While most couples are trying to lessen the expense of their wedding during these tough economic times, couples in Japan actually rent extra family members, friends, and coworkers. In Japan, a wedding is seen as a formal event, so it must be attended by as many people as possible. Bosses usually give speeches and colleagues or friends perform at the party. But if a cousin, boss, or some other guest can’t attend, the bride or groom can hire a staff member of Office Agents for 20,000 yen ($200) to come in their place. “Suddenly, a guest might not be able to make it. Or maybe you are concerned about the gap in the number of guests you have compared to your partner. Or, there are many temp workers these days and they may be uncomfortable inviting the boss,” said Hiroshi Mizutani, who heads Office Agents, to Reuters. At one wedding, each of the groom’s 30 guests were fake friends and family. But this firm doesn’t just rent wedding guests. They also specialize in fake funeral attendees, secretaries for those that want to seem more important, and even lovers to introduce to the family. Keep reading »
