3 Reasons to Have Your Proposal Photographed

Photography of wedding proposals has become more and more common over the last several years.  While we were dating, I told my husband, Ryan, stories I heard from my photographer friends about proposal shoots they had done.  Well, he must have been paying attention.  The evening that Ryan proposed was a Monday night date night.  June is a super busy month for me, so that was the only night that would work with my schedule.  He took me to the North Carolina Museum of Art for a picnic.  There are miles of walking paths on the grounds surrounding the museum. We sat down by a weeping willow tree and made ourselves comfortable.  I wanted to sit under the tree, but he insisted that we sit beside the tree. At some point he asked me to stand and I gently protested because I was feeling lazy.  He yanked me up to my feet and I could feel his heart pounding.  I suspected that this could be the night, but right then and there I knew.   He got down on one knee and for the life of me, I can’t remember a thing he said except, “Will you marry me?”  I said yes and we hugged and kissed.  But, Ryan had one more surprise for me.  He told me that my photographer friend, Amaris Hames, was across the pond photographing us.  I shrieked and jumped up and down because I knew she had captured some beautiful images.  (The image above is from our engagement.)  But mostly I was so excited because Ryan had gone to so much trouble to make the proposal special.  We even did a mini engagement session right after the proposal.

To some people, having a proposal photographed is a bit much.  And I get that.  Maybe they feel like it adds a whole additional layer of complexity to something that is already nerve-racking.  They may also feel like it is a bit extravagant or unnecessary.  But, let me tell you, when I realized that Ryan had orchestrated the proposal so carefully and that we would have a beautiful photograph to remember the moment by, I was elated.  Truly, elated.  And the photographs are stunning.  We had it printed and matted to 24×30 and used it as our guest book at our wedding.  We now have a beautiful piece of art for our wall.

So if you are on the fence about whether or not to have your proposal photographed, here are a few reasons to go for it:

1. Photography lovers will ADORE the photos of the engagement. It is a unique memento of the experience.
2. Your fiance will love how much time and effort you put into the planning of the proposal.
3. Women can get so swept up in the whirlwind of the moment that later on they can’t remember very much of what happened.  The photographs give them a way to remember the experience.

Whether you choose to have your proposal photographed or not, any heartfelt proposal is going to be well received.  I think the most important thing is that the setting and the proposal reflect your personality as a couple.  But, if you would both be game for someone to hide in the bushes to capture that special moment, you won’t be sorry!