There are sessions where the couple’s joy just quietly spills out beyond them. This one at Daigoji Temple was exactly that — the two of them were so warm and open that even local Japanese visitors passing by ended up joining the celebration.

He and I had planned this shoot carefully, choosing a time when we thought the temple grounds would be at their quietest. He arrived exactly on time, and on top of that, he had kept me updated in real time throughout the morning — where he was, what time they were leaving, everything. That kind of communication makes such a huge difference on the day itself. When they arrived, everything unfolded exactly the way we had planned.

The proposal itself was one of those beautiful, uncomplicated moments. She was clearly overjoyed, and he looked so relieved and happy that his plan had worked. I captured that whole exchange with a real sense of gratitude — this is the kind of moment you never take for granted as a photographer.

From there, we moved through some of the more beautiful spots inside Daigoji. Because the temple is famous, there were quite a few Japanese visitors around — not tourists in the international sense, but Japanese locals visiting the temple grounds. What was so lovely was that a handful of them noticed what had just happened and came over to congratulate them. They chatted, they smiled, they wished the couple well. Some of these little moments of warmth from complete strangers are things you cannot plan for, but they made the whole session feel extra special.

The couple themselves are honestly two of the kindest, most gentle people I have had the pleasure of photographing. Every pose I suggested, they went for with such positive energy. Every location we tried, they loved. That kind of openness makes my job feel less like work and more like spending a morning with people who happen to be brilliant in front of a camera.

Thank you both so much for choosing me for this important morning, and for the warmth you brought to it — a warmth that clearly reached everyone around you too. Congratulations. I really hope life brings you back to Japan sometime.

If you are dreaming up a proposal at one of Kyoto’s beautiful temples like Daigoji, you can pop over to my Kyoto packages.