Tips for Planning the Perfect Proposal
So you are ready to propose to the love of you life? Can I just say CONGRATULATIONS! I am SO excited for you and I want to help you make this the most special day possible for you and your new fiancé (doesn’t it feel exciting to refer to your significant other as your fiancé soon?!) ! I have been photographing surprise proposals the past few years and I have a few tips I wanted to share with you when planning this very special moment and the photography for it!
Picking the perfect location and timing
It is SO important to put a lot of thought into the location and timing of your proposal. Here are my tips on some things to consider when choosing a location and perfect time…
First thing to ask yourself when picking a location, is there a spot that is really special and meaningful to you and your significant other? Maybe a spot you frequent for dates? Maybe a spot where a special memory was made? Proposing in meaningful spots is a really sweet gesture so if you are stuck on choosing a location consider that first.
Second thing to ask yourself, do you want to propose in a more private or public location? If it is a public place, think about the time of day and day of the week that would make the most sense to propose. As proposal photographer who captures the majority of my proposals in Washington DC, for this region especially and other busy areas like it I definitely like to make sure my clients are aware that certain spots at certain times of the day may be more crowded than others.
Third thing to consider when choosing a location is if you are getting professional photos do do you need a permit? In Washington DC where I primarily take photos a lot of picturesque spots do require permits. Make sure to check with your photographer and the certain location’s websites if you need a permit and what the process is to get one. Some places only give out a certain amount of permits each day and also require you to schedule at least a week t in advance so make sure you are checking this out when planing.
Fourth thing to ask yourself, is what time of day do you want to propose? This is especially important if you are getting professional photos done. I like to advise my clients to pick sunrise or sunset when the sun is a little less harsh to propose so they can get beautiful light in their photos. Also back to timing, depending on the location a sunrise or sunset time for the proposal will in some cases help with avoiding large crowds.
Consider if you want to have friends or family there when you propose
I have photographed proposals where it was just the couples and some where friends and family were involved. Either way there is no right or wrong way but you should decide what makes sense for you! A pro of having friends and family there is they can help you with coordinating the proposal. I have had friends and families help with coordinating timing and communication so its one less stress the one proposing has to worry about. Also, if you are close with your family and friends it can be really special to include them in this next step in your relationship. A pro of doing it alone is it can be a lot less pressure for those couples that are a little more private. Having other people watch can be stressful for an already stressful event so for some couples it totally makes more sense to do it alone.
3. How to prepare your future fiancé for the day
One of the most frequent questions I get when planning a surprise proposal with my client is about how they should prepare their future fiancé for the day. This part can sometimes be a little tricky to do without giving it away you are proposing but here are some tips I give my clients….
If you are planning on proposing at a specific location on aMake sure that your significant other has the day or part of the day you want to propose blocked off. I suggest to my clients telling them that they have a date planned for that day and time frame.
On the same note of telling them you have a date and time of day blocked off, if you have a professional photographer capturing photos of your proposal, let them know that they should probably dress accordingly for the date you are telling them you are taking them on. Need some suggestions on what to wear? Here is a link to my style guide to help out!
One of the the biggest things I know my clients who are asked the question appreciate is having their nails manicured and looking nice for a proposal. To make sure their nails look nice, I suggest two things if they don’t regularly do upkeep on their nails… One, treat them to a manicure a few days out from their proposal. If you think they may suspect something by you offering to treat them to a manicure, reach out to one of their close friends and tell them your plans and ask them to invite them out to get a manicure. The second option in my opinion may make the most sense so they do not get suspicious.
Something that I have seen a lot of my clients do that I think is so sweet is plan a celebration to attend with friends and/or family after the proposal happens such as a dinner or small party. This is always helps make the day extra special!
4. Picking a photographer
If you choose to have your proposal documented (which I highly recommend because I am a proposal photographer obviously… haha) this is what you should be asking and looking for when shopping around….
Ask to see full proposal galleries and not just just a highlight real! This is very important for when you are hiring a photographer for any type of job. As a rule of thumb, I recommend that you ask for 2 galleries. You want to make sure that all their photos look edited consistently, are properly focused, and have variety.
Talk to them about their process for coordinating the proposal with you! Communication is so key for planning proposals and its very important that you and your photographer have a great game plan.