As a photographer, I’ve captured all kinds of love stories — from engagement sessions to weddings, anniversaries to maternity shoots. But there’s something extra special about being in on a secret.

Especially when that secret involves a ring, a surprise, and one very unsuspecting bride-to-be.

This particular session started like any other. She reached out to book a “couples session” — nothing out of the ordinary. The day of the session I get a call from him saying,

“Actually… I want to propose during the shoot. Can you help me pull it off?”

The answer, of course, was absolutely yes.

We worked out all the details behind the scenes. Location, timing, cues — even where he should hide the ring. The challenge? Making it all feel totally natural so she wouldn’t suspect a thing.

When the day arrived, she was all smiles, thinking it was just a fun shoot to capture some updated photos of the two of them. I kept things light and casual — posing them, making them laugh, doing what I always do to help couples feel at ease.

Then came the moment.

I told them to stand back to back and then turn toward each other slowly — something I often do to capture genuine reactions. But this time, instead of just smiling at her, he dropped to one knee.

Her face said it all. Total surprise. Shock, joy, emotion — everything poured out in an instant. And the best part? I got to capture every single second of it as it happened.

I’ve photographed a lot of milestones, but moments like these? They hit different.

After the proposal, we finished the session in full celebration mode. The energy completely shifted — there was laughter, happy tears, and so much love. And now they have a gallery of images that tell the full story: from “just a photoshoot” to “just said yes.”

To my fellow romantics out there:
If you’re planning to pop the question and want to keep it a surprise, here’s what I recommend as a photographer:

Loop me in early. The more I know, the better I can help you plan the perfect moment.

Keep it simple. Don’t overcomplicate the setup — the emotion is what matters most.

Trust your partner. You know what will feel natural to them. The more relaxed they are, the more genuine the reaction.

Be present. I’ll handle capturing the moment — you just focus on living it.

This is why I do what I do.
Because some moments deserve to be remembered forever — and some stories are just too good not to tell.