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.