I am a wedding photographer. I am also a first-year newlywed! And next to our actual wedding, one of the sweetest memories I have with my amazing hubby is the day he asked me to spend the rest of my life with him.
The day was perfect. Tears were shed, rain was falling, and happy shrieks were probably heard in Antarctica. But everything happened so fast and the ring was so sparkly that, once it was over, I could hardly remember if Jason even got down on one knee!
Thankfully, he thought to ask my maid of honor (also a professional photographer!) to be there to capture the engagement for us.
As women, we spend our lives dreaming about our proposal, but unlike our actual wedding day, it’s not really one we can plan for. That’s our other half’s job (depending on how traditional you are, I guess!). So we can think and hope and dream and fantasize, but when it comes down to it, we usually don’t know when it’s coming. When it does, it’s a whirlwind of excitement, surprise, and head-over-heels joy. It’s a big moment and it’s one that most of us girls want remembered. We want to relive it over and over again, just as much as we would with our actual wedding day.
That all being said, it’s not surprising that hiring a photographer for your proposal has now become almost an expectation for the groom-to-be! As a wedding photographer myself, I’ve been lucky enough to capture a few proposals. Here’s one:
The whole experience is always kind of a rush for me – let alone for the new bride! There is something so raw about the entire moment – the purely natural and unabashed reactions are priceless. The shock on a bride-to-be’s face, the absolute elation (and relief!) on the groom’s face that she said yes – it’s all pretty amazing to watch, and it’s all something that the bride will want to live again.
Anytime a groom asks me to photograph an upcoming proposal, I always do a hop, skip, and a jump (topped off with my happy dance), but I have to add one thing. Your photographer does not necessarily have to be a professional. You don’t have to hire a photographer you don’t know. He or she can be a friend with a nice camera, who also knows how to use it well (and that is about the only time and occasion you will ever hear me say that!). Just make sure to tell your photographer to stay hidden until given some kind of signal, or until the “moment is right,” so that you make sure your proposal is intimate and all your own.
I speak from experience when I say that to have these memories for the rest of your life is something to be cherished. Some women get totally swept up in the surprise that they don’t even remember what happened. It happens to men too! So fellas, hear me now. I guarantee that your future wife will love that you thought of this. Go that extra mile!
Any other photographers agree?
Love, Jasmine.
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