What does the proposal of your dreams look like, and does your partner know?
I'm sharing THREE TIPS to how you can have the proposal of your dreams!
As a wedding photographer, I've had the pleasure of meeting some of my couples through the arranging and planning of a proposal to their partner. Documenting the thrill and surprise that unfolds is like a mini wedding story in of itself, which leads me into Tip #1...
Tip 1: Make sure your partner knows the Photographer and photography style you are into!
Picture this...
Your proposal was a complete surprise and your partner made it incredibly romantic. They hired a photographer to capture the memories, which you were so thankful for how thoughtful they were to put an importance on capturing this once-in-a-lifetime memory! But when you received the photo gallery, it didn't get you excited like you had hoped. Something about the photos felt off and not true to you and how you remembered it. The images were incredibly bright and glowy, and some colors seemed very different than you remembered...
Now, picture this...
You know your current partner is the one, and you can feel it in your bones that one of these days they will propose. As you guys are out on a stroll or just sitting on the couch watching TV, you casually show them a stunning photo on your social feed that captures your attention. This photo is in a photographic style that lights up your soul when you envision the two of you behind this Photographer's lens. You do this more and more frequently in different settings and on other days. You even send your partner a few posts, specifically from the Photographer's page that you would hire in a heartbeat. With that share, you comment to your partner on what exactly you like about this one Photographer. "Look at the way this Photographer captured this couple's true emotions! They are local to us, so if we ever decide to get some nice photos of us, we should check this one out!" Then the proposal of your dreams finally comes, and look who's there capturing this special memory: The Photographer you pointed out to your now fiancé! And the best part is, that you have a beautiful memory of your proposal AND beautiful photos that you adore that compliments and enhances your memory!
So now you have the "how" to get the Photographer of your dreams involved, but do you know the "why"?
When your ideal Photographer captures your proposal session and you love the images they delivered, they want to continue to work with you. Here's the scoop: Most photographers offer incentives to couples they've already worked with so that they can continue to work with them for their wedding photography.
It's definitely something I do as a Photographer; One, as a thank you for choosing to work with me, and two, we already know each other at this point, making the rest of the experience smooth sailing!
Now the actual vision of your proposal leads me to Tip #2...
Tip 2: Get your bestie involved!
You know your partner best, and maybe you understand already that they don't pick up on the casual mentioning like you'd hope. You want to be genuinely surprised, but it'll likely not play out unless you tell them to their face what you want... Enter the best friend.
One thing your partner knows is who your close friends are. Make sure your bestie knows everything you like and want so that when your partner goes to your best friend for questions, they can answer your partner's questions right away! And if you know your partner will hesitate to ask your best friend questions, appoint your best friend to start that conversation with them and give advice for "if and when the proposal day will come."
Some of the happiest proposals I've seen have been because of input from friends and family behind the scenes!
At this point you've got your Photographer hints out and your best friend aware of beloved details, now it's time for Tip #3...
Tip 3: Your Mindset Matters
Setting the stage can take time, so practice meditating or focus on patience with this process. This next chapter is a big step for both of you and puts a lot of pressure on your partner for a memorable proposal. So, while you are super excited to start planning your wedding, it's good to understand that your future fiancé could be a bit nervous about this process and needs more time to process and line up all the details to make it absolutely perfect for the love of his life. Give your partner time with no pressure and compassion in your love, knowing it will happen at the right time for both of you.
I hope these tips help line up the proposal of your dreams!
Follow Hern Photography (IG: @hernphotography) for more upcoming wedding tips. And if you need a photographer, I'd love to be hinted to your future fiancé to capture your magical proposal! ;)
