Jarrod & Emily | Secret Proposal Photography | Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Secret Proposal Photography | Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Jarrod & Emily | Secret Proposal Photography | Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Jarrod knew he wanted to propose to Emily, and he knew how important it was to Emily to have the moment photograph. I always love photographing proposals – it feels a bit like being a spy (which I love), but it’s also intimate and private.

Jarrod and I met a week before his planned proposal date. He knew he wanted to propose at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, but he wasn’t exactly sure where — the arboretum is a large place. Planning a proposal is difficult enough, but the logistics of adding photography can be tricky. It was a great idea to meet in advance. We found the perfect location, and planned a route for Jarrod and Emily so that I would go unnoticed.


The Proposal:

The day of the proposal (mid-July), the weather was swelteringly hot and humid, with a threat of thunderstorms. I arrived 10 minutes ahead of Jarrod and Emily, and texted Jarrod when I’d arrived and was in place. Because there weren’t a ton of people around, I let Jarrod know that he could proceed at his own pace — I’d be ready.

For this proposal, I put a long range zoom (70-200mm) on one camera, and a wide angle (20mm) on the other. This would allow me to get a wide variety of focal lengths without needing to get too close.

After Emily accepted Jarrod’s proposal, he pointed me out (hello!). We then finished out the session with a mini engagement session!


Planning a proposal? Looking for a proposal photographer? I’d love to chat!