Well, ladies this blog post is pretty much for the fellas (but you can drop some hints to him). 

Guys, the big day is almost here. You’ve probably been thinking (and worrying about) this day for a while, but it’s finally time to get down on one knee and pop the big question to the love of your life. 

It’s beyond exciting, but it also takes a lot of planning. You have to decide when, where, who’s going to be there, how do you get her there, etc. We get it (well one of us does), it can be CRAZY stressful and feel like a lot to coordinate, not to mention trying to keep it cool and not give yourself away.

In the midst of all that planning and chaos, it’s also one of the most exciting times in your life. You’re asking the question that is going to transport you and your girl into a new stage of life together. Engagement is a fun season of life, and you’re about to enter into that moment.

This is a huge moment in your life and hers. Have you thought about how you will capture the moments of nervousness and the eternity between when you kneel and when she says yes? 

If you haven’t thought about it, we’re going to give you a couple of reasons to consider having a photographer at your proposal.

Before we dive in, one important note. We know that EVERY COUPLE IS DIFFERENT. That means that your plan and the ideal proposal may not give you space or reason to have a photographer, and that’s PERFECTLY okay. Maybe you’re a couple who doesn’t want all the fanfare and just want to be alone. That’s great, too. You have to do what feels right for you as a couple.

 

Would it Makes Sense for the Situation?

This is kind of an obvious question to ask yourself, but it’s also a big one to consider. 

A lot of soon-to-be fiances want to be surprised when the question is asked, so you don’t want it to be obvious that you’re about to propose. (We know this is not the case for everyone though.)

That being said, if you know where you’re going to pop the big question, would it be a dead giveaway if there was a stranger standing there with a camera? Is there somewhere for the photographer to stand or hide if it would be weird to have them out in the open? Obviously, we are more than happy to help you decide these things, so guys, you totally don’t have to have all these answers. We can help you decide on the perfect location based on all of these questions, so don’t stress.

For example, let’s say you’re going to propose at the beach. Having a photographer out on the beach with a camera isn’t that odd. There are plenty of photographers on the beach shooting scenery, or even taking family portraits. Your soon-to-be fiance probably won’t even notice them.

On the other hand, maybe you’re going to propose at a small, local park. Depending on crowds or location, it could be a big giveaway if someone is standing out in the open by themselves with a camera. We know how to coordinate these things so that we don’t give your big surprise away.

We once photographed a proposal in Greer City Park, and since both of us were there, we pretended to be shooting headshots of each other in the park. When the girlfriend arrived with the boyfriend already in place, we then turned around to shoot the proposal.

Is There a Place to Hide?

On a similar note, depending on where you’re going to propose, the photographer may not have a good place to hide that gives them a good angle. 

Both you and the photographer want incredible pictures that showcase the reaction and excitement of the moment, but it would be a little odd if there was a photographer standing 12 feet away at just the perfect spot, right? 

We have a great, recent example of this. We were going to be photographing a proposal at the top of a mountain lookout at Sassafras Mountain. The lookout is beautiful and a fairly large space. But 2 photographers at the very top, with their backs to the mountain view would have been a dead giveaway. 

So we made ourselves blend in near the other sightseers, complete with binoculars and hiking clothes. One of us kept our eye out for the couple who was going to be arriving, and the other kept taking photos of the mountains. Once the events started to unfold, we both turned around, still somewhat out of site, and captured the whole thing!

Regardless of your choice, we hope this info about proposal photography was helpful and informative! If you have any questions, we are more than happy to talk and even come out to your proposal location beforehand to ensure that we can capture this special moment for you.