Location

At this stage, the first thing you have to do is find the right spot. If you have a local photographer, they may already have locations in mind with beautiful backdrops! When it comes to the proposal, you want to know the location and exact spot where you're going to pop the question. Think of a treasure map with an X that marks the spot. Planning this will ensure your photographer gets all the right angles and both you and your special person's faces/reactions.

Another tip is planning based on how public this area is! If this is a hike up Yosemite, there will be plenty of opportunities for all the picture-perfect shots with just the two of you. If this is a San Francisco skyscraper, there may be rentals for proposal photoshoots, or you can have all your family and friends there to witness it all!

Timing and Lighting Conditions

Once you're dialed in on the location, you need to choose the time. Do you want a sunset/sunrise proposal? What about a cozy proposal with the city lights streaming through the windows? Your photographer can recommend the best lighting conditions for your photos, whether at midday, sunrise, or sunset.

Another factor to consider is how busy it will be. Would your proposal be more intimate with fewer bystanders walking through, or maybe the traffic is slower around 7-8 pm rather than the 5 o'clock rush hour? The time of day will help keep you comfortable, at ease, and keep you on track with your timeline.

Communicate With Your Photographer

Communicating with your photographer will be vital for keeping everything on track. Update your photographer if you need to catch up on schedule, timeline or location updates, and direction you're coming from. You should also let your photographer know how youre going to propose and what you guys look like!

Tip: Send a picture of the both of you and what youre wearing before you get there!

Bonus Tips:

• Breathe! You got this! This is a big moment, its okay to be nervous, know your photographer is there to help!
• Have a back up plan
• Update your photographer the day of
• Avoid logos on your clothes
• Take it slow
• Enjoy this moment, after the proposal you get to take some portraits and really freeze this moment in time! Then you get to scream from the top of a roof, "IM GETTING MARRIED."

Planning to Propose:

Are you planning to pop the question? We would love to chat! We absolutely love surprise engagement and would love to be a part of this heartwarming memory with you!