Surprise Proposals

I want to hire a photographer to capture my surprise proposal in DC or Northern Virginia. How does this usually work?
1. Fill out my contact form with all your details, and we’ll schedule a phone call to discuss your proposal plans. I’ll send you a few sample galleries to check out too!
2. Sign the contract and pay online to make it all official.
3. We’ll keep in touch leading up to the big day, and finalize all the exact time and location details.
4. You propose, your partner says yes, and everyone celebrates! Then we’ll have some time to take some more photos of the two of you around the location you’ve chosen.
4. I’ll have a couple sneak peek photos ready for social media within the next day or two, and the final photos will be delivered to you in an online gallery.

How long do you take photos for?
Photography coverage lasts for about 1 hour, usually with the first 15 minutes “in hiding” as I get in place before you arrive to the proposal location.

How much do proposal photos cost?
My sessions are $1200.

How will we receive the photos?
You’ll receive all of the best photos from your session! They will be edited for color and exposure and delivered to you in an online gallery. The photos are high resolution without watermarks. You can order high quality, professional prints right from the gallery, but you also have the files so you are welcome to print them wherever you’d like.

It’s so important to make sure your photos don’t just sit on a hard drive forever, so that’s why I include an album with every session! After your full gallery is ready, you will then choose your 20 favorite photos to be printed in your album. You’ll have your choice of the color and type of cover (leather or linen) and will have final approval of the design before it goes to the printer.

Are most proposals really surprises, or does the other person know they are having their photos taken?
The proposals I’ve photographed typically happen in one of two ways:
1) I’m in hiding at a place and time we’ve pre-selected and I capture the moment from afar, so your partner has no idea I’m there.
or 2) You book a “couples session” or “family portrait session.” Your unsuspecting, future fiancé(e) just thinks that regular photos are being taken, but you plan to pop the question during the shoot.

There are pros and cons to both methods, and I’m happy to chat with you to see what would work best!

I’m worried about a photographer drawing attention - how do you hide so that you don’t ruin the surprise?
This varies by location! If you’re proposing in DC at the monuments, I just look like any other tourist with a camera so I am hidden in plain sight. For proposals at less populated locations, I can often be found ducking behind trees or corners of buildings until the big moment. I’ve pretended to be a bird watcher, a DC tour guide, a staff member taking photos for a brochure - I’ve got lots of good cover stories and my acting skills are on point :)

I can’t decided where to propose, do you have any suggestions?
Of course! I’ve got lists of my favorite proposal spots in both DC and Northern Virginia. One of the biggest factors to consider is crowds and whether you and your partner want a ton of people witnessing the proposal. For some couples, it’s extra fun to have a ton of strangers watching and cheering for you! For other couples, a more private moment is preferred. If your partner would be uncomfortable with the extra attention of random tourists, then places like the monuments or DC Wharf are probably not good choices. Less touristy locations like parks or trails are better for some privacy.

How do I make sure my partner is dressed up and camera-ready for these photos that they don’t know are happening?!
There’s a couple ways to go about this. 1. Plan some kind of special date (a fancy restaurant, going to a show, etc) where you know your partner will get dressed up but then you’ll have the proposal happen instead! Or 2. Book a portrait session with me so your partner knows photos are being taken, but they don’t know you’re going to propose during the session! This obviously can be a dead giveaway if you wouldn’t normally suggest getting professional photos done haha, so make sure you know your audience.

And you can also check out my Pinterest boards for some engagement outfit ideas!

Can our dog come along for the photos?
ABSOLUTELY. If you spend about 5 seconds on my website, you know I am all about the dogs :) My husband actually proposed to me with the ring on our dog’s collar, so I am especially partial to pup proposals!

Are there any additional costs?
The high resolution digital files are included, so there are no extra fees for printing rights. But depending on the location you choose, there might be a photography permit cost involved. Generally speaking, more locations in DC charge photography fees than in Northern Virginia, but it varies! Some of the most popular locations that do charge for proposal photography permits include the National Mall and Memorial Parks (which encompasses the Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Tidal Basin, and Reflecting Pool) and the U.S. Capitol Building.