M&G’s Kyoto elopement began before the ceremony, before the sake, before the temple, and before the city had fully woken up. I met them early on a December morning in the old streets around Ninenzaka, just as the light was beginning to move across the rooftops. … It was a beautiful way to start the day.

The vow renewal itself was intentionally simple. There was no officiant and no formal structure beyond what felt meaningful to them. In the quiet of the venue, they simply read their own vows to each other, exchanged rings, and allowed the moment to unfold naturally. No audience.No performance. No pressure to turn the experience into something larger than it needed to be.

It’s a fair question—and one worth asking before you book anything. Tokyo is already an unforgettable place to visit. The food, the pace, the contrasts … It doesn’t need anything added to make it memorable. So where does a photoshoot fit into that? Well, the answer depends on you. For some couples, it becomes one of the most meaningful parts of their trip. For others, it ends up feeling unnecessary — or worse, forced.

Anniversaries and vow renewals aren’t about spectacle. They don’t need an audience or a schedule. More often than not, they pass quietly — a dinner, a trip, a small moment acknowledged before life carries on again. But occasionally, there’s a feeling that it deserves more. Not something elaborate. Just something intentional.

Tokyo is a city of contrasts, and one of the most fascinating places in the world for couples photography. Ancient shrines and temples stand quietly beside neon streets. Small neighbourhood alleyways open suddenly onto wide boulevards filled with movement and light.

A vow renewal is a deeply personal decision. For some couples, it becomes a tradition — re-declaring their commitment on annual international trips. For others, it marks a milestone — five, ten, twenty-five years or more. Some feel the need to re-commit following a turbulent period in their lives. And sometimes, it is simply about honouring a marriage that began without the ceremony it deserved. Whatever the reason, a vow renewal is a conscious act. A declaration that the bond still endures. That the love is still alive. That you choose — once again — to continue. Fifteen years ago, M&J were married without the ceremony. There were no formal vows spoken in a meaningful setting, no gathering that marked the moment with intention. Life moved quickly; children arrived; responsibilities took over.

B&C arrived in Japan for the trip of a lifetime. They set aside three weeks to live in and explore the country properly — to walk, to wander, to get lost, and to let the days unfold at an unhurried pace, before getting married in a secret mountain garden in Kyoto at the end of their trip. Three or four weeks in Japan changes the way you experience it. It gives you time to stop chasing highlights, start noticing the smaller things, and soak up the atmosphere of day-to-day living. It’s certainly how I like to travel!

And B&C wanted their photographs to reflect that pace.

Tokyo is an incredible place to photograph — electric, peaceful, modern, ancient. But in recent years, something has shifted. As tourism has surged, so has resident frustration with photographers, influencers, and visitors who sometimes treat Japan more like a stage set than a living city. Some of this frustration is understandable. Pathways get blocked. Moss and flower beds gets trampled on. Private homes become props. And in a city where space is already tight, even small moments of thoughtlessness add up quickly.