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As John Mount (Mus鈥�69; MA鈥�72) proclaims the couple united, the day鈥檚 latest聽Japanese wedding at Oahu鈥檚 Saint Catalina Seaside Chapel reaches crescendo.聽Japanese citizens love marrying in Hawaii. Mount makes their dreams come true.聽Of the estimated 20,000 Japanese聽weddings that took place in the Hawaiian聽Islands last year, Mount and late wife聽Lorna Mount (Mus鈥�69) presided over聽more than 400.聽

鈥淎bout five years ago, I gave up my job as聽choir director at Kailua United Methodist聽Church and now spend my Sunday mornings doing five or six weddings,鈥� he said.

Lorna, a singer (mezzo-soprano), first聽drew him into the work: Over 40 years, she聽performed in more than 10,000 ceremonies.

鈥淚 enjoy meeting the couples and聽making their 鈥楢merican鈥� wedding a joyous聽experience,鈥� John said. 鈥淓very wedding is聽unique. That鈥檚 why I keep doing these.鈥�

The Mounts moved to Hawaii in聽1975 after John accepted a position as聽a voice professor at the University of聽Hawaii Manoa. He continues to teach聽full time and also performs in operas,聽most recently with the Hawaii Opera聽Theatre and Honolulu Symphony.聽

Lorna died earlier this year.聽When John decided to join her in聽the Japanese wedding business 鈥� work聽they could do together 鈥� he imagined聽himself a singer, too.

鈥淏ut it seems the Japanese couples聽prefer a female over my bass-baritonevoice,鈥� he said.

Mount saw there might yet be a role聽for him. Most officiants in Japanese聽weddings in Hawaii have little in the way聽of formal training.聽He pursued a civil license from the state聽of Hawaii after receiving an ordination聽certificate from the Universal Life Church.

鈥淎 fellow minister gave me a copy聽of the service in Japanese, spelled out聽phonetically, and I worked with some聽Japanese friends until my Japanese was聽passable,鈥� he said.

Mount leads the vows and a prayer聽in Japanese, with additional prayers and聽readings in English. Sometimes he adds聽a Hawaiian chant. At times, Lorna sang聽鈥淎ve Maria鈥� in Latin, too.聽Depending on the wedding package 鈥斅燼ll-day photographer, limousine, flowers聽ranging from an orchid bouquet to roses,聽white tuxedo and traditional white dress聽鈥� the 20-minute ceremony takes place in a聽hotel wedding chapel or seaside location.聽Afterward, there鈥檚 usually a reception, John said, 鈥渆ven if it鈥檚 just the聽two of them.鈥�

Mount and Lorna鈥檚 own love story had聽its roots in Colorado: They met at 麻豆免费版下载as聽students of Berton Coffin, then head of聽the College of Music鈥檚 voice department.

Their December 1968 wedding, during聽the semester break, took place in snowy聽George, Iowa, Lorna鈥檚 hometown.

鈥淎 blizzard chased us all the way聽home,鈥� he said.

That never happens in Hawaii.