What Ichi-go Ichi-e Means
There’s a Japanese phrase that sits right at the heart of everything we do: ichi-go ichi-e (一期一会). It translates loosely to “one time, one meeting.” A reminder that each encounter is unique … unrepeatable … and should be cherished as if it will never happen again.
It comes from the tea ceremony, where the host and guests understand that this exact gathering, in this exact way, will never happen again.
And if that doesn’t sound like a wedding, we don’t know what does.
Ichi-go Ichi-e: Why Every Wedding Moment Happens Only Once
Every wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime constellation of people, places, and emotions.
Even if couples renew their vows, even if you photograph another cherry blossom ceremony in Nagano, even if a bride wears her mother’s veil … it will never be this group of people, in this place, at this time.
It’s ichi-go ichi-e.
The aunts flying in from Europe. The best friend sneaking snacks to the flower girl. The grandparents slow-dancing one last time. The whole tangled miracle of people and love and timing … it’s a gathering that will never happen again.
And that’s why we plan and photograph and film with such reverence. Because we know how fleeting it is.
What Japan Has Taught Us
Living in Japan, we’ve learned that ichi-go ichi-e isn’t about clinging. It’s about treating the moment with care, not control..
It’s about showing up fully, knowing this is the only chance. It’s why a tea master bows with such care. Why festivals are celebrated even when the weather is awful. Why cherry blossom hanami parties happen rain or shine.
Because the point isn’t perfection. The point is to be here. Now. It took us years to understand that.
That’s exactly how we approach weddings. With deep respect for the unrepeatable.
There’s a tenderness to ichi-go ichi-e, but also a kind of ache. Because to truly honor a moment, you have to accept that it’s already slipping away.
For Our Couples
We tell our couples this often: you can’t stage meaning. You can’t rehearse magic. You can only live it. This isn’t romantic. It’s real.
Yes, we’ll make a plan. Yes, we’ll build timelines and backup timelines. But the moments that will live in your heart forever won’t be the ones we orchestrated. They’ll be the ones you barely noticed until they were gone.
A glance. A laugh. A hand held a little too tight.
That’s ichi-go ichi-e. And it’s why we tell every couple: don’t wait for the perfect moment. Treasure the real one.
For Ourselves (and Our Industry Friends)
This phrase has also carried us through decades of work. Because no matter how many weddings we do, each one still matters. Each one is still once-in-a-lifetime. Each one is unrepeatable.
After hundreds of celebrations, we’re often asked if they start to blur together. They don’t.
We can still picture moments from every single day we’ve been part of. A look exchanged. The way a room felt. These aren’t highlights. They’re impressions that settle and stay.
The industry can make things look repetitive from the outside. Similar timelines. Familiar rituals. Another first dance, another confetti toss. But ichi-go ichi-e reminds us that sameness is an illusion. The people are different. The emotions are different. The relationships are different. The alchemy of the day is new.
So we don’t approach this work as a checklist to complete. We arrive with care. With attention. With the understanding that this moment will never exist again in quite the same way.
And that knowledge never fades. It deepens.
And so we show up like it’s our first time. Every time.
Final Reflection
Ichi-go ichi-e is the reason we do what we do. Because weddings, like life, are never on repeat.
You can photograph a thousand blossoms, but it will never be this blossom. You can hear a hundred vows, but it will never be this promise.
Treasure it. Notice it. Live it.
Because this moment … right here, right now … will never come again.
And that’s what makes it extraordinary.
Some words don’t just describe things. They change how you notice them.
This Japanese Word Series is a growing collection of ideas we’ve gathered over years of living and working here. Words that quietly influence how we approach life, creativity, weddings, and the stories we tell. Not definitions to memorize, but concepts to sit with.
- tsundoku – the act of acquiring books and letting them pile up, unread. a quiet love of knowledge and potential, a celebration of curiosity and the beauty of possibility waiting to be explored.
- wabi-sabi – a philosophy celebrating beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and the simple, natural flow of life. a reminder that flaws, cracks and changes make everything more meaningful.
- nagomi – the ancient Japanese philosophy that helps you find balance and peace in everything you do. feeling of balance, comfort, and calm in the heart and mind, the way to live a balanced and harmonious life the Japanese way.
- omotenashi – the spirit of selfless hospitality. a deep-rooted cultural concept that goes beyond simple politeness, embodying a genuine desire to anticipate the needs of others and provide an unforgettable experience.
- kintsugi – the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, embracing cracks and flaws as part of an object’s history. a philosophy that teaches that broken things can be made beautiful again, more precious for having been broken.
- wa – the Japanese concept of harmony, balance, and peaceful unity. a sense of gentle togetherness that values respect, cooperation, and living gracefully in tune with others and the world around you.
- yugen – a profound, mysterious sense of beauty that lies beyond words or logic. the subtle grace of things unseen, the quiet depth that stirs the soul. the feeling evoked by a falling leaf, distant mountains, or the silence between notes.
- ikigai – the reason for being. a sense of purpose that makes life feel worth living. the quiet intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what gives you meaning each day. finding joy in the small things and purpose in the ordinary.
- kaizen – a philosophy of continuous improvement. the art of making small, steady changes that lead to lasting transformation. rooted in patience and purpose, it reminds us that progress is built one deliberate step at a time.
…and so many more to come. Quiet ideas that stay with you, long after the words are read.
