After a year of being quarantined with the one you love, you might be starting to think about popping the question. You’re definitely in the right place, because as a New Jersey wedding photographer, proposals are one of my favorite things to capture in New Jersey and New York. More than just taking the photos and being there to celebrate when he or she says yes, I love to help with the proposal planning, choose the perfect spot and yes, sometimes even send my husband to clear the location so we can make sure that nothing stands in our way of the perfect proposal photo.
It’s not as easy as it looks – and I have a little bit of a process – which I’m going to break down below. So if you have been wondering how to plan the perfect proposal, stay tuned. After they say yes, make sure to check out my New Jersey wedding photography services by clicking the button below. I would love to be a part of your love story from the beginning, middle and end.
I typically recommend a planning timeline of about two months for a proposal. If you are working with a shorter timeline (to take advantage of a sentimental date, for example), just make sure to reach out here soon.
The First Step When Planning to Propose
The first step to planning your proposal is usually hopping on a call with your proposal photographer – at least that’s what I recommend. It goes without saying (I hope!) that you should definitely hire someone to help you capture such a special moment. When grooms-to-be contact me, I love to hop on a call and get to know more about then their relationship. Are there are any special locations that we should consider for a proposal spot? Are there are any special details that he/she would like to include in the proposal? From there, we can work together to map out what the proposal moment will look like and how much planning will be involved. That’s when the countdown really begins!
Do a Live Walkthrough of your Proposal Location
Don’t worry if you don’t have a location in mind. I know the best spots in New York City and New Jersey to pop the question. In my proposal planning package, I include a live walkthrough because I think this step is critical. It’s nice to get to know the person I’m photographing, but I also like to give some location-specific pointers. We might know the location, but what angle are you going to be facing? If the location is too busy – should we have a backup? All of these things are small details, but because of how time sensitive a proposal is, every step is crucial. A walkthrough ensures that we have all the proper proposal planning pieces in place before the day.
Tips for Capturing the Perfect Proposal Photo
Now that we have a location, time, and place, it’s show time. There are a few quick pointers that I always make to mention. First, before you drop down on your knee, face your partner. Take a minute to hold their hands and say a few sweet nothings. Not only does this prolong the moment and make it more special (you can both remain present soaking up the moment), it also gives me a cue the proposal is about to happen. Then, I can make sure I’m in the perfect position.
The next tip I have is that when you drop down to your knee, stay there for three seconds longer than you feel like you need to. It might feel like a long time, but the moment really does go so quickly. It’s my job to capture as many photos as I possibly can in a very short period of time. Those couple seconds are a huge help!
Newly Engaged Photos
After that, get up and hug and kiss each other! Lift each other up, whatever you feel in that newly engaged bliss! I will walk over shortly after to congratulate you with a big hug or socially distant wave. Whatever the moment allows. After the proposal we will want to take more photos capturing that newly engaged bliss. I absolutely love taking engagement photos and getting to know my couples before the wedding. But I have to admit, there is something really special about the photos we take just after the proposal. There are so many genuine emotions and feelings of just pure joy that I love to capture on camera. There truly is nothing like it.
Last tip – if you can secretly hint to your soon to be fiance that she should get dressed up for the occasion – do that. It’s a bit tricky if the occasion is pretending to just be going for a dog walk, but if you can – do it! They will appreciate it (even if it seems a bit weird at the time).
After You Get Engaged
What do you do after you propose? Oftentimes, the person proposing will plan to have family and friends there to congratulate them in the moment (or meet them after at their apartment) to continue the celebration. Prefer to just bask in the moment together? Consider going out for a fancy dinner or something like that. Don’t let the proposal stop after you pop the question. If you can, continue the celebration for as long as possible!
While you’re doing that, I’m going to head home and edit a few sneak peeks. I like to deliver a few photos to you the same day as the proposal. I know the first thing you’re going to want to do is share photos! The entire gallery will be delivered in about four weeks, but I know from experience when I got engaged, sharing photos was something that I absolutely couldn’t wait to do. If you want, you can share the entire proposal gallery with your friends and family! I love technology sometimes. Proposals are such a special time and anything I can do to keep the excitement going I will!
Proposal Planning in New Jersey & New York
I absolutely love capturing proposals all over New Jersey and New York. Sometimes, I’ll even bring my husband along to make sure that he can clear the way for your special moment. The last proposal we went on together, there were three other couples in the location we had chosen. Before my couple getting engaged arrived! He had to shoo away the other couples and clear the space. I don’t know what I would have done without him!
Photographing YOU Popping the Question!
Even he noticed how much pressure there is to capture the proposal moment. I take my job as a wedding photographer really seriously. After all, we only have one day and there are no do-overs. A proposal is exactly the same – but we have a span of less than two minutes!! So I take my job as a proposal photographer extra seriously. This type of photography has a lot more planning involved, but it is so worth it. If you are looking for a proposal photographer in New Jersey or New York, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I would love to help you start planning your perfect proposal!
