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.

We are engaged! Surprise Proposal at Whitireia Park Wellington

I’ve known for a while that I wanted to marry this man but now it's officially a thing!! What I thought was just a fun and casual couples shoot with Wellington photographer Yvonne Liew turned out to be a wedding proposal. WE ARE ENGAGED!

There’s a little bit of a back story to how this all went down, along with some epic photos of the moment Karl proposed. I had been wanting to book a couple’s shoot because I realised Karl and I hardly any photos together and thought it would be nice to have some updated photos for online and putting up around the house, feels a little vain but it was a new experience.

It turns out Karl had started designing a ring with The Village Goldsmith back in November. Another cool part of this story is a client who has booked us for photos and video at their wedding happens to work at The Village Goldsmith, so she was able to help Karl with the designing process which makes it extra special.

Here’s where it all came into action. We booked a couples session with Yvonne. Karl had been emailing her, I had no idea that it was actually going to be a proposal (it had crossed my mind for sure like ‘what if’, but I quickly told myself no way I’m dreaming). And then it happened out of nowhere! Below are some pics of me losing my shit.

We spent the rest of the evening hanging out and taking photos along the hillside. The sunset was insane and the atmosphere felt electric. Thank you so much to Yvonne for capturing these moments for us, the photos are such a true representation of how I felt that evening and I’ll treasure these photos forever.

A note to end on, I’m so grateful to Karl and our relationship. I’ve never felt as supported and loved as I do with him. We have so much respect for one another and the relationship side of things is actually kind of easy, that’s how it feels when you’re on each other’s team. I say I’m not a big romantic but I fricken love this feeling.

Preparing for your wedding proposal photo shoot - Redrocks Wellington

Planning a wedding proposal is a mix of excitement and nerves! You’re asking someone to spend the rest of their life with you, so you want to ensure this moment special for the both of you!

If you want the proposal photographed there are two ways this can happen. The traditional approach is to plan with a photographer where and when you plan to get down on one knee, your photographer should be somewhere hiding near by ready to snap the action. The way of photographing a proposal which I prefer is to have a planned shoot where your partner knows a photographer will be joining you. This approach means you end up with better photos because your photographer has more control over the scene and your movements. It involves a little more planning and some strategic communication but heres how you can make that happen!

HAVE A STORY

Your partner might start get suspicious so come up with a back story as to why you have booked a photo shoot. You could explain to your partner that you won a couples shoot through a competition you entered, or a work give away. Your photographer could be ‘an old friend’ who is looking to build her portfolio. You could ask a friend to help out, perhaps they won the couples shoot but they can’t go ahead. Suggest a photo shoot for a special occasion like an anniversary or birthday, but really its much more than that. Keep it simple and make it more about the act of doing something fun together. It might be completely out of the ordinary for your relationship but the chances are your partner will definitely be into it! Let your photographer know what your story is.

CHOOSE AN EPIC LOCATION

Pick a location that you know your partner will love. If you are shy and nervous about other people watching, find somewhere that is quiet so the moment can be more intimate. Your photographer will be able to suggest a good spot and the best time of day. Visit the location a week or a few days before hand to make sure it feels right.

LET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER WORK THEIR MAGIC

Don’t stress too much, your partner will sense you are acting strange. Before the shoot, ask your photographer for a queue which indicates a good time for proposal. Your photographer will be looking at what the light is doing and framing the image with the background while keeping an eye on what you are doing, so it’s important they are ready for this moment.

I’ll usually spend 20-30 minutes with couples ‘warming up’ to the actual proposal. This is a chance to set the scene and get used to the camera.

When it comes to getting down on one knee, try and stay there for as long as it feels comfortable. This will give your photographer more opportunities to get the key shot. Have some words prepared and tell your partner how much they mean to you!

MAKE A DAY OUT OF IT!

Plan the whole day and make it special. You could book dinner reservation for afterwards. You’ll both want to celebrate the beginning of this new chapter together!

YOUR PROPOSAL PHOTOS

You will be so excited to see your new photos! Ask your photographer for one or two preview images so you can announce your engagement to friends and family.