I’ve been photographing Elena and John for five years now, so this one felt extra special!
It started with vacation photos on the Amalfi Coast. I photographed them there three different times, followed by another session together in Florence. This year, I got to join them for a completely different chapter. Ten years after getting married, Elena and John travelled to Trentino, surrounded by the Italian Dolomites, to celebrate their vow renewal.
Getting to photograph a couple once is always special. Getting invited back over the years and watching their story continue is something else entirely.
Celebrating 10 Years Together in Trentino
For their ten-year anniversary, Elena and John wanted to mark the occasion somewhere beautiful. They chose Trentino in Northern Italy, surrounded by vineyards, mountains, and the incredible scenery of the Dolomites. It was completely different from the places we’d photographed together before and made this celebration feel like a new adventure.
Their celebration took place at a private villa owned by the Lunelli family, the family behind Ferrari Trento winery. It was intimate, relaxed, and focused on exactly what brought everyone there in the first place.
That’s one of the things I love about a vow renewal. There are no rules for what it needs to look like. It can be a big celebration with everyone you love or something much smaller with just the two of you. After ten years of marriage, you know what matters to you, and you get to celebrate that in your own way.
From the Amalfi Coast to the Dolomites
Having photographed Elena and John several times before made this day feel even more personal for me.
Our previous sessions had taken us along the Amalfi Coast and through Florence. This time, instead of the sea and colourful coastal towns, we had the mountains and landscapes of the Dolomites around us.
There is something really meaningful about having photographs from different chapters of your life together. Not only the wedding day, but the trips you’ve taken, the anniversaries you’ve celebrated, and all the versions of yourselves along the way.
Five years after I first photographed Elena and John, I got to document them choosing each other all over again!
Why Have a Vow Renewal in Italy
Italy makes it very easy to turn an anniversary into something much bigger than a dinner or a weekend away.
You can choose somewhere completely new or return to a place that already means something to you. Spend a few days exploring, eat incredible food, invite the people closest to you, or keep the whole experience between the two of you.
Most importantly, you have an excuse to slow down and celebrate how far you’ve come together.
A vow renewal also gives you the chance to create new photographs without trying to recreate your wedding day. Ten years have passed. Your relationship has grown and changed, and your photos can reflect exactly where you are now.
The Celebration Didn’t End There
The next morning, we swapped the villa for hiking shoes and headed to Madonna di Campiglio.
We made our way up towards Grostè peak, surrounded by the incredible landscape of the Italian Dolomites. I loved that this was part of their celebration too. Their trip wasn’t only about one beautiful evening. It became an experience they could enjoy together from beginning to end.
Their trip wasn’t only about one beautiful evening. It became an experience they could enjoy together from beginning to end. And for couples dreaming of a wedding or vow renewal in the Dolomites, it’s a beautiful reminder that the celebration can become part of a much bigger adventure.
And after photographing them on the Amalfi Coast, in Florence, and now high in the mountains of Trentino, I’m already curious to see where we end up next.
If you’re celebrating an anniversary and thinking about planning your own vow renewal in Italy, I’d love to document this next chapter with you. Whether it’s somewhere along the Amalfi Coast, in the mountains, or a completely different corner of Italy, get in touch and tell me what you’re dreaming about.
