A few weeks before their trip, Max reached out to plan a surprise proposal for his girlfriend, Saraya. They were coming in from Connecticut, traveling to Japan for about ten days, and he had a window between June 28th and July 8th to make it happen. He was open on the location and wanted some guidance on what would work best for the time of year.

We talked through a few options and landed on Shinjuku Gyoen. It sits right in the heart of Tokyo but feels removed from it once you step inside - wide open lawns, a traditional Japanese garden with bridges, stone lanterns, and water features, and enough space to find a quiet corner away from the crowds. It made sense for what he had in mind.

One thing Max flagged early on was the summer heat. And June and July in Tokyo can be intense, and he wanted to make sure the setting would remain comfortable for both of them. My advice was straightforward: get there early. The park opens at 9:00 AM, and the first hour or so is the best time to beat both the heat and the foot traffic. The morning light in the garden at that hour is also hard to argue with.

Coordinating around Saraya

This one required a little more behind-the-scenes work than most. Saraya, as Max put it, holds the itinerary. Every plan, every booking, she's the one keeping track of where they're going and when. That meant Max had been quietly coordinating everything with us, finding small windows to reach out without giving anything away.

For anyone who has tried to plan a surprise while sharing every moment of a holiday with the person you're surprising, you'll know how much that takes.

On the day itself, my associate Tah Kitti was on the ground to capture everything. I set up a WhatsApp group beforehand so we could stay in real time, share our live locations, and take a quick selfie to make sure we could spot each other easily once they arrived. It's a small thing, but it's what keeps the logistics invisible so the moment can stay exactly what it should be.

The Proposal in the garden of Shinjuku Gyoen

Getting Saraya to the right spot took a little maneuvering. Max had to find a reason to walk back to a particular area of the garden without making it obvious. A few casual detours, a bit of patience. But they made it there, and when he asked, she had absolutely no idea it was coming.

She is completely, genuinely surprised. The kind of reaction that's impossible to fake and even harder to forget. My associate Tah gave them space after the moment, about twenty minutes for them to be with each other, to process it, to just enjoy it without a camera in their face. There's no rush in moments like that.

A Detail That Made It Personal

Before we wrapped up, Max mentioned something that stuck with me. He and Saraya had met in London, and the city's underground had become a small but meaningful part of their story together. A shot at the metro, he said, was a must before the day was done. It's exactly the kind of detail I always want to know about — the things that are specific to them, that make the gallery feel like theirs and no one else's.

As we parted ways, Max asked where he could stay in touch and leave some feedback. They took selfies together, said goodbye a few times, and it took a little while before they actually left. Some sessions end cleanly. Others linger in the best possible way, and this was one of those.

Congratulations, Max and Saraya. Thank you for letting us be part of the beginning of your story.

If you're planning to propose during your time in Japan and aren't sure where to start, reach out. We'll figure out the details together; all you have to think about is the question.