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.

There’s something deeply moving about standing together years after your wedding day — hands entwined, hearts and heads a little wiser — and saying “I still choose you.”

For many couples, renewing wedding vows isn’t about recreating the past; it’s about celebrating how far they’ve come, recognising the challenges they may have had to overcome and looking ahead to the next chapter. And in Japan, where every season tells its own story — cherry blossoms for renewal, autumn leaves for gratitude, winter stillness for reflection — a vow renewal is somehow much more meaningful…