the general public :[

(Az's Note: Yeah, I know...Photobucket was just the easiest choice.)

Her dress is gorgeous, she is gorgeous, the venue is gorgeous. Good choices all around man.

I wish you both the best, and please pass on our congratulations and praise to your wife.

great pics Az!

For all the years I've been reading OP9 & GS, this may be my only comment ever...

But congrats man, and from one random stranger you'll never meet - I gotta say, I think you two make a damn good couple. Best of luck to you both, and no matter what you wind up doing down the road, I hope you keep writing!

Wow Az, you two just look amazing. It's great to see you genuinely happy in those pictures. But I think you forgot one important factor when explaining the difference between finding a japanese woman and a non asian woman...

No matter the culture, you have to go through a lot of bad choices, before you find the one that's perfect for you. You certainly found one that makes you happy, and set the perfect example that no matter what culture, geography, or difference in super powers, there is always a chance to find the right one. Congratulations. I only wish I could actually be your friend irl and be able to tell you that.

By the way, in the course of stalking...I mean, browsing through your photo collection, there's something that struck me as odd. You don't like look anything like what you're writing suggests. Here I was expecting this really tough/snarky/sarcastic looking guy, but you appear to have this perpetually innocent/teddy bear look.....haha, just my opinion.

the wedding pict- WOOOOT !!
i see there was a gaijin priest, did he talk gaijinese during the ceremony ?

Wow Az, you two just look amazing. It's great to see you genuinely happy in those pictures. But I think you forgot one important factor when explaining the difference between finding a japanese woman and a non asian woman...

No matter the culture, you have to go through a lot of bad choices, before you find the one that's perfect for you. You certainly found one that makes you happy, and set the perfect example that no matter what culture, geography, or difference in super powers, there is always a chance to find the right one. Congratulations. I only wish I could actually be your friend irl and be able to tell you that.

Wow, beautiful pictures. It's amazing the course you've taken - from the very beginning up until now. Good luck with everything, and enjoy everything. Your pictures remind me that sometimes good things can happen and people can be genuine. Congratulations!

Hey Az, I've been reading for 3 years or so, never decided to comment before. Just wanted to say I really liked your wedding pictures, I couldn't stop smiling at my screen like some idiot. Congratulations man.

Haa... Yes, Yellow Fever... I totally agree.
And when you date a japanese girl who show you how much you idealized japanese girls...
Damn, so much pain........
Now you have to help me : how do you finish your "Japanese-female-hating ways"..?

There are some really awesome pictures! The photographer is totaly worth his pay. And finally i got to see Mrs. Azrael. :)

Wow I actually thought that you were giving the fist to the priest. You look really tense in all those pictures by the way, I guess its the wedding effect.

1) Once again, I am the Odd Man Out -- I've yet to
suffer the ravages of Yellow Fever (and now that I
have a GF, I probably never will...).

2) Was the wedding in an actual church? When the
GF and I went to Tokyo Disneyland after the 2007
World SF Convention, the hotel we stayed in had a
full-sized chapel-esque thing in the lobby which
looked very much like what's seen in your pics.

Congratulations Az. I'm very happy that you were able to find happiness, especially after all the things that have happened to you in the past. I recently lost my own fiance, and have been going through a horrible time because of it. Seeing that you've found a wonderful person to spend your life with gives me hope for myself. I wish you all the best on your journey with your wife.

P.S. Those pictures are wonderful. You two are an adorable couple.

As someone who's gone through yellow fever (still is) i can say you've explained it perfectly. The Disregard for non-asian women is very true but also very inconvenient unless you're actually in japan.

ご結婚おめでとう！

Wonderful pics. Thanks for sharing them!

Hey, Az, would you ever consider writing a post on your Japanese studying methods? For those readers who are at that tricky, "JLPT2-ish" intermediate level where you can't ignore the masses of kanji and obscure grammar anymore.

ヒントいただきたいけどな。

Well, just an idea. Again, congratulations. Looking forward to the (apparently swiftly forthcoming) baby pics in the future ... :p

Has she taken your last name, or added it to her own? Or does it work completely different in Japan?

Be nice? Ah don't be silly, you both look great. And congratulations.

Have read your blog since OP9 and I have always loved it. I have never commented before but I would like to congratulate you and say that your wife is beautiful. Hope you two have a long and wonderful life.

/Lord Gus in Sweden.

Glad to have been of help with the Wedding Photo bribery!

Az, thanks for posting the pics. I've never posted before and probably never will again, but I wanted to say I'm happy for you and wish you success and happiness. God bless you and your family.

ur wfie is hot

Just kidding, congrats man.

You didn't tell us you were marrying Lucy Liu!

I love the pic where you can see the minister in the background bowing as you are walking out.

That's actually pretty cool! Great pics!

Oh, wow... what a dress! You guys look so happy
:)

Bravo sir. I've been married for about a year and a half myself now, and I will say she is quite the lovely girl. Good luck, and please as always keep updating. Always funny, and wonderful to read.

-Philip

Jeff, Congrats man.
The misses is cute too! The be nice I don't think was necessary.. I think you two are a beautiful couple and that was a beautiful wedding.

I've been following your life for 2 2 1/2 years now from when these stories were on OP9.

God, It's been tough keeping up with your story as you haven't been chronologically correct But at least as of lately we're within a few months huh?

Well dude, I like many of your friends, family and GS readers can't wait to see the halflings!

Have fun knocking up your wife!!!
muwa hahahahahahaha

Az! These are amazing! Beautiful wedding!! I wish you guys the best in the future. I wish I could donate, but as a poor student...

Hopefully things look up soon!

You bastard! You made me cry. How beautiful! You both look like royalty. The venue was just beautiful. She looks lovely and good - yeah, I remember the stories about that time of the month - but, man, you guys just look great and very, very happy. You make me want to get married in a tux! Of course, it made me want to see the after-wedding party pictures, but this'll do. :-)

Congratulations! I'm very happy for you.

I went back the other day and re-read your entry about when you went out on your second date wtih your future wife and you ran into some of your students on the bus. Very funny! Now I can really picture it. She's just as cute as your students said she was.

Also, I'll send you a small wedding present via paypal. Best wishes and do your best!

Longtime lurker, first time commenter.

You guys look happy. She's hot and you remind me of a bigger Chris Tucker.

Congrats.

Nice wedding pics man. I feel bad because I didn't contribute anything. I bet that cut you down a few million Yen. I almost thought you'd be doing it Japanese style, but then I forgot the whole romantic idea of the woman getting married in a church that has Japanese women fascinated.

As far as Yellow Fever goes, I figured it to be an unknown fascination with something that one's own society creates through a small, concentrated bombardment of culture bits through the media. Like anime, sushi, chopsticks, kimono, samurai, etc. Then we go over to Japan and are totally disillusioned and resentful that they didn't match what we were led to believe. It's pretty much with Japanese and the church marryings or with hip hop over there.

Asian girls - without the crazy hair and ridiculous makeup - can be gorgeous. But then so can *any* girl. Confound the people who have accused me of yellow fever, how do they explain all the American and European girls I have fallen for? I am very much an equal opportunity sort of guy.

That aside, wedding pictures = d'awwwwwwww.

Same here. First comment for all the years: Congrats, Az!

*does not suffer from Yellow fever, being Asian himself* Ha!

hiya az....been reading for months now (haven't gotten to outpostnine yet though), my first comment...and so...

so far i love your blog about japan. as many others here, i hope one day to do the jet thing. i have enjoyed every little bit....even the horrid job episodes. you have our support over here in the states. good luck on getting a new and better job, good luck with your wife (nice pics, been waiting for those!), and pop out some babies already! ganbate!

also i must admit, i am one of those white guys who experiences (minor) episodes of Yellow Fever.

Azrael-san, you have helped inspire me to further my goals of graduating from college (took several years off) and doing what i can to get into jet in the future. ARIGATO GOZAIMASU!
now to have fun rummaging through ALL your photos.... heheheheh (evil silly laugh ensues)

Sincerely,
Mylhendir of North Carolina, US

That picture with your guest on the stairs watching you two up top is amazing! I can see why she couldn't wait to get married.

You made my day man! Those photo----AWESOME! Just AWESOME!

Keep up the good work my friend!

Congrats! The pics are beautiful. and your hairstyle pwnz! hehe

Yo, did you give yourself that fresh line? You said you cut your own hair. This means that either you are very precise or are a freakin' warlock with double-jointed wrists.

Thanks for sharing your wedding pictures with us. Remember to try and hold out from having kids as long as you can!

I gotta agree with Stan there, you really remind me of Chris Tucker. =) That aside, lovely wedding pictures. I especially like this one http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/LordAzrael/wedding/?action=view¤t=01620022.jpg although your faces can't be seen in it. It just has such a nice warm and fuzzy, cozy feeling to it. Hope you get a good job soon before the little Azlets start being churned out. ^^

Oh by the way, all your pics are extremely open dude. Maybe you should roll out some black face bars for anonymity's sake. You can never be too safe.

Hey Az, long time reader here, since GaijinSmash was on Outpost9, just wanted to say congratulations! Also, the pictures were beautiful man, you two look great together, I'm really happy for you and Mrs Az. :)

良い写真ですね！それと彼女は美人です！
アズさんは不思議な場合が多くても運が良いですよね。
once again, おめでとう！

Looks like it was a great ceremony.
So when will "Baby Blues VII: The Awakening" come?
And will there be pictures?
And will it be followed by "Baby Blues VIII: The Gaijin Media Adventure"?
Well, you probably get enough of that from Mrs. Azrael & Co.
Best wishes from Faroe Islands

Wow. You both look amazing! I was looking forward to seeing these pictures for a while, but they definitely exceeded my expectations. Well-wishes for your marriage!

Please tell me you managed to somehow sneak "I promise to Activate your Interlock! Connect your Dynatherms! Up your Infracells in sickness and in health! And ensure your Megathrusters are Go for richer or for poorer!" into your wedding vows.

Great pictures all round!

Your wife is so cute! And she's a nice person, too? You did well, Az!

Been reading this for years--

Of course a softie like me cried at the Moeko story and while looking at y'all's wedding photos. Both of you look perfect!

Thank you for all the wonderful stories and pictures :]

Also, the two guys you worked with in the office are super cute haha (Seeing as you're off the market, us single females have to look elsewhere!)

She's beautiful! Ya'll make a cute couple.

Az, I've been reading your entries since Outpost 9 days and this is one of the two entries that made me feel fuzzy inside (the other was about Moeko's handmade owl). Your post was really touching, your pictures even more so. And do I see you crying in one of the pictures? That is so cute~

Here's hoping you find a great job and have a great life with your lovely wife. Cheers.

The pictures warmed my heart. It's funny 'cause I've been reading so long I have emotional investment in what you do, but I don't actually know you so I feel like a weirdo being excited to see a stranger's wedding pictures.

Congratulations! You both look beautiful! That is such a beautiful, modern dress! And that is the trendiest church ever! You must have left there feeling extra trend-i-fied!

I get my wedding pictures this weekend. Squee!

I normally don't like looking at wedding pictures. They usually look so unnatural and staged, the bride and groom look like actors or props, and they generally come off as pretentious and attention whorish.

But these pictures are really wonderful. They look "real"--you both look clearly in love and your wife looks genuinely happy. Good job.

Your wedding pics look incredible Az, as do you and your wife. Congratulations. If my wedding day, when it comes, looks even half as incredible as yours I'll count myself as a very lucky man.

Also, thank you so much for providing so many hours of entertaining reading for me over the years. I hope thinks keep on looking up for you and you realize your dreams to make it as a full time writer.

wow the first pic looks like straight out of a wedding magazine, you both look amazing.
Hope everything goes well.

The wedding pics look great man,congrats.

Classy photos...Great tux and a gorgeous dress.

Congratulations on everything. It certainly has been a wild ride for you. I hope you appreciate the community you've created -- you're a great writer and I can't wait to see what happens when Az Jr starts babysmashing.

You look like a skinnier Kenan Thompson. It's uncanny.

Congratulations! Great photos. You both look wonderful. Your wife is beautiful, but she also looks like a very warm and happy person. I wish you both nothing but the best.

Those pics were not what I was expected after years of reading about little Japanese boys Kanchoing you...How old are you?

You and your wife look like teenagers!

now these were the cutest wedding pics I've ever seen
and the venue is so nice too *_*
as a girl here, I'm having a bit of dress envy hehe

Wow this reminds me how my generation (born in the 80's grew up in the 90's) is getting older and everything is changing so fast. Looking back in the past this kinda makes me sad but I think the future's bright.

Oh well, おめでとう　ございます!!

May your days together be long and your hardships few! :-)

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG

congratulations!

your girlfriend- I mean, WIFE- is suuuuuper pretty and that dress is gorgeous! oh you look good too by the way

And the venue is amazing!

and that random white priest guy made me LOL.

good luck with married life!

I must say that the pictures were really great (I worked as a photographer a few years ago). However, that photographer had great subjects to work with. Both you and your new wife looked amazing!

As for the "yellow fever" thing...I swear it was Chun-Li's plan from the start to get us hooked as children! I say we should counter-attack by getting asian women hooked on african-american men (or those that are mixed)! That will teach them!

[And so my wonderous plan to attract all unmarried asian women to me begins...muah ha ha ha ha ha!]

Wonderful pictures, Az! You look very dashing and your wife looks beautiful.

Oh wow. Everything was absolutely beautiful at the wedding :O

Awwwww, you two are so cute together! Your tux is awesome (I LOVE coats with tails), and your wife's dress could not have been prettier. I hope I look that good on my wedding day. ^^; And you picked a beautiful venue, too! You both look like you're having so much fun; I hope you two look that happy every day from now on. ;)

Dear Azrael and Mrs. Azrael,
Congratulations! I'm so pleased that you two had such a lovely wedding, and even more pleased that you were gracious enough to post pictures of your Big Day for a bunch of perfect strangers like us. Thank you sincerely for the little peek into your world!
Azrael, you looked very dashing in your tux. Mrs. Azrael, your dress is BEAUTIFUL! You looked radiant and so happy! Ah, I can't wait to get married, myself. (Question, if you have the time and inclination to answer - would Japanese people think it was strange for a white American couple to get married in a Japanese-style wedding?)
Congratulations, again, you two! May you spend the rest of your lives together in happiness and contentment, and may you never go to bed angry at one another. Good luck!!! :)

I love your posts, and this one was especially touching. You are you and she is she. It goes so nicely with the pictures of your wedding. You both make a very lovely couple and the ceremony was beautiful. Your bride's dress was just gorgeous and you looked very dashing in your tuxedo. I especially liked the panoramic shot of the two of you kissing that had the lights blur. The way the shadows were cast it looked almost like something powerful was happening during the kiss.

O.K., I too have been reading since your outpost nine days and have never commented. However, I want to say that I hope you do continue to pursue writing. You have a real knack for vivid, humorous descriptions. Though I know your employment situation is scary right now, it seems like you have a good foundation in your partner. Congratulations to you and your lovely wife. I hope you use that foundation to clean up some of your writing, formalize it, get an editor, and turn all the great writing into something cohesive. I'll buy the book.

Beautiful wedding, i wish happiness to you both. It seemed by your wife's face that it was just what she wanted so much. Also, good to realize that your priest was samurai.

Hey, I couldn't help browsing your other pics... awesome that you are a kendoka. I'm a modest 1st kyu, have been training for roughly two and a half years. Got any kendo anecdotes to share? :)

Wow, I don't think I've ever heard of a better explanation for Yellow Fever. Nicely done!

Aw.. you both look so sweet.

Congrats to the two of you Az, love the photos! Wish you all the best for the future :)

Az, congrats on the wedding. Your wife's beautiful.

I also wanted to note that I'm extremely happy to read your "everyone is (ultimately) different" part, because it's one thing that's always bugged me about your editorials, and that's your throwing-around of prejudgments. Ultimately I always presumed you were joking, but at some point a joke grows old and I think I hit that point sooner than you did. Now that the laundry's aired, I doubt I'll have that problem again.

These are adorable. Your wife is lovely!

Not sure what you were thinking when you created that under-the-chin beard, but - still! yay for pictures and a happy wedding!

Awwww, Az! These are absolutely adorable! I think my women senses are kicking in and I should be getting married, too. You two are just so cute. I honestly wish you the best of luck in your marriage and I'm really hoping to see some babies quite soon. :)

Nice wedding! Congratulations. Now I gotta admit that for some reason I always thought you'd look like Barrett from FFVII :D

We've been reading of your adventures for years. (Personally I heard about you when you started doing the teaching in Japan articles). We laughed, we laughed some more, and well we never really cried, we did feel the pain of some of your tougher moments, but then you probably had us laughing again soon after. It's been quite a journey, and while it'll go on a lot longer, it still feels like we're crossing a milestone with you. Thanks for sharing the experiences; we've enjoyed the insights into your life and adventures. The little lady looks beautiful, and from what you've told us, sounds like she's a great person, too. I wish you both great happiness. To marriage! And more adventures of Az! Cheers!

Aww, her dress is beautiful. That whole wedding looks amazing. You two are a nice couple.

Wow, those pics are nice. The location looks great. Overall, I'd have to give it two thumbs up. It made me laugh, tear up and come out feeling warm inside.

100% congratulations to you.

Honestly, you're my favorite type of Yellow Fever sufferer... the kind who has dispensed with the idealized view of Japanese women, but found that one-in-a-million girl that you love, regardless of outside apperances.

Though for the record, being a single white girl in Japan sucks so hard I think I would dare compare it to the Thouand Year Kencho, thanks to 1) the Yellow Fever phenomenon (no white guys will date you) and 2) Terrified Male phenomenon (you intimidate Japanese guys just by standing there.)

looking sharp Az

I don't get your sarcasm... you odd sometimez man...

and why'd you want to change your wife(tv stuff)?

J girls are just like any other, except when they are 40 they still look like in their mid-20s...

and don't be an idiot, you married her because you still prefer Japanese to all others (denial is the most predictable of all human responses)

Congrats!

Now I understand why it took you so long to save up for the wedding! It looks absolutely magical, thanks for sharing the photos!

It was all so beautiful. I almost shed tears seeing these. You guys are adorable together, she looked very beautiful in that dress. You ain't lookin bad yourself homie. And congratulations to the both of you.

P.S.: Where can you get a shape-up in Japan?

Oh man, that church is gorgeous, as is your wife! (Has anyone ever told her she looks like Lucy Liu?) She chose a wonderful dress, and dressed you up right nice, too. The candlelight photos are just amazing. I'm sure it was even better in person. Major congratulations, and thanks a million for sharing the photos with us!

Both of you look way different than the way I envisioned. But it's nothing bad!

Her dress looks great! Is that building in Japan?? It's damn gorgeous.

Does she know about this?

"with a screeching laugh complete with hearty gasps of breath between each wail"

They seriously do this? I thought that was just an anime cliche, like "and I would've gotten away with it if it hadn't been for you meddling kids" here in the US.

The wedding looks oddly Americanized. How'd that happen dude?

Nice wedding pics, man. Real nice.

Just one thing I'd like to add, regarding Princess Peach's kiss. She doesn't even DO that. She just asks Mario to rescue her all over again... with double the enemies this time!

Congrats man!!! Those wedding pics look great.

Anyway, I look forward to reading your future entries.

>>She looks like a 13-year old boy and...why is she crying?! This isn't even remotely sexy!

Hook a brother up plz

Very nice photos, man. Congrats and thanks for the spat of recent updates.

so Chris said...

"your wife is hot, just kidding. Congrats man."

is this an insult or a compliment? :)

your wife IS hot! I would totally do her again.

Great pictures man! Just as you say, love has nothing to do with the color of skin in the end. I wish you two the best of luck in your future life together!

Good job on the chick. I must be weird as I've got what I like to call Gothy Girl Fever in that I seem to only be attracted to pasty white girls with dark hair wearing black (which is odd considering my girlfriend is a redhead...) but that's me.

Anyway, good luck with the wedding/etc. and such. I always enjoy the disconnect between the writing persona and what I've imagined people looking like in my head, and then seeing what they actually look like. Even if I already know what said person supposedly looks like. It's one of those funny Internet things.

Fantastic pictures, Az. Congratulations of course, and great luck for the future. As mentioned by many other fans, whatever you end up doing, I hope you will continue writing.

Wow, Az, those are great pictures! You two look so nice together. Your wife seems like a lovely woman (her personality seems to shine through in her facial expressions). It looks like you had a wonderful wedding after all. :)

Congratulations, you went through hell at work, you deserve a happy ending! I hope it stays happy!

On a side note, for some reason, finally getting to see the face of Az feels like some heavenly revelation in an epic fantasy movie, like when Gandalf rode over the hill in The Two Towers. Why it feels so epic is beyond me.

You both look wonderful and extremely happy, congratulations!

DAYUM.. she's pretty good looking. You got good tastes. *thumbs up* Also looking classy there, a real Azrael I see there.. once again Congrats on your marriage!! You are one awe- words cannot convey how indescribable this situation is..

Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Az!!! The Mrs. is quite the looker and stunning in that wedding dress, you're one lucky dude Az. Can't wait to see pics of the children growing up. Hope you're going to be sticking around with us for that long, LOL. Take care and best of luck!.

1) You got this kinda devil-smirk look on.

2) The venue looks kinda like Caesar's Palace in Vegas.

3) Mrs. Az is a _fine_ lady.

4) It was clearly a Christian ceremony. One would think that like most Americans you are at least a nominal Christian. Is the Mrs's family Christian? Or did she convert? Or do Japanese go for American-Christian-style weddings (the wedding gown etc) just because they look good?

Hey, great wedding pictures. We're all waiting to see the hybrids. :)

Oh god, I am so jealous. You guys look great! You look very dapper and the wife is gorgeous; she reminds me a little of Lucy Liu for some reason ahaha. And her gown...Oh the gown. It's just like when I was watching the Sex and the City movie. I'd love to get married right NOW.

Honestly, Az, I do have to ask... where did you get the idea of a three-year engagement? I know of no American women who would go for that... really, for most women I know, after the formal proposal, even one year is only just reasonable. Thinking time before you take the plunge is something you do *before* you pick out the ring, not after.

I must say, congratulations and best of luck.

The wedding pictures are absolutely astounding; both of you look truly like royalty but with a fuzzy warmth :)

You seem to talk alot about the 'caked in makeup, over stylised' monstrosities. But I'm curious. Do they outnumber the normal looking female folk?

Congratulations! She's gorgeous...

your wife needs a better handle than "Mrs. Azrael"
that is all

love her dress T_T

Nice pictures there, congratulations on your wedding.

couldn't help but take a look at some other images.

You like like the love baby from chris tucker and chris rock, face wise, in some pictures...

Anyone ever tell you this ?

Awww your wedding pictures were TOO adorable!! Truely a beautiful wedding! Your wife look amazingly beautiful.

You & Mikki look so happy! I have to agree with all the above comments on the dress & how good you two look. And I did notice in one pic that there was a trail of a tear from your eye, which tells me you were either very happy, or you got a little something in your eye (yeah, that's the ticket! Something in your eye!).

Congratulations once again! May you be blessed for many years to come. And even with the pressure about babies, be careful and only make that move when the time is right for the two of you.

Blessings!

AWWWWWWWW. ^_______^

Good lord, what is happening? I am so not a mushy person, but these photos made me coo OUT LOUD AT WORK. Nothing to see here, clients. Go on about your lives. >_>

Seriously, congrats and much love to you two.

Looking at your photos, Az-sensei, makes me forget all the troubles in the world. Congrats, and may you make a lot of little Az-senseis

Looking at the pictures of you standing with your wife, smiling at the camera, I just had a flashback to that pic of you and Snuzzlebunnies and nearly guffawed out loud (at work, of course).

I don't even know what did it -- I think it was your grin.

Congrats and well-wishing in any event!

P.S. Remember, don't piss her off. Q-tips and superglue and all that.

Hahaha, awwww Az, I can literally see the fear in your eyes in some of those pics.. seriously though, way to go man, you and your wife look great together and she sounds like a lovely woman who, god knows, you thoroughly deserve.

Conratulations and best wishes to both of you for now and the future... now let's just see how long you'll last before she inevitably talks you into having kids!

I'm marrying a brazilian soon, american 21 year old female here :) It's so nice to hear the "I don't think of it as an international relationship" because we don't either. It used to be upsetting to have guys ask him about brazilian girls, and why me instead, etc. It's not a matter of that, it's who you love and their own personal qualities.
Congratulations and hope you post pics when you have kids, muahahah!

Hey! I've been reading your posts for about a year and never commented, so this may seem weird coming from me, but congrats! Your wife is really pretty and it's good that people can still find happiness (lately I have been wondering about that). As an animation major, I have high hopes of going to Japan one day soon and I hope that my time there is at least half as interesting as yours. From one Bay Area native to another, I wish you good luck down the road! <3, random girl you have never met before and probably never will.

Like some of the other commenters, I too have been a long time reader and am now posting for the first time. I've been a fan of yours for the past 5 years (from my senior year in high school up until now... my last year at university), and I feel like in viewing these pictures I'm being allowed to share in the milestone of a good friend. I'm applying to the JET Program right now (don't shoot me), and I feel like finally getting to see these pictures is a sign that I have a chance at getting in. I don't know if you've heard, but it's gotten extremely competitive in the past few years, and even more so now that everyone is jumping ship in the face of the economic downturn.

Dude, once I clicked on "Wedding Pictures" and the shots loaded up, I almost cried. But it's ok, I'm a chick!

As for the "yellow fever" question (and I'm an Asian American girl, so I've experienced the phenomenon firsthand, sometimes with disgust), I can sorta try to answer it from an Anthropological perspective, but I dunno if everyone else will find it heavyhanded and too academic. Part of it has roots in colonialism and an exoticization of the East, as well as images of Asian women as innocent, pure, submissive, etc. Video game characters are forms of media imagery too, so I guess you're on the right track? Haha. Anyway, I suppose I'm someone guilty of "yellow fever" myself since my first exposure to Japanese guys were Hyde from L'arc~en~ciel and those anime pretty boys back when I was a kid. I had a crush on Darien (Mamoru) from Sailor Moon.. ahahaha weirdo. I've since had various reality checks just as you did and experienced that love/hate thing myself. Now I'm in a longterm relationship with a guy who just happens to be Japanese; and yeah, I agree with you that we shouldn't view it as an "international relationship," but rather, as a content one between two people who understand each other.

Whoa, first post ever and it became this long?!! Sorry about that.

By the way, I'm a fellow north-bay-er! I grew up in Vallejo. Have you ever been there?

(Az's Note: Yeah, I worked at the Six Flags down there for awhile. See the "Six Circles of Hell" posts.)

I've been a fan of your blog for awhile Az, I found it while looking up JET resources. I think there are different strains of yellow fever though. I would say I have Yellow Fever, but I don't disregard white girls. The Asian persuasion just happens to be my preferred flavor. I've dated white girls and been pretty happy with that, but I must admit I fall into the same situation as you, I sort of expect to marry a Japanese girl while I'm in japan (I might even be a little disappointed if I don't) Any dating tips for the American male on his way to Japan?

Thanks and keep blogging! The wedding pictures look great, I'm very happy for the both of you.

You should do a post on Street Fighter 4 ^-^ We can't wait in the states!

Heya Az. Congratulations on the wedding! I wish you two the best together in your future ^_^

Glancing through some of the other pictures you had was awesome too. I saw the owl you received as a present! Who was it from again? Moeko?

As some of the other readers commented, you don't seem half as intimidating in pictures as you read on your blog. I mean that as a compliment :P

Take care!

Is it wrong that I teared up looking at the photos? I mean... Wow. Just... Wow. :)

Your wife is absolutely beautiful in these pictures, everything a girl wants to be on her wedding :) Her dress is stunning, the church was beautiful, and you both look incredibly happy. I bet you made her dream wedding come true!

I've been following your blog for a few years now, even on the old website. It's amazing seeing how you have grown and changed from this experience, and for some strange reason I feel incredibly happy for you and all you have gained. Best of luck in the future, Az, keep me smiling!

Jen

Re; Earlier poster about Christian weddings. The Japanese are not exactly strict religious people. Japan is secular-but-influenced-by-many-historical-religions. A typical Japanese family might visit Shinto shrines, go to Buddhist funerals but then have a Christian weddings.

Oh yeah! It's been awhile so I forgot about that entry. Sorry if you had to deal with wannabe gangsta teenagers wearing baby blue bandannas and saggy pants while you were there. Ah, Six Flags. What a hellhole. It's now called "Discovery Kingdom" and I believe most of the animals have died off. I went there last year and my purse got stolen out of THE SECURITY BIN right next to the ride controller booth! WTF.

Anyway, don't give up on the job search yet! The market isn't any better over here either. All the long-standing stores are going out of business (Circuit City, Mervyn's, etc.) and everyone's getting laid off. Crazy.

Congrats! Your wife is beautiful and she looked like she was the happiest woman alive at that wedding!

I think my brother has yellow fever...he's only dated or liked one white girl in his life...

Congratulations, Az !
I hope the best for the both of you !

Lovely wedding photos-it looks like an amazing location and a great ceremony. Just a quick question, about weddings in Japan in general:
My understanding (correct me if I'm wrong) is that Japan is largely non-religious. Obviously you guys got married in a church, but is that common, or are there other places people frequently get married (I can only imagine an arcade or cell phone store or something).

Also, I was surprised that you didn't totally tower over everyone as much as you GaijinSmash powers had led me to expect you would.

Congrats! and I hope everything goes well with you two!

Your wife looks beautiful, you look handsome, you both look amazingly happy.

Congratulations!!

Like many who have posted this time, this may be my one and only post ever despite reading your many interesting updates. Thank you for sharing such a personal moment with the entire web, and I hope the best for you. Your willingness to share so much of your personal life compels me to show my gratitude. I find myself sometimes living vicariously through your entries, and it comforts me to know that someone else realizes the paradox of hating so many things about a culture, but loving so many things at the same time. All the best.

Finally, pictures of the wedding! I'm so happy for you Az!

You're black?!

Whats with the gloves?

I've been reading these entries for a few years now but this is my first time commenting. I really appreciate you taking the time to post these events in your life and letting us get to know you. I, like many other readers I'm sure, feel like we know you and it is great to see that you've found someone. Now that being said, your new wife is WAAY hot dude! (and no, that's not the Yellow Fever talking). I'm really happy for you and you guys will have some good looking kids someday.

Now as to the Yellow Fever question, I'd like to offer my opinion and insight. As a blond haired, blue eyed white male, I've practically been born with Yellow Fever. Almost every girl I've ever had the hots for was Asian. Physically, I just find their appearance exotic and completely from mine.

Someone commented earlier that there different strains of Yellow Fever and I agree. However, I think each case is unique. I occasionally go after chicks of different races, but I never consider the relationship serious. It's kind of like a lust thing (Yes, I know that's messed up). I pretty much expect to married to someone outside of my race, preferably to an Asian chick.

Here's the kicker though: I'm NOT in any way attracted to chicks of my own race. Blond haired, blue eyed chicks, while some are pretty, do not appeal to me in any way. They just don't do it for me. I think maybe it's because blond girls are always out there in Playboy mags and stuff.

I've yet to be cured of my affliction and I don't know if it will ever go away. But while I'm primarily physically attracted to Asians, personality still counts big.

Sorry for the length of the comment. Keep up the good work man! I look forward to reading your next post.

Hello Az.

Grats on the wedding, nice pictures and I wish you a long and wonderfull marriage.

You post reminded me of a series of videos on youtube called ''Street Fighters: The later years''

In episode 3, when Chun-Li attack Bison some Black security guy who is watching the security camera says: ''If you paused it right here, you can see her underwear''

If u wanna see the vids, here is a link:

http://ca.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0823E8ABCD7630A0

Anything done by the ''college humor'' is hillarious.

Keep writing for us man!

Very glad to see you didn't end up doing the Japanese guy in an all white tux thing. Nice pics!

Az,

I've been reading your site for years now and never made a post.

I just wanted to say I'm extremely happy for you and wish you all the best.

Thanks for making me laugh and providing insightful interesting reading over the years.

-Evan

Hiya! This is my first time commenting... Seeing you and your wife definitely makes me think that your kids are going to be incredibly cute. Maybe that's why everyone wants you to get started with the baby-making?

Well, congratulations! You two look incredibly happy and well, that makes me happy too.(Sorry if all this sounds weird, coming from a complete stranger, but I'm sure you've experience stranger things.)

And thanks for all the entertainment/education you've provided thus far. :]

I don't normally get emotional from looking at pictures, but...you and your wife look stunning. It must have been one hell of a day. Congratulations to both of you.

Regards from Malaysia.

At last, I get to see those pics I paid for! Congratulations, Az.

congrats on your wedding az, the pics are beautiful.

Congratulations on your (admittedly old news but still VERY beautiful) wedding.

And remember what Dr. Rob from shrinktalk says:

Counseling is always cheaper than divorce.

Wow, just...

This wedding seems like acceptance to me. Which, according to wat i hear about Japanese xenophobia or watevr its called, is amazing. Anyway congratulations.

I'll just reinforce that heads up about the releasing of your albums to the public. Don't wanna end up like a teen Disney actress.

One more thing. You're kinda big man, ever think about comin back to the states to play some good ole fooseball? Safety perhaps?

Awwwww, you two look made for eachother. She looks so natural and you look a little freaked out. You two will have awesome pretty cute kids!

I looove her dress. She has really good taste. Which is weird because you were saying a while ago that she loves the potato-sack trend. Oh well.

Best wishes to you both!

Man you two look nice together! But i didn't expect your wife to look that pretty! I'm actually jealous man because whenever i make freinds with a cute asian girl and they begin to really like me, they wind up having to move back to their home countries. Hopefully if i can get into J.E.T. in the future, hopefully i can find a girl like that because all the girls i meet here in Detroit are really fucking stuck up man. But i wish the best of luck to you and your beautiful wife!

Awww, you guys look adorable (I LOVE her dress)! Congratulations, Best wishes, and thanks for posting the pictures. <3

Regarding Yellow Fever: I read an interesting article on slate.com a few months ago. A study questioned a whole bunch of people after some speed-dating and found that the demographic group most open to cross-cultural dating is Asian females. The most common cross-cultural pairing up (in the world, not the study) is Asian female and other male. (Yours truly is in one of these pairs.) The researchers theorised that this was not because Asian women are more popular, it was because they are more open to cross-cultural relationships.

Az, as a chap who was married for 10 years, divorced and now married again for nearly two years, I would like to share the two most important pieces of wisdom that have been passed onto me by others:

1) At my brother's wedding, the priest said in his speech that lot of people are going to come up to my brother and sister-in-law today and wish them to be as happy as they are now for the rest of their lives. The priest did not share this wish. I was ready to punch him at this point. But he went on to say that it was simply impossible for anyone to stay that happy. Bad things and problems were going to happen. His wish was for the couple to deal with the problems, learn from them and then be happy. That would be true happiness. Besides being impossible, happiness in a relationship that does not have any problems does not have any worth. It must be tested.

2) At my first wedding ceremony, I had just returned from a tinkle. I complained that when drying my hands, the wedding band hurt my hand when I squeezed it with the towel. A wise old Texan looked me straight in the eye and drawled:
"Son, it's going to hurt more."
Those were some prophetic words right there. Clearer and truer than anything penned by Nostradamus.

You two look so happy. I wish you the best of luck finding work, starting your new life, and of course, baby-making.
As one who recently moved to Japan, I can honestly say your insight has been a savior as well as a release. Keep that mind working and your stories coming!!
Best.

Hey Az! :)
I've been reading your blog for years now but it's the first time I comment on it.
First of all, congratulations on your wedding!I truly wish you both the best!!
The reason why I'm commenting is different though... Have you ever heard of blog's authour gender analyzer (http://www.genderanalyzer.com)?

"We have strong indicators that http://www.gaijinsmash.net is written by a woman (92%)."

Yep. Just thought it was kind of funny, especially considering all the times you mention boobs/women/Asian porn and stuff, all of them clearly manly-man topics. ;)

Salut from Brazil!!

Best dam post and pictures ever!

OMG you TOTALLY look like Chris Tucker in that first wedding pic hahaha. and your wife is gorgeous!! I was picturing her like short and plump or something i dunno why but jeez shes hot lol. And her dress is to die for!!

Ah yes, Yellow Fever, I know it well. Not as bad for me as many I'm sure but ironically it's the porn that began the deterioration of my particular case. Weird squeeling sounds, plus possible tears/the look of crying does not equal hot. In fact it equals creepy. At this point I have no more attraction for Asians than any other "race". Hot is hot/cute is cute.

Huzzah for pictures!!! I see beautiful mixed kids in your future. Expect to be a multi-millionaire.

That chapel looked damn amazing too.

Wow Az, that's an incredible dress! And your wife is just gorgeous, congratulations on your nuptials!

Finally! It's good to finally put a face onto the man! I've been reading this blog for a long long time and never had the chance.
Congratulations!!!

I've never really liked asian men myself, and my interest in Japan is mostly linguistic but I've seen the ravages of yellow fever in others. Do you know you have a banner promoting yellow fever in your sidebars? "Meet beautiful chinese bride..."

congrats on the wedding. i think you would enjoy my book and my experiences with my own yellow fever. the book will be published in december 08, but there are excerpts on myspace. if you check them out, start at MAKING OF A RICE KING, posted june 25, 07. keep up the good work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41ZPm3ODeR4

Been a while since I've checked back on your updates, Az. I have my own problems to focus on over here back in NY.

Congratulations to you and Miki! (not sure if I remember your wife's name correctly...) You both look great in the pictures ^^

I'm sorry to hear how bad things turned out in your last job and how tight things are, but buck up: things can always be worse still, and you two will overcome this.

Good luck and God Bless.

Great post and great pictures! For the record, Chun Li's elephant legs are not attractive.

Speak for yourself, Nate.

I happen to *like* thighs which you can crack walnuts between. XD

Your wife's dress is GORGEOUS and also explains the money issues, but as a fellow female let me tell you - she'll always remember that you were down with her doing the enormous white wedding dress. It's the kind of thing that means a lot to us girls. :) Also, you both look fantastic. Be nice? There is no need! All brides and grooms are beautiful because of the love that shines through. Plus, you are both hot, so that helps. Congratulations and may you stay incredibly happy throughout your journey together. :)

（´ー`）ｂ　＜　おめでとう、Azさん。

Hey man, nice post; you most definitely will be rich when your kids become famous idols in Japan :P

I have a Japanese girlfriend too, we met in Canada and have been going out for three years now, we're moving to our own place in にしおうじ next month... I wonder if I have the same inevitable prophecy to fulfill too :P

Gimme a shout if ya like

peace man

P.S. that looked like a beautiful ceremony. congrats :D

"I married a japanese girl"

YOU'RE LIVING THE DREAM

Hey Az, have you picked up HD Remix yet? I bought it on the PSN the other day and its way too much fun getting my ass handed to me online.

Congratulations Az, she is beautiful and you really have found yourself a prize.
And congratulations on family liking each other! That's so rare!

Your wife is hot. But seriously, treat your wife well, and cheers to many baby Az's coming soon.

I've been browsing your website az for little over a few years since my time in highschool, i'm out now, considering college and, for the most part, you've been a real inspiration for me. your writting is very well developed, spot on and your pictures look wonderful, here is hoping the both of you will grow old and live happy with one another.

I will admit, being african american(I mean me) and dating an asian woman has changed my viewpoints in a lot asian women in general. Like you, I was obsessed with the image, played street fighter and enjoyed mopping the floor with chun-li.

Now, that i've actually tas - well, experianced asian women, I agree, they put you through less hoops and while I wouldn't say they are perfect, they are well rounded independent individuals(I can't even so much as smell my girlfriends check or ask about her bills without getting a glare). Anyway, heres another guy rooting for you, fight the good fight! Grandkids!

Diggin' the pics Az, some of them look like they would belong in one of those wedding catalogs or something...and from a half-Japanese kid who is ironically watching an episode of King of the Hill where the Hill family goes to Japan... congratulations. おめでとうございます。

Your next series of writings should be your J-dorama desensitization program.

I had a thing with Japanese tv for a while and could go along with it but as the Chinese medicine began to work (fo' real) my mind began working on higher intellectual planes and I was able to think again and see doramas for what they really are: materialist propaganda implementing all kinds of tactics like the shiny-factor of the constant stream of fresh new actors and its evil twin of nostalgia-gaming actor repetition, simplistic fairy tale slice-of-life daydreams, and just plain crap rife with plot and logic holes that are written to make the mind run at lower brain wave frequencies than of the ruling class. Part of mind control is to dissolve demarcations by the dissolution of logic to create a sense of "magical thinking"(think of a certain religion) by continuously presenting flawed details and even flawed foundations of whole narratives based upon unquestioned doublespeak and even just plain weak thinking and reactions by the "pretty and likable thus legitimate" characters. Groupthink.... what's that phrase, "sei-no"? When they all plan to do the same action in tandem? Or if they've said the same thing? Or when they do say the same thing and build whole lifelong relationships upon this phenomenon?

So yes, Japanese tv, doramas, etc. is the international UberBooberTuber.

So you need to kick out the scaffolding of the State from inside your woman's brain before it's congenitally bred into your children's wetware... you ~do~ want them to be capable of more than Japanese public school livin', right?

Search for the site "Mind Control Index" for ideas on "re-programming".

And no, I don't really believe there's this pervasive conspiracy to infiltrate our minds through media by some secret class or anything... but it helps to define the path towards certain goals. Rhetoric and other linguistic-based structuring all play a part in daily actions. What are those google-available BBC documentaries called..."Century of the Self" and "The Power of Nightmares". Good stuff. Scary Weltanschauung time along the lines of MK Ultra and intermeshing of post-WW2/Hitlerian mass psychological theories into media and corporate use... god I must sound like one of those retarded internets conspiracy cadets... but you are going up against a formidable foe... the ever present and ever pleasant, Japanese TV, so you'll need to build a sense of fear of consequences if remediable action is neglected also and sense of method into approaching this issue. Wha... I just want the satisfaction of guiding the topical trajectory of your future writings. That's basically it. You'll never see the shame on my face for having just realized how deeply this narcissism is rooted in all other facets of my life. Be glad and rejoice.

Hey, she could be working a second job instead of watching tv! Make a deal with her that the first child comes sooner if she works another job... hehehe.

Congratz Az! Awesome pics , been reading the site for years and years now, always looking forward to updates. Good luck!

Nice, I think i like this. Though, to be fair sir... I have opposite problem. My girl... only year relationship... lol. Doesn't like the Japanese television and I do. My room mates last year were very concerned with my sanity as i sat watching Red Carpet... and laughing... Unless the Gu lady showed up... I hate her... with a fiery passion.

Anyways, I like! Good Good to read! Also, I always love yellow fever reference. In the past year ive explained what it means to no less then 100 Japanese men and about 8 women.... lol.

Congratulations, Az.
Best of wishes to you and your wife.
Thank you for all the wonderfully written insights into life you have given me.

The congratulations comes very late but congratulations anyway! And thanks for the photos! They were great! As for "Be nice..."? What, are you kidding? I'm really envious man! I wish you two the best of luck! 幸せになろう！

Oh, and I just had to lol when I saw 'she watches Japanese TV and actually enjoys it'. C'mon Azrael, it's not ALL bad!

Beautiful photos, congratulations!

I've been reading for a long time too, and I have to say that I really love the wedding pictures. Your wife is gorgeous wow! The dress was awesome, the place, and just overall it looked really lovely! I'm happy for ya!

Also in regards to the "Yellow fever" my friends and I came up with a new one for non-white girls/guys obsessing over whites: Frostbite

I might have had a mild case of that for a season...

Hey again Az, I finally got around to looking through all of the pictures. I was wondering what the two of you were doing in this picture:

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/LordAzrael/wedding/?action=view¤t=01630033.jpg

Signing the marriage license? I can't quite figure it out...although it's amusing to think that the culmination of a Japanese wedding ceremony would be paperwork.

Hey, it may be late but I felt like I needed to congratulate you on your marriage. I hope it works out because you truly radiate happiness in those wedding pics! More power to your new family!

I find myself agreeing that, while it's true that you're an American man and she's a Japanese woman, the only thing that really matters is that you both love each other and to are willing to accept, and if need be, work over any individual differences as a married couple.

Your photos are very nice. You both look happy and your wife is lovely.
I too am married to a Japanese lady. I didn't think about marrying her because we started as friends. I was too busy chasing all the young ones and realized how stupid I had been because we were a great match.
On one forum, I got into an argument with this idiot (who had never set foot in Japan). He put up a blog that American men go to Japan because they are "socially inept", "LBH (Losers back home)", and "anti- feminist". This writer had asked foreign women for their opinions on this. I wrote that maybe these women were just mad because they couldn't find boyfriends who were the same nationality as them.
I also told him that he insulted all Japanese women who dated or married foreigners.
I was married to an American once and didn't like how I was treated. Japanese women are more cooperative ad caring and this is what I wanted.
I don't know about you, but I think it is much more difficult to date a Japanese lady because they need to be impressed by you more for them to even look at you. The myth of having them line up to date you is untrue.
Congratulations to you and your wife.

Another lurker/stranger/fan coming out of the woodwork to congratulate you on your wedding. Your photos look wonderful. I'm part Japanese, and they make me want to get married in Nippon.

Best wishes, and great job on the site all these years.

they're truly lovely wedding pics! n you two look comfortable together :) i'd hit upon your blog by chance n linked here to there - interesting observationgs interestingly put!

hope life is well for you both!

beautiful pics! Your wive's dress is so pretty.

Thank you very much for this post your take on women and relationships is just what I needed to hear right now, congratulations on your wedding.