This Tokyo City Vow Renewal ceremony was special. Of course, all our vow renewals are special, but this one marked a new chapter in our business. Up until now, we have held all our vow renewals in beautiful Japanese gardens, and couples had opted to wear kimonos for that unique Japanese experience. We love doing those, and will continue to do so, but it was fun to try something new this time. Following hot on the heals of our recent Tokyo City Elopement ceremony, this event also had a unique story.
People renew their vows for a whole host of reasons including: celebrating a special anniversary; reconnecting after a rocky patch or honoring a tradition. For this couple it was a birthday and anniversary surprise rolled into one! We love surprises vow renewals, they are the best kind.
After having had a small intimate civil ceremony in New York city, three years before, the groom wanted to do something special for his special bride. A trip to Japan and a vow renewal cermeony: it doesn't get more special than that!
Evening Ceremony
Unlike the garden elopements, which we typically do in the morning, this vow renewal ceremony was held in the evening. The groom decided on an evening ceremony in the hopes of getting the lights of the city across the bay. This is always nerve wracking, because we simply can’t control the weather! But we couldn’t have been luckier.
After a lot of cloudy days, it finally cleared up to present this lucky couple with clear blue skies. This made conditions perfect for a “golden hour” ceremony. As the daylight turned to night the lights of Tokyo city and Rainbow Bridge came on. This transformed an already awesome view into one of romance and magic!
It was like a fairy tale! This Tokyo city vow renewal was truly magical: neither the couple the photographer nor I could keep our eyes off the skyline for very long, but long enough for some cool pics, courtesy of Simon Bonny.
Following the photoshoot, the couple wrapped up their magical evening with a special tempura meal in the Odaiba Hilton overlooking Tokyo Bay.
Wishing the happy couple continued happiness and hope to see them again on their next trip out to Tokyo – the dogs and we miss you!
Pictures
What did the couple say?
Quote taken from TripAdvisor:
“My husband surprised me with a trip to Japan for my birthday (which is the day after my anniversary). On our anniversary, he had a second surprise – a vow renewal by Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge with Serendipity! Ross and Ayako are two very special people, and they made our day truly unforgettable. They took care of every detail – even making our dinner reservations for us – and put us at ease from the moment we met them. Ross and Ayako did an amazing job communicating and coordinating with my husband before our trip so that the surprise was pulled off effortlessly. The best part of all is that we now have two friends in Tokyo :)”