Charandeep and his girlfriend Simran were coming to Japan in October; he hoped to propose during the trip and wanted somewhere intimate and quiet, ideally with autumn colors behind them. The rest he left to me.
A message with a clear picture
Charandeep wrote to me while he and Simran were still planning their trip. He knew the feeling he wanted: intimate and quiet, with beautiful autumn colors as a backdrop if possible. He was open to my recommendations and happy to rely on my experience.
He also knew which package suited him. Our Standard package, with two hours and two locations, fit exactly what he was looking for. He planned to propose on one of their mornings, to avoid crowds and to get nice photos.
Choosing Hakone in October
When we talked about locations, Charandeep mentioned Hakone. What he liked was the torii gate, and he felt it would be especially perfect in the fall. I agreed. The gate stands in the waters of Lake Ashi, with the mountains behind it, and is one of Japan's most recognizable settings, while a morning visit keeps it calm.
I told him plainly that October in Hakone is still a bit early for autumn leaves, which usually arrive in early November. The location is beautiful regardless, I told him, but he shouldn’t expect a full autumn palette.
I always say this in advance: A proposal shouldn’t depend on one detail going perfectly, and Hakone has plenty to offer without red leaves, the lake, the mountains, the gate and the early-morning stillness.
The plan
Simran and Charandeep’s proposal worked a little differently from most. It was no longer a surprise, so what mattered was the timing. I gave Charandeep the exact time we needed to meet so he could arrange a taxi and arrive on schedule. As we’d discussed, the goal was to do everything as early as possible, before the area got busy.
We coordinated on WhatsApp so we could find each other easily. In a place where visitors gather around the same gate, that small step helps a great deal.
Then came the one part of the plan that didn’t work out: Simran and Charandeep couldn’t book a cab. With a proposal set for early morning, there was no room for delay, so I picked them up myself.
It was never part of the plan, but it was the right thing to do, and it turned into a good story.
Proposal at the Torii gate
By the time we reached the gate, the morning was still quiet. We had come early for exactly this reason, and it showed.
Because Simran knew about the proposal, there was nothing to hide, only a plan to keep to. Charandeep had the time, the place, and a very good reason to be nervous. I stayed close and let them have the moment. Simran said yes, and everything softened.
Afterward, we took our time with portraits as an engaged couple. They were relaxed, happy, and lovely to work with from start to finish.
Simran and Charandeep were so happy with the pictures.
“Thierry was amazing! From beginning to end, the entire process was seamless and stress-free. He really helped guide me to the absolute best location. Despite a few taxi issues on our end, he even picked us up, a gesture that completely blew us away. On top of that, everything arrived in less than a week and turned out better than ever. I’m so glad I chose Thierry 🙂”
Thank you for trusting me with your morning. It was a pleasure to work with you both!
Let’s plan your proposal in Japan that feels calm from start to finish. Send me a message. We’ll choose the place, the hour, and everything else, and I’ll handle the details in between.
