Province of Siena, Tuscany
Val d’Orcia Proposal: From the Walls of Pienza to the San Quirico Cypresses
A proposal on the walls of Pienza, then engagement photos at the Chapel of Vitaleta, in Bagno Vignoni and among the cypresses of San Quirico d’Orcia.
The story
A proposal and four places of the Val d’Orcia
This Val d’Orcia proposal story starts on the walls of Pienza, where Lorenzo asked Despina to marry him with the whole valley behind them. After the yes we kept going: the lanes of Pienza, the fields below the Chapel of Vitaleta, the thermal square of Bagno Vignoni and the cypresses near San Quirico d’Orcia.
The proposal came first, the engagement photos after. If you are planning something similar, our page for the proposal photographer in Florence and Tuscany explains how a proposal session works and how to ask for a quote.
In this story
The gallery
The complete proposal gallery
Pienza
The proposal on the walls of Pienza
Pienza sits on a hill above the Val d’Orcia, and its historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The walk along the town walls looks straight onto the valley. That is where Lorenzo went down on one knee, with the hills and a row of cypresses behind Despina.
The first frames are the question, her answer and the ring going on her finger. Then we walked into town, through the narrow stone lanes and under the clock tower.
The countryside
The Chapel of Vitaleta and the wheat fields
Out of Pienza we moved to the Chapel of Vitaleta, the small white chapel between its cypresses. We photographed the two of them in front of it, then in the field below, where the wheat was high and golden.
Further on the fields opened up under a clear sky, and we made portraits in the wheat and higher up, above the rolling hills. The whole landscape of the Val d’Orcia, farms and cypresses included, is itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Bagno Vignoni
The thermal pool of Piazza delle Sorgenti
In Bagno Vignoni the main square is a thermal pool. The stone houses around Piazza delle Sorgenti are reflected in the water, and a loggia runs along one side.
Lorenzo and Despina sat on the low wall under the loggia, facing the pool. After the open fields, this was a quieter set in the shade.
Last light
Val d’Orcia proposal story among the San Quirico cypresses
We finished near San Quirico d’Orcia. First the white road through the harvested fields, with round hay bales on both sides and a line of cypresses at the end. Then the circle of cypresses, with the sun low behind the trees: a kiss between the trunks and a last walk hand in hand on the gravel.
From the journal
Other proposals and sessions in Tuscany
Many of the proposals we photograph happen in the city, like this proposal in Florence. In the Val d’Orcia we followed almost the same route for a maternity photoshoot in Val d’Orcia, and we photographed an elopement in Pienza.
More stories are in our proposal stories. If you would like a session without the question, the page for our engagement photographer in Florence and Tuscany explains how it works.
Questions
Questions about a Val d’Orcia proposal
Where was this proposal photographed?
On the walls of Pienza. The engagement photos that followed were taken in the lanes of Pienza, at the Chapel of Vitaleta and in the wheat fields around it, in Piazza delle Sorgenti in Bagno Vignoni and at the circle of cypresses near San Quirico d’Orcia.
Can the proposal and the engagement photos be on the same day?
Yes. This one was: the proposal first, then three more places. How many places fit depends on how long the session lasts, and we plan the day together before you arrive.
Do you photograph proposals in other parts of Tuscany?
Yes: Florence and its hills, Chianti, Val d’Orcia, San Gimignano and the Crete Senesi.
How do we get a quote?
Send us your date, where you will be staying and where you would like to propose, via WhatsApp or the contact form. We will send you a quote.
The studio
A family studio near Florence
Foto Cine Gori is a family-run photography and video studio based near Florence, with its own premises in Calenzano. We photograph proposals, couples, weddings and families across Tuscany: Florence and its hills, Chianti, Val d’Orcia, San Gimignano and the Crete Senesi.
Your proposal
Planning a proposal in Tuscany?
Tell us your date and where you will be staying. We will reply with the places that can work for your proposal and a quote.