Japan Marrying Mum and Dad

Marrying Mum And Dad is back!

'Say goodbye to boring, traditional ceremonies.'

And hello to crazy, action-packed weddings.

Whoo!

But with only four weeks, can they pull it off?

Put your back into it.

It's the only show that puts kids

in charge of their parents' wedding day.

Open your eyes.

Eurgh.

Bigger, better and more outrageous...

Than ever before!

This wedding was...

Incredible, amazing and crazy.

On today's intercontinental ceremony spectacular...

I now pronounce you, Taeya and Sunee, officially, 100% in charge.

The cake's going up, up, up!

-ALL:

-Yes!

And Dad's going down, down, down.

Will the kids' ambitious wedding plans soar like a bird?

Or will their dreams sink like a stone?

-We're about to find out.

-Because we're...

-ALL:

-Marrying Mum and Dad!

Welcome to Marrying Mum And Dad, the wedding show with a difference.

Oh, yes. Parents put one of the biggest days of their lives

-in the hands of their kids.

-What are they thinking?

-Who knows?

But if Mum and Dad are thinking they're getting a boring,

standard wedding, then they've made a big mistake. Huge!

Today we're in Northern Ireland, where we have two youngsters...

who reckon they know best when it comes to planning a wedding.

Nine-year-old Sunee.

I want to take over the wedding,

because that means I can be in charge and do bad stuff

to my parents.

I have a pillow!

And 11-year-old Taeya.

We want our mum and dad to feel happy and excited.

And worried.

The kids live with Mum Hannah...

Handing over total control to the children gives me a mixture of

excitement and sheer panic.

And Dad Dylan.

I have no idea what is planned.

But, yeah, that's very exciting, just slightly petrifying.

Completing the family are big brother Luca

and little sister Leila.

Smells nice.

Our wedding planners have big plans for the big day,

but there's just four weeks to go until Mum and Dad tie the knot.

So, what have this duo got planned?

We'd love to visit a country that's hi-tech.

But ancient, even older than my dad.

And full of inspiration.

So the theme of our wedding is...

-BOTH:

-Nihon!

Japan - the Land of the Rising Sun,

the ultra-modern country is tech mad,

but scratch the surface...

And you'll find ancient traditions survived behind the skyscrapers and

neon lights.

Japan is 6,000 miles away.

This wedding is just a few weeks away, but if anybody

can pull it off, our young wedding planners can.

They have the setomono!

Sozosei.

The kagi-tsume.

Saino.

And, of course, the kyabetsu.

Yuki.

So...yoi ahiru,

young Sunee and Taeya.

SHE SPEAKS IN JAPANESE

Why are you speaking French?

Sunee and Taeya want their wedding to be truly Japanese,

but Tokyo is thousands of miles away.

Luckily, there's another big city both ancient and modern,

that's a little closer to home.

London. It's full of authentic Japanese culture, if you know

where to look.

It's origami paper.

There's so much manga.

And what not to eat.

Oh, it's gone right up my nose, ow!

As always, in hot pursuit is the Marrying Mum And Dad mobile HQ.

It's jam-packed with loads of tech and everything else our planners

need to make their wedding dreams a reality.

If it isn't stuck in traffic.

Come on, Naomi, what's the hold-up?

It's just a bit of London traffic.

Well, the van won't find you

with that sign, Ed.

-Finally.

-Oh, wow. That's really cool.

All aboard! Who wants to plan a Japanese wedding?

-Hang on, we've got a shopping list for you.

-What, shopping list?

-Bye!

-Eh?

-Hi, guys.

Welcome on board Marrying Mum And Dad HQ.

-Wow.

-Cool.

-Oh, this is epic.

"50 red plastic bowls, one paddling pool, one mawashi."

What's a mawashi?

Hey, Japan. Loving your theme idea.

-Why have you chosen that?

-I mainly like the anime characters, manga,

any kind of things like that.

So what sort of Japanese things do you like?

Kung fu, sushi, sumo wrestling...

How do you think they'll feel about your theme?

-I think they'll like it.

-You do think they'll like it?

-Yeah.

-Good.

-Maybe.

'Well, let's hope they like it or we could be saying sayonara

'on the big day.'

Sunee and Taeya are researching pagodas - traditional Japanese

tiered buildings and they found an amazing one in Kew Gardens.

-That one's really cool.

-Count how many layers that's got.

But what's that got to do with the cake?

Shopping done, I meet the kids at the Japanese garden in Kew to

find out what they've got planned.

You still haven't told me why you

made me bring all these plates and bowls.

We're going to practise building a cake that looks like a pagoda.

-Pagoda?

-Yeah, like that one.

-Like that?

-Yeah.

We're going to build the biggest cake in the history of

Marrying Mum And Dad.

Let's pa-go-da for it.

Oh, Ed, stop punning and get stacking.

'My stacking skills are as important as baking skills with this cake,

'as each bowl will be one cake layer on the wedding day.'

-There will be 50 layers.

-50?!

You're going to have 50 tiers of cake, on a wedding cake?

Yeah. 50 guests, 50 layers.

But this is plates and bowls, not cake.

-Oh, sorry!

-Oh, no.

Oh, that was my fault.

Now imagine if that was a real cake, that would be a disaster.

Come on, Ed, you're supposed to be helping.

The kids have to pull this off on the wedding day.

'Maybe slow and steady is the way to stack.'

Good, this is much more stable than the other one.

Oh, this is so good. If we can get to 20, that would be brilliant.

-Come on, guys, you can do this! 20!

-Yeah.

'Things are looking a bit more hopeful this time,

'if we can just hold our nerve.'

Oh!

Hopeless. You lot are going to have

to work on your stacking technique

or things are going to get messy at this wedding.

The kids are looking for some Japanese-style action to entertain

the guests before Mum and Dad get married.

-What have we got here?

-Sumo wrestling.

'Sumo is an ancient sport that's simple to learn but takes

'a lifetime to master.'

-Who's going to be doing this?

-Our dad.

Is he going to be wearing this? Nothing, apart from that belt?

Also, you can see their bums.

Yeah, I know. I don't think your dad would want us to see his bum.

Time to get to the bottom

of what Dad really wants to wear at the wedding.

I'd like to be able to enjoy what I'm wearing,

it would be nice to wear something which is smart.

Well, before we decide if Dad's bum is going to be on show,

I think we need to find out a bit more about sumo.

Sharran Alexander has won four international gold medals and

represented Great Britain in the world sumo championships.

Just the person you want to take on in your first-ever sumo bout.

Which one of you are going to take me on?

Looks like that's me, then.

-OK.

-Thanks, guys.

-Good luck.

-Yeah, I'm going to need it.

'The famous sumo belt is called a mawashi.'

Eugh!

'It's nine metres long and needs to be expertly wound.'

Whee!

I thought you said expertly, Naomi.

So what are the rules of sumo?

The main thing you need to do is get another part of your opponent's body

to touch the dohyo floor or, if you can, pick them up

and put them outside of the ring.

-The dohyo is the ring, yeah?

-The big circle.

-So it's easy.

It's really easy.

Quit stalling, you know the rules. Get sumo-ing!

-BOTH:

-Hakkeyoi!

Come on, Naomi, but your back into it.

No!

Round one to Sharon,

there's a surprise.

'Oi! I let her have that one.'

-BOTH:

-Hakkeyoi!

-Round two.

You're supposed to stay inside the ring.

Did you let Sharon have round two as well?

Have you got any advice for me?

-It's not going very well.

-Don't let her lift you up.

Don't let her lift me up.

Yes, that sounds easier said than done.

This is your last chance, Naomi. Make sure you lose with dignity.

-KIDS:

-Hakkeyoi!

Catch me. Try and catch me.

That's it, keep on running.

You'll need to be fit for the wedding when you take on Sumo Dad.

The kids want a crazy manga look for themselves,

but they're going for a traditional Japanese feel for the ceremony.

Dad will be a samurai warrior,

but they want Mum's dress to be the stunning centrepiece.

-So what's your mum going to be wearing at this wedding?

-A kimono.

It's actually a dress,

a traditional Japanese dress that they wear.

A handmade kimono can cost thousands of pounds and if you want to be

fitted with a real one, you need a kimono expert like Mimiko.

Who would you like a kimono for?

We'd like it for our mum, because she's getting married.

Whoa, exciting!

The kids need a model for their kimono.

SHE SPEAKS IN JAPANESE

A model with delicate bone structure and fluent in Japanese.

Konnichi wa!

This isn't even it. This is just the underwear.

-Yeah.

-You should go into the model industry, yeah.

'Under Mimiko's watchful eye, Sunee and Taeya help wrap me up

'like a lovely Japanese wedding present.'

-You're going to look beautiful.

-Yes.

-It's beautiful.

It takes a long time to learn how to fit a kimono.

Wrap it the wrong way and you could bring bad luck to the wedding,

instead of good.

Ugh! I wasn't expecting that.

-This is a bride's kimono?

-Bride's kimono, yes, for women.

-For women?

-Hm.

-Good.

Traditional wedding kimonos are white, but the kids want

more impact.

Yes, I think we should do this one here.

'So I'm transformed into a colourful kimono butterfly.

'Sunee and Taeya are finally happy with Mum's dress.'

-You look beautiful.

-I feel beautiful.

-Arigatou.

-Arigatou.

That's outfits all wrapped up.

Back in Northern Ireland, Sunee and Taeya visit Lusty Beg,

the venue they hope to turn into their very own version of Japan

and it can only be reached by boat.

-Welcome to Lusty Beg.

-Yeah, that was great!

-We did it!

It looks like the Japanese gods are smiling on us.

Wooden arches - look very nice and Japanese, don't they?

-Yeah. They're called tori, I think, torii.

-Torii.

Torii, what's that?

It's like a gateway to a shrine or a temple.

-Ah, so this would match your theme quite well, then?

-Yeah!

'And the inside has as much potential as the outside.'

-So there you go. How about this for a nice room?

-Wow.

-Yeah!

-It's a nice, big space...

-Green.

-For sumo wrestling.

-Yeah, do you reckon?

Sumo wrestling would work well in here?

I think it'd be cool if we had the ceremony in here and then

-a big sumo wrestle for no idea...

-Yeah.

This room is really inspiring Sunee and Taeya and the ideas are

flowing thick and fast.

And we could decorate it with what sort of things?

-Japanese lanterns.

-Yes, Japanese lanterns.

And we can do, like, paper cherry blossom leaves.

Yes, beautiful. That would look lovely.

-So are we saying yes for the ceremony in here?

-Yes.

'Venue is so sorted.'

Ooh, it's going to look lovely.

Sunee and Taeya have decided

they want their parents to arrive by boat.

Well, this is pretty perfect, isn't it?

There you go, you could use a boat like this or something?

It needs to be a bit more Japanese-y.

What are you thinking, then?

Like maybe some nice...

Paper?

'Turns out the kids want their

'wedding boat to be made out of paper,

'using origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding.'

-What would you like to make today?

-A boat.

-Boat?

Origami lets you make amazing models from a single sheet of paper.

SHE SPEAKS IN JAPANESE

'Helping us as an origami expert who's also called Naomi.'

-And we have a hat.

-Yeah, looks like a hat.

An origami boat is a truly Japanese inspired idea,

but is it Dad's dream?

I would like to arrive at our wedding in something exciting

and wonderful, maybe on a speedboat or a Formula One car.

Can it be a Formula One car?

No, Dad, it can't.

Slowly, gently open.

-A cute little boat.

-There it is.

Yay. There you are.

So let me get this straight,

you want to make this paper boat absolutely giant,

you want to float it on that lake,

you want to put Mum and Dad in the boat on their wedding day?

-Yep.

-Yeah.

-We're going to have to test this out, I think.

Making a giant origami boat is easy.

You make it exactly like a small one, except,

really, really, really, really big!

-It's the boat.

-We've done it.

We've only gone and done it.

'Massive paper boat massively folded.

'Now all that's left to do is see if it can float.'

# Row, row, row your boat... #

I wonder how this will go...

All aboard HMS Paper!

-NAOMI SHRIEKS

-This is freezing!

-It's freezing.

-Come on, Naomi, stop complaining.

That boat isn't going to sink itself... I mean, float.

-Right, it's in the water.

-Yes!

-So quick, come round this side.

Who can get in our boat?

'It floats! Well, sort of.

'But how will it cope with a bride and groom?'

Happy wedding day!

Oh, dear, this is not a good sign.

The design is good,

but I think we'd better get back to the drawing board on the material.

Paper boat minus the paper.

I've got a sinking feeling

about this transport.

Our wedding planners have one more surprise for the big day

and it's also inspired by origami.

A crane is a symbol of peace and long life in Japan.

In Japan, it's seen as good luck to have origami birds at your wedding.

The only problem is you need one thousand of them.

A thousand cranes?!

You've got no chance of making them in time for the wedding.

Maybe not on our own,

but Sunee and Taeya have other ideas and send an e-mail to the country

that invented origami.

Dear Japanese schoolchildren,

we are hopeful you'll be able to help us

in the making of 1,000 origami birds

for our parents' wedding.

Amazingly, 6,000 miles away, in Tokyo,

their call for help is answered and students at

the Aoba-Japan International School take up the challenge.

And what a challenge it is.

Even with a whole school on board, this is an epic job.

The wedding is just days away.

Can the schoolchildren really get 1,000 cranes folded in time and sent

all the way from the other side of the planet?

The morning of the wedding, deep in the ancient forest.

Two legendary Japanese warriors are stirring from centuries of slumber.

Ow! I thought you said this venue was easy to find.

Yeah, it's round here somewhere.

-Have you got the rings?

-Of course.

-I don't believe it, I've left them in the van.

-Uh.

Hang on. Whah!

She's such a show-off.

Elsewhere on Lusty Beg,

the island is about to be transformed into

the Land of the Rising Sun.

Or land of low cloud, biting wind and the odd patch of drizzle.

Safely in the warm, Mum is being helped into her wedding outfit

by Japanese kimono expert Yuriki.

Yuriki can't say a word

because her voice will give the game away and it's making Mum nervous.

It feels quite heavy and it feels like there's lots of layers.

All sorts of things are going through my head.

Am I a human, am I an animal, am I a plant?

In another room, Dad's nerves are also getting the better of him.

I think I am Iron Man.

I can't believe the kids have done this.

Your kids aren't the only children involved in your wedding, Dad.

Because a very special package has arrived.

-Oh, wow, what is this?

-And it's just in the nick of time.

-This is amazing.

-Oh, wow.

-Whoa!

All the way from Japan.

-Oh, wow!

-Whoa.

-That is a lot of cranes.

-That's a lot.

-That is so amazing.

What an achievement.

1,000 cranes handmade by the creative and dedicated students of

the Aoba-Japan International School.

Oh, there's writing on this.

Oh, look. "Made in Japan. Be happy." Oh, my gosh.

-This is the best origami I've ever seen.

-Yeah, it is.

I really wish they were right here, like, right now

so we could just say thank you so much.

-BOTH:

-Arigatou!

After a quick change into their outfits, Sunee and Taeya

look like they've jumped straight out of a manga comic.

And they're finally ready to reveal the Japanese theme to Mum and Dad.

Almost time for us to put you out of your misery.

-How are you feeling?

-Petrified.

-Yes.

On the count of three, you can open your eyes.

Ready, everyone? Three, two, one,

look!

Ahh!

-I really like this blue hair.

-There's so much detail.

Well, the big question is, can you guess what the theme is?

I'm going somewhere like...Japan.

-Yay!

-How did you guess?

-You look incredible with the hair.

-Yeah.

'Success. Time to transport the bride and groom to the wedding.

'The kids have sent their origami boat design to a boat builder

'and it looks amazing.'

But there's a problem.

The lake has turned into a treacherous, choppy sea.

The origami boat can't sail.

A soggy kimono is not a Japanese wedding tradition.

We designed it and tested it right over there.

-Don't worry, you're not going in it, it's a little bit too choppy.

-Oh!

Really sorry, but transport is off.

'But it's not a problem, because Sunee and Taeya have a plan B.'

-Drummers!

-Drummers!

-Wow, drummers!

-Oh, drummers.

-Yes.

Traditional taiko drums announce the arrival of the bridal party.

-Here come the guests.

-Hey, here come the guests!

Whoo!

At the head of the procession

is carried the final part of Dad's outfit.

-It's amazing.

-I know, I know.

A fearsome samurai warrior's helmet.

Oh, wow.

HE ROARS

The Japanese warrior for the day is crowned.

Cue Samurai Dad dancing.

Have fun!

The guests dance in joyous celebration.

And to try to keep warm.

To the ceremony room,

my kaeru!

THEY SHOUT IN JAPANESE

Why is everyone speaking French today?

It's not appropriate. It's a Japanese wedding.

HE SHOUTS IN JAPANESE

Sunee and Taeya lead the procession to the ceremony room.

I don't think Dad would be in such a hurry if he knew what the kids

have in store.

The guests assemble in the wedding dohyo,

just not for the ceremony they're expecting.

DRUMMERS STOP PLAYING

Dad, before you can marry Mum, you have to prove your courage.

By defeating the ultimate challenger.

But who is this mysterious rival?

Ah, Sumo Naomi. I see you've been working out.

Good luck, Dad. And remember,

the bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.

There are high stakes in this sumo-slamming session.

In Japan we have a saying,

"We learn little from victory and much from defeat."

But if Dylan is defeated today, he won't be marrying Mum!

Hakkeyoi!

Round one to Dad.

You've been trained by a champion, Naomi.

Is that the best you can do?

'I was just getting warmed up, Ed.'

Round two!

Hakkeyoi!

Naomi makes short work of Dad and levels the score to one-all.

The final round.

Will Sumo Dad prove his mettle in battle and win the hand of Mum?

Oh!

Dad's not messing around.

He must really want to get married to Mum.

Leila shall announce the winner.

-Daddy is the winner!

-OTHERS:

-Yeah!

-Shall we marry Mum and Dad?

-ALL:

-Yeah!

Don't worry. As the Japanese say, "Even monkeys fall out of trees."

What?

This is it.

The hall has been transformed with cherry blossom

ready for the ceremony.

It's stunning.

All of Sunee and Taeya's hard work has been leading up to this moment.

I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and commitment.

-As I place it on your finger...

-I offer all of me to all of you.

I offer all of me to all of you.

-REGISTRAR:

-Hannah and Dylan, now that you've made your vows,

would you please join hands?

The hands that will help you hold your family as one.

I now have pleasure in pronouncing you husband and wife.

And, Dylan, you may kiss the bride.

In the shadow of Japanese cherry blossom, Mum and Dad are married.

And the next surprise comes from 6,000 miles away.

-REGISTRAR:

-We have a special message from some very special guests.

-ALL:

-Congratulations on your wedding day!

We are sending you these cranes for a lifetime of happiness.

All those children in Japan doing something...such a special thing was

very beautiful, very touching.

Amazing. This uniquely Japanese message of good luck came with a

lot of hard work.

A thousand of them give you good luck.

-There's 1,000 here?

-Handmade, all the way from Japan.

Wow!

This has become a truly international wedding and a

massive achievement for Sunee, Taeya and their young Japanese friends.

-ALL:

-Bye!

The kids have pulled off a lot of surprises today,

but they've saved the biggest and most risky till last.

Mum and Dad, your pagoda wedding cake,

the tallest we have ever had on this show.

A pile of cakes will slip and fall,

but a pile of cakes secured with pole shall rise

and rise forevermore.

50 layers - one for each guest -

the tallest Marrying Mum And Dad wedding cake ever

and it's never been tested.

Let's hope it goes better than in London.

Cake number 35.

36.

-37.

-Yay!

Not bad, but this is Marrying Mum And Dad,

we can always get bigger.

-It's very big.

-I hope everyone's hungry.

Look at that.

So far so good, but will it all end in "tiers"?

Tiers, get it? Tiers, anyone?

-THEY CHANT:

-One more cake! One more cake! One more cake!

49 cake layers on the pagoda and the kids have saved something

very special for the top.

One more cake! One more cake!

Yeah!

-Incredible.

-We've done it!

The tallest wedding cake we've ever seen tops off the most international

Marrying Mum And Dad ever.

Today has just been a crazy day. A crazy, fun-filled day.

Yeah!

It's been magical. It's been exciting, chaotic.

What does it taste like?

I've never had chocolate wasabi cake before.

This wedding was amazing!

I really, really loved it. It was absolutely epic.

-We've pulled it off!

-Yay!

Sunee and Taeya, we love you so much and we're so, so proud of you.

-BOTH:

-Arigatou!

Mission accomplished.

Our two warriors return to the shadows of the ancient forest.

-Rah!

-Huh-hee!

How do you do that?

That was an international wedding that will live long in legend.

It just goes to show what everyone can achieve when they pull together.

Wise words, Petrie-san.

A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle.

-Yeah, the more, the merrier.

-You're spoiling it.

Be like that. Do your own stunts.

Oh, I see, Naomi-san.

Are you going to be backflipping into the woods to demonstrate your

ancient ninja skills?

I might just walk, actually.

A real, professional ninja never overdoes it.

Yah!

Real professional ninny, more like.

-Yah!

-Stop that.