Tokyo Rooftop Wedding at The Upper

There’s something special about photographing or planning a wedding in the city you call home. You know the light, the rhythm, the shortcuts, and the skyline. But when the couple are also your friends … and half the guest list is filled with people you love … it hits differently. It feels like you’re celebrating from behind the lens and dancing through the timeline at the same time.

That was this day. A Tokyo rooftop kind of day.

Equal parts heartfelt and hilarious. Utterly iconic.

A Long-Awaited Day (Four Years and a Whole Lot of Life Later)

Our bride … Australian, effortlessly stylish, radiant in her Australian designer gown … and our groom … Japanese, kind, and perfectly calm even as the Tokyo breeze picked up … had originally planned to marry back in the days just as the world closed down.

The universe pressed pause.

Plans were postponed.

And life, as it does, took its own beautiful turn.

Because in the space between the original wedding and this one… came their greatest creation. Their gorgeous little one, now four years old, stealing hearts and snacks in equal measure.

So, this wasn’t just a wedding. It was a celebration of three. Of timing. Of patience. Of everything coming together exactly when it was meant to.

The Streets of Tokyo Were Their Aisle

Before the ceremony, we wandered the city streets … camera in hand, laughter echoing down laneways, taxis zipping past as they paused mid-crosswalk to take it all in.

Tokyo was alive that day.

The kind of clear, cinematic afternoon where the skyline looks painted on.

People stopped to clap, to cheer, to wish them congratulations in Japanese and English and every language in between. Because love … especially the real, grounded kind … doesn’t need translation.

The Upper | A Tokyo Rooftop with Heart

The ceremony took place on the rooftop of The Upper … a venue that always manages to feel simultaneously urban and intimate. With its skyline views and breeze that carries the hum of the city below, it’s pure Tokyo magic.

Our amazing mutual friend officiated, weaving together stories that had the crowd in tears, laughter, and back again. This one was so special.

When your community is this intertwined … when work, friendship, and storytelling all blur into one … you can feel it. You can feel it in the speeches that make everyone sob. You can feel it when friends who’ve weathered years together toast through laughter. You can feel it in the way the couple’s little one danced between tables, absolutely convinced he owned the place.

The Reception That Turned Into a Reunion

The reception that followed was everything you’d hope a Tokyo wedding would be … refined yet completely unfiltered. A celebration that belonged to the couple but was shared by everyone in the room.

There were toasts that made the crowd laugh until they cried, and stories that only old friends could tell. The speeches went long (the best ones always do), but nobody minded. Because every word felt earned.

Then the dance floor opened … and it was wild. The kind of night where heels came off, ties were undone, and nobody wanted it to end.

So, naturally, it didn’t.

Nijikai Forever (Because of Course There Was an Afterparty)

In true Tokyo style, the night rolled straight into nijikai … the afterparty.

And not just any afterparty… an 80’s bar in Shibuya. Disco ball. Neon lights. Retro tunes. Drinks flowing. Nostalgia high.

If you know, you know.

It was one of those nights where you look around the room … at the mix of Aussies, Japanese, expats, friends, and family … and realize how lucky we all are to be part of something that feels so global, so local, and so perfectly Tokyo.

A Celebration That Felt Like Home

This wedding reminded us why we love what we do. Because it’s never just about timelines or photos or films. It’s about connection. About showing up for our friends. About capturing love in the city where we’ve built our lives.

For us, this was more than a wedding. It was a reunion, a reflection, and a Tokyo love letter all at once. To our couple … thank you for letting us be part of your story, from both sides of the camera.

To our friends who celebrated with us … thank you for reminding us what community really means.

And to this city … our forever muse … thank you for always showing up, no matter how many times we fall in love with you.