Her POV:

Tyler had planned a second trip to Japan. It had only been 6 months since we were there, but we both loved it so much so it wasn’t weird for us to be going again so soon. Tyler told me he had found some cheap flights and said it would be a birthday present to me. All was business as usual in my mind until he told me to get my nails done before our trip. This man has never told me to get my nails done. I had a feeling something might happen 💍

We arrived in Japan on Saturday, November 25th. Several days had passed and there were multiple opportunities for him to propose, but he didn’t. I thought to myself, "well maybe not this time". My birthday was coming up on Friday and surely he wouldn’t propose on my birthday, right?

The day before the proposal (Tuesday) we arrived in Kyoto and checked into our machiya. We had dinner and Tyler told me that we would have to wake up early the next morning to explore the nearby shrine “before the crowds, around 7”. This man woke me up at 5:30 to get ready! I would be lying if I said I didn’t give him a hard time, after all I expected to leave around 7, not actually get there at exactly 7 haha. Some battles are not meant to be won, so I unhappily went along with it and was out of the door by 6:45 with full hair and makeup.

On the way to the spot he had planned to propose he was so nervous! I could hear it in his voice, even though he was trying very hard to hide it. He was making small talk with me about everything including the weather. It was very cute. We ended up on a bridge where he stopped me to propose. I blacked out a little bit, but he said something about always adventuring together and continuing that adventure. I of course said YES! My ring was perfect and beautiful, and all I could say to him was "WOW! You did such a great job!" At this point I didn’t know Tyler had hired a photographer (hence the need to be there on time), so I started taking photos on my cell phone and even asked him to get down on his knee again for a picture. He let me have my photo moment and then pointed out the photographer who had been there the whole time. Tyler put so much time and energy into planning the perfect proposal! I'm one lucky gal! Real proposal photo above.

His POV:

The moment we got back from our first trip to Japan, I knew that’s where I wanted to propose. So, I made a list: the ring, the location, and what I would say.

First on the list was the ring. Over time, and through our travels and window shopping, I had a pretty good idea of what Janice liked. I must have visited at least 20 stores, some multiple times, to find exactly what I was looking for. A twist band with a pear-shaped diamond was the style I had in mind, but it had to be perfect for my (hopefully) future wife.

I searched everywhere—online, in-store—but none of the diamonds felt right. That went on for months until one day, I found it, in a small shop close to home. The perfect diamond. For the band, I had one in mind that I’d seen online, so I had it custom-ordered. It took about a month to assemble, but when I held it in my hands, I knew it was perfect!

With the ring ready, I had almost forgotten about the location! Japan—yes, but where? I started looking online for spots and photographers when I came across one in Kyoto with amazing reviews. I reached out, and though his rates were higher, his work was worth it. He helped me plan the perfect spot near where we were staying, and we decided on a secret photoshoot in Maruyama Park for an early morning proposal.

Now that I had the ring and the location, I needed a reason to go back to Japan without raising suspicion. A birthday trip seemed like the perfect cover, so I planned a surprise trip to Japan, booking flights as a birthday present for Janice. Of course, the trip was more than just a birthday surprise!

Janice was a little suspicious when I suggested she get her nails done before the trip, but the first few days in Japan threw her off. We started in Tokyo—no proposal. Then we moved on to Osaka—still no proposal. By the time we reached Kyoto, she probably thought it was just a fun birthday trip.

But Kyoto was the real deal. We arrived on a Tuesday afternoon, and I suggested we check out a nearby park. It was dark, and the park was glowing with beautiful autumn maple leaves. The perfect cover to familiarize myself with the proposal spot. I made an excuse that we had to return the next morning to see it in the daylight before the crowds arrived.

The next morning, I woke her up at 5:30 AM—not an easy task! She was not thrilled but played along. I told her we had to get there by 7 AM to beat the crowds, and to dress nicely because we’d be going to a fancy lunch afterward. She complained (understandably), but I finally got her out the door. As we walked through the cold morning air to the park, she couldn’t help but admire how beautiful it was.

We reached the bridge I had picked out with the photographer. As we looked out at the stunning scenery together, I got down on one knee and asked her to spend the rest of her life adventuring with me. I had planned to say a lot more, but honestly, I was so nervous I lost my train of thought. Still, it was a moment I’ll never forget, and one I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.