1.
secular wedding ceremony; civil-style wedding
A non-religious wedding ceremony in which the couple makes their vows in front of the assembled guests, who serve as the witnesses. Allows free design of the ceremony's content and style.
二人は人前式を選んだ。
The two of them chose a secular wedding.
人前式は宗教に縛られず自由に演出できる。
Secular weddings aren't bound by religion and can be staged freely.
人前式では招待客が結婚の証人となる。
At a secular wedding, the invited guests serve as the witnesses to the marriage.
Literally "ceremony before people": 人前 (before people) + 式 (ceremony). In a 人前式, no clergy officiate — the guests witness the vows. Grew in popularity from the 2000s onward as couples sought more flexible, religion-free formats.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 人前式を挙げる: to hold a secular wedding
- 人前式の誓いの言葉: the vows at a secular wedding
- オリジナル人前式: an original (custom-designed) secular wedding
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 神前式: Shinto wedding
- 教会式: church wedding