Japanese people used to consider marriage to be something that affected the whole family. Therefore, it was common for families to ask a person whom they trusted to be their nakoudo (match maker) in order to arrange a marriage between two families. Once the marriage was approved, the family of the shinrou (groom) would present the family of the shimpu (bride) gifts referred to as the yuinou. Then wedding invitations would be sent out, sometimes in the parents’ names rather than in those of the bride and groom. Today, while many Japanese people consider these beliefs and customs to be old-fashioned, they are however, still being practiced.