Mayur & Aarushi

Mayur and Aarushi are both psychiatrists in New York. High pressure work and long days shape most of their routine. This trip was their way out of that rhythm. They booked a ten day trip to Greece, starting in Athens, moving to Milos, and continuing in Santorini.

We helped them with: photo and video coverage, private speedboat transfer between islands, organizing multiple sessions with different outfits, and booking a private dinner at Santorini’s best fine dining restaurant.

Mayur had a solid budget and wanted a proposal package that made sense. Enough time, money spent where it mattered, and experiences that were actually worth it.

Day one: Proposal at Sarakiniko, Milos

The weather was rough, with strong gusts hitting the coast nonstop. Vangelis was with me again, holding the reflector and fighting the wind. The soft box stayed in the bags. Seeing it fly into the sea was not in my plans that day.

We worked our way around the wind, adjusting the posing accordingly.

Mayur was sharp throughout the session. He played the role very well.

He proposed at Sarakiniko right at sunrise, with the wind cutting through everything and waves crashing close enough to spray us.

Two hours later, we drove to Mandrakia for a few more shots. Later that day, we headed to Santorini on our private speedboat.

Day two: Session in Pyrgos and Imerovigli, Santorini

Santorini gave us better conditions.

We split the session between Pyrgos and Imerovigli. New outfits, a different pace, and a noticeable shift in energy. No one enjoys 35 mph winds and getting sprayed with salt water.

Pyrgos felt quiet. We spent most of our time there. It has that energy that slows everything down. The village feels stuck in time. You hear a few old men walking through the alleys, and there are endless good spots to shoot. It is not ideal for sunset though, so we drove to Imerovigli for the last twenty minutes we had together.

The day ended with a private dinner at Selene, Santorini’s best fine dining restaurant.

Day three: Sunrise session in Oia

This was not planned, but Aarushi clearly enjoyed the photo sessions.

5 am again.

We met in Oia at sunrise for the final session. Almost no one around. Windless conditions and high humidity created softer light and a completely different rhythm compared to Sarakiniko.

Enjoy the final set of images:

Why this worked

Good planning and clear communication. Mayur knew what he wanted and what he did not. That is the most important part of any proposal. He started with a budget around 10k, but after our consultation call, he ended up spending 7k in total.

Two islands, four photo sessions, a team of three people with them at all times, a twelve meter private speedboat, and a private dinner at Selene for 7k. Solid!

I understood early on that they were the type of couple who needed a sequence of exclusive experiences that made sense financially, with enough space between them to actually enjoy each part.

Closing thoughts

I know you might want to spend serious money to impress your partner, but I prefer a subtractive approach. Spend that money where it actually matters. Proposing at a lookout point or a remote location is still my personal favorite and saves you money for other experiences.

If that is not for you though, and you prefer to invest more in a venue with decorations and fireworks, check out Dvir and Pailine’s proposal in Santorini.