Planning your proposal to your partner is such a special time, but you also probably have a million questions. Where do you pop the question? What are you supposed to do or say? How do you plan surprise proposal photos to capture the moment?
Well, the good news is that while this may be your first time proposing to someone, I have plenty of experience with proposals. As an engagement and wedding photographer, I have been a part of a bunch of different proposals over the years and have picked up a few tips that can help you as you plan out your own.
So, let’s jump into some of my top tips when it comes to not only planning the moment, but also getting the best surprise proposal photos to remember it by!
Tips for Planning a Surprise Proposal
Don’t Be Suspicious
This is one of the easiest ways to give away your surprise proposal! I know it can seem like such a hard thing to keep under wraps, but you want to do everything you can to make the day seem as normal as possible.
A big part of this means picking a spot that won’t raise many flags with your partner. This will be different for everyone, but maybe it’s one of your favorite places to visit together or where you first met.
You can also plan an innocuous date or activity to do together to make it seem less out of the blue.
Going along with this, try not to give anything away with what they should wear either! If you and your partner never dress up and go to a fancy restaurant, choosing that as your proposal location may give it away.
Your proposal locations don’t have to be extravagant to be special. Here are a few places that my past couples have done it, and they were all so meaningful and authentic:
- Michael and David go to the Nelson Atkins Museum for a walk every single month, so that was the perfect choice for them.
- Sam decided that they wanted to propose to their partner, Racquel, at their favorite winery.
- Cate and Taylor never miss the Christmas lights at the plaza, so what better way to make that tradition even more special?
Make the Moment Your Own
With everyone posting their proposals online, it can feel like a blessing and a curse. You get to see all of the different ways everyone is making their proposal memorable, but it can also make you feel like you have to go overboard to try to match someone else’s.
We are not all going to have a Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift moment surrounded by endless florals and rose petals. And the reality is that it may not even be what your partner wants.
So take some time to really think about what would make this special for you and your partner specifically. This doesn’t have to be a major production. It can be something as simple as a picnic in the park or even a quiet moment together in your favorite bookstore.
Whatever it is that you choose, just remember that you have complete control over this and can make this moment into whatever you want it to be. Planning something that is authentic to who you are, with your partner in mind, is always going to be more special than trying to recreate something that someone else did!
Make a Plan with Your Photographer
The key to the best surprise proposal photographer is communication! Take some time, at least a week before your plan to pop the question, to talk with your photographer and figure out the game plan.
This way, not only can they give you some advice on the ideal spot to make the moment as special as possible, but they can also help work out the logistics of how everything will work and even come up with some backup plans just in case.
I would also highly recommend sharing your location with your photographer on the day of your proposal. This makes it so much easier for them to track you and ensure they are in the right place to catch all the emotional moments.
Plan Your Speech Ahead of Time
There is nothing quite like the nerves of proposing to just make every thought in your head disappear. So, take some time before the big day to plan out what you want to say. You definitely don’t have to memorize any speech, but having a general idea will help you have something to fall back on if you do get nervous in the moment.
Plus, having a speech gives you more time to be down on one knee so that we can capture all those emotional moments before they say yes! You’d be surprised how quickly the moment can happen, so we want to make sure we can capture every second of it!
Bonus Tip! Avoid Sunglasses
I know this may sound a bit weird, but your surprise proposal photos will look so much better if you and your partner can avoid wearing sunglasses. This comes up all of the time and seems like a small thing, but it can make a big difference!
If you are outside and your partner is wearing sunglasses, TRY to gently coax them out of them before you actually propose. Again, we don’t want to be too suspicious, but doing this will definitely pay off in the long run.
Ready for Your Own Surprise Proposal Photos?
Hopefully, these tips help you plan out the perfect moment and capture the best surprise proposal photos possible. At the end of the day, this is a super intimate moment with you and your partner, so it should be something that feels exactly like YOU. And, if you are still looking for the perfect photographer to be your inside man, I’d love to chat! You can click here to learn more about my proposal photography or head over here to get in touch with me.
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