I’ve had my fair share of inquiries for proposal photos, and this was by far the most thoughtful one I got to document. When we spoke on the phone to discuss details, R already had a clear vision on how he wanted to propose to her. I sent him a few reference photos I found on Pinterest for setting up the backdrop which he loved, and figuring out the logistics (like going over the lighting and start time at the location together) went smoothly. We also talked about how we were going to take their portraits after, and when I shared that I like taking photos where the couple is just completely immersed in their own world, he told me that’ll be easy because he felt confident in their relationship. He was absolutely right.

Every detail was planned with her experience in mind: asking her to take the next day off so she thinks it’s happening that day instead, asking her closest friends to take her to a nice restaurant so she’s dressed up, printing out old photos of special moments they’ve shared throughout their journey, writing her a heartfelt letter so he doesn’t miss anything he wants to say to her, and inviting her parents as a surprise which made her so emotional in the best way (‘: She had zero idea any of this was happening, and it was amazing to capture her genuine reactions soaking up all the love she was feeling. The way they embraced this experience and felt at ease with each other made it obvious how strong their connection was. Nothing felt forced or poorly planned. It really is the amount of effort and thought you put into something that says everything about how much you understand and love your partner.

If you’re looking to propose to your partner, I would love to be a part of this magical moment!