So you’re ready to propose? Congratulations on taking this step! Proposals are such special moments in a couples life and what better way to remember such a special moment than hiring a photographer to capture it? If you’re looking to have a photographer capture your proposal there are 2 ways to have your proposal photographed, each with their own unique perks.
1. Plan for a “Couples Photo Session”
This is honestly one of my favorite ways to photograph a proposal and works best if you’re visiting a new city or if there’s a holiday or dating anniversary coming up that you can “gift” the session to your significant other for. This plan works a lot like any other photo session. You can contact the photographer first, letting them in on your plan and the two of you can sneakily present it as a couples photo session to document your time in the new city or as a way to celebrate your dating anniversary, etc. Secretly you will work with the photographer to plan out when and where you should pop the question and will work out a signal to let each other know you’re ready. This works great because both of you are showing up expecting to have your photos taken and will be dressed for the occasion! It’s also a great way to get your significant other to visit a place that may not be on your itinerary or somewhere you wouldn’t normally visit. You also won’t need to sneak around (as much) to communicate with the photographer if you have a fiance to be who may be a little more suspicious!
This is how we coordinated Chris and Keyvi’s proposal at Cypress Gardens!
2. The Surprise Capture
Perhaps the more traditional way, you can secretly contact a photographer and have them hide/blend in at your proposal site to capture the surprise. To execute this plan, you will coordinate with your photographer on a time, day, and location where you would like to propose. Depending on the location, your photographer may need to hide in bushes or they may be able to blend in with a crowd to capture the shot. It’s best to coordinate some kind of signal with your photographer to make sure they see you and you’re good to go – I usually text a thumbs up to the person proposing. After you pop the question, the photographer will usually take a few photos around your proposal site of the two of you, a “newly engaged session” if you will. This plan is definitely the most popular but does require a little more sneaky communication with the photographer on your part.
This is how we captured Zito and Colleen’s proposal at Isle of Palms!
Thinking of having your Charleston proposal photographed? Let me know how I can help!
