Kerala Backwaters — Houseboat Sunset

9:16 vertical cinematic pre-wedding photograph of [groom_name] and [bride_name], an Indian couple, on the wooden bow of a traditional Kerala kettuvallam (houseboat) drifting through palm-fringed backwaters at golden hour.

Wardrobe: the bride wears an ivory-and-gold kasavu saree with a wide gold zari border, jasmine strands in her hair, simple gold temple jewelry (jhumkas, kasu malai), bare feet on the polished teakwood deck. The groom wears a crisp white mundu with a gold border and a loose cream linen kurta with the sleeves rolled up, sandalwood tilak on his forehead.

Pose: they stand close at the bow of the houseboat, his hand resting gently at her waist, her head tilted lightly against his shoulder. Both gaze out across the calm green water, soft warm smiles. The bride holds a single white lotus.

Setting: emerald-green palm groves arching overhead, distant rice paddies, a heron lifting off across the water in the background, the bamboo-thatched houseboat roof above them, soft mist hanging just above the water surface as the sun dips behind the palms.

Lighting: warm golden-hour backlight catching the water and the saree's zari, dappled shadows from the palm fronds, naturalistic film-stock grade with deep greens and warm cream highlights. Shot on Sony A7R IV with 50mm f/1.4 lens, shallow depth of field, ultra-realistic 8K, magazine editorial styling.

Text overlay (centered on the lower third):
"[groom_name] & [bride_name]" in large flowing serif.
{{?days_to_go}}Above the names: "[days_to_go] Days to go" in fancy elegant cursive.{{/days_to_go}}
{{?wedding_date}}Below the names: "[wedding_date]" in smaller italic.{{/wedding_date}}

Match the couple's faces and hairstyles exactly to the uploaded reference image. Aspect ratio: 9:16 vertical.