A Love Renewed in Kyoto: Our Vow Renewal & the Ring That Marked the Moment

There are moments in life that ask to be paused, held, and honored, and our vow renewal in Kyoto was one of them. When Josh and I were planning our trip to Japan we knew we wanted to renew our vows. We worked closely with Sarah O to commemorate the occasion and chose the stunning Feliz Round Ring.

Surrounded by the serene beauty of Japan’s ancient capital, Josh and I stood beneath a canopy of Japanese Maple trees and timeworn temples, ready to say “I do” all over again. By God's grace, we had made it through thirteen years of life’s seasons together. Josh and I have experienced some of life's lowest lows and sweetest highs. Traveling the world together, growing in grace together, battling the loneliness and loss of infertility, adopting the sweetest, most perfect baby girl. We felt deeply called to celebrate the resilience of our love in a place that echoed with history and grace.

Tucked away in the Philosopher’s Path district, Honen-in feels like stepping into another time. There’s no grand entrance or crowds of tourists, just a wooden gate flanked by two sand mounds, raked into sacred patterns. The stillness and serenity of Honen-in beckoned us to pause, to become fully present, and it gently set the tone for our day. Kyoto, with its poetic stillness and timeless architecture, offered the perfect setting. Every detail felt intentional, reverent, and quietly profound.

But there was one moment that shimmered just a little brighter: when my husband slipped the Feliz Round Ring from Sarah O Jewelry onto my finger. This ring is more than a piece of jewelry, it is a symbol. The Feliz, with its delicate circular diamond design, mirrored the idea of wholeness and new beginnings. It's timeless elegance felt right at home in Kyoto...refined, thoughtful, and unforgettably beautiful. Sarah O’s craftsmanship captured the essence of what we wanted this renewal to be: grounded in meaning, but radiant in presence.

We stood quietly beneath the temple’s gently sloping thatched roof, and cited our vows to one another while Coco looked sweetly on. Around us, the forest hummed with life. Bamboo rustled. A nearby stream trickled softly. And in that serene stillness, we renewed our promises to each other, not as the wide-eyed newlyweds we once were, but as partners who had weathered life together and grown deeper in love through it all.

Afterward, we wandered the moss-covered grounds, strolling across an ancient stone bridge and passing by hand-carved stone lanterns. We didn’t rush. There was no need. Honen-in Temple has a way of asking you to slow down, to listen, and to feel. It felt like the right place to seal a chapter and begin a new one. Kyoto gave us a sacred kind of stillness. Honen-in gave us a space to breathe new life into our love. And the Feliz ring gave us something beautiful and lasting to carry home, a daily reminder of that stunning, unforgettable day.