You’ve made up your mind, your person, your significant other, your better half, is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. You’ve painstakingly chosen a ring, and survived asking the parents for permission, yet, you’re still having clammy hands and a racing heart at the thought of the proposal! You know you want to do it in a spot that’s special to the both of you, but you want to have a photographer there and you are hitting a blank as to how to incorporate it without giving it away! Luckily, help is here and there are a few ways in which you will be able to pull off the surprise of your almost-fiance’s life!
First off, let me tell you that as a wedding photographer, there is something so special about being asked to be a part of the couple’s proposal! With the below ideas, always discuss up front with your photographer which method will work best for your planned proposal, so that you will not be caught off guard when it is time to pop the question.
- “X” marks the spot
If you know more or less where you would like to propose, whether it is in front of the fountain where you first saw them, or the spot on the beach where you asked them to go steady, your photographer will most likely scout the area before hand to see which exact spot will work best in terms of background, lighting and how busy it is. To avoid suspicion by sending you messages on the day, your photographer may place an “X” on the spot out of tape, or a 10c(find something that will stand out on the type of ground that you will be on and discuss it beforehand). This will help you to know exactly where to go while you guys are walking! Just don’t go staring down to the ground the whole time 😉
- Disguise it as a couple session
Does your SO enjoy taking photos together? Why not ask your photographer to do a couple photoshoot? Think about it, it’s an occasion to dress up, it will set the mood, the nails will be done(very important detail!),and your photographer can discuss with you beforehand a specific pose/prompt for you to do that will be your sign to bring out the ring.
Pro tip: ensure the ring box is not too big to fit in your pocket, or arrange beforehand that it somehow gets into your photographer’s bag and they’ll give it to you while pretending to straighten your tie/fix your hair.
- Tourist/nature photographer
If you are going to be in a public space, and your photographer is quite the gifted actor/actress, they may hide in plain sight while taking photos of the surroundings. This done in conjunction with the first option is sure to not attract any attention from your SO or any bystanders.
What if things go wrong(with taking photos I mean, not the proposal)?
We’ve all seen the videos where photographers try to capture a proposal and something just goes wrong and they miss the moment. And this can happen – we’re only human!
If you are hiring a professional photographer, the chances of this happening should be very slim. But in the off chance that it does happen, just enjoy the moment first! Your Photographer will be up front about it and will let you know afterwards if a “staging” of the proposal is needed. And don’t worry about the emotion – usually, the elated feeling that you are both experiencing is so strong, that it will take a while to go away, so it will show up just as real when you do it again as when you did it the first time(and you’ll have a second confirmation that yes, they will spend the rest of their lives with you;))
Parvenu Photography 