Wedding proposal under the cherry blossoms at Aston Norwood Gardens Wellington

This was THE SWEETEST of moments! A wedding proposal under the cherry blossom trees! Thomas contacted me about his proposal ideas for his beautiful partner Antoinette and we worked together to create the best plan which led us to this surprise photo shoot. The timing of their proposal worked out perfectly with the cherry blossom trees being in full bloom at Aston Norwood Gardens.

How to plan a wedding proposal photoshoot

There are a few ways to plan a proposal - let the whole thing be a surprise but ask your partner to dress up for a special occasion, or you can plan a couples session and secretly add the proposal into this (in the past I have had clients suggest to their partner that they won a photo shoot with me so it doesn’t feel suspicious). Having a photographer capture this special moment was a complete surprise for Antoinette. I was secretly waiting in the preplanned area for them to arrive! The rest of the session we wandered around the gardens for portraits.

About this location - Aston Norwood Gardens Wellington

The cherry blossom festival runs from September 01 - October 6. If you specifically want photos with the blossoms, please book in advance. The gardens are a beautiful place for photos all year round. If you would like to take photos here, I will reach out to Aston Norwood Gardens to ask for permission to photograph at this private location. Tickets for the gardens cost $10-$15 each, children are free at off-peak season.

Tips for styling your engagement session - Whitireia Park Wellington

Jessica and Nathan spent a week in NZ and to celebrate the end of their trip before heading back to the US we met at Whitireia Park in Porirua for an epic sunset and engagement photos. When this location was first mentioned in our emails leading up to the shoot it made me so excited. Being an engagement session I knew how important this experience was for Jessica and Nathan which made me so grateful to be taking these photos for them while they were in NZ.

Couples are deciding to have an engagement shoot before their wedding day for lots of reasons, one being it’s great practice getting used to having a photographer take your photos and then you have some really great photos that can be used to announce your engagement. I’ve put together some tips for couples who are thinking about booking an engagement session and how you can style it in a way that is made easy.

FIND A SPECIAL LOCATION

Let’s make the most of it by choosing a location that’s going to inspire you (and your photographer) and make you feel good. Turn the session into a memory, somewhere you think you will enjoy the scenery. Light is everything, so talk to your photographer about the best time of day at a particular location.

HAVE OUTFIT OPTIONS

My engagement sessions tend to be 1 hour long, which is plenty of time for an outfit change. While you and your partner don’t want to look too matchy-matchy, pick outfits that will complement each other. Neutral colour pallets tend to work best, or fabrics with some texture but not overly patterned. Flowy dresses look stunning but keep in mind the length if it’s going to be windy at your location. Don’t be afraid to wear white, this looks great during sunset.