Proposal Tips From a Photographer 

If you’re thinking about proposing, congratulations! Proposing is a wonderfully exciting milestone in any relationship and we’re so excited that you’re about to take that step. We hope this blog post of proposal tips is encouraging and helpful to you and makes you feel prepared to take a knee! 

Proposal Tips for the One doing the Proposing

Be Confident

If you’re about to propose then you already know you’re on the same page and you’ve talked about your future together and decided that you’re a good match to spend the rest of your lives together. You’re probably comfortable around this person and you have both accepted each other for who you are and you get along great. With all of that said, be confident! You’re going to crush this proposal!

Be Discreet 

If you’d like your proposal to be a surprise as so many do, try to be as discreet as possible. You most likely know the love of your life more deeply than anyone else so be cautious of the things that might set them off on the path to becoming a detective.

They might catch on and that’s okay too! You can still follow through with your plans and celebrations! They might know a proposal is coming but probably not when. And if they do know when, you can always plan a surprise or celebration after the proposal. Most likely, they’re going to be so focused on the actual proposal happening and thinking back over what just happened to think too far into the future. 

Plan Your Words

Knowing what you’d like to say is a big part of a proposal. You can write a thoughtful letter that you memorize and read, you can tell a story, or say something as simple as “will you marry me?”. 

The best thing about a proposal is that it’s up to you to make it unique and special to your relationship. Proposing is nerve-wracking because of all of the excitement and adrenaline. You may drop to one knee and forget everything that you wanted to say. It happens and that’s okay! Just remember, any way you do it, it’s going to be memorable and special to both of you. 

Some ideas of things that you can talk about are specific things you love about them, a story that happened that made you fall in love with them, or a time when you just knew you wanted to marry them. Take some time to think over all of your adventures and experiences that have happened in your relationship. When you find a memory that you want to share, get specific and write out some details about how you were feeling, what was going on, and what you were thinking about. Channeling your feelings and sharing from your heart will make your proposal incredibly special and romantic.

Celebrate After Proposing

You just proposed, they said yes, and now it’s time to celebrate! You should absolutely plan something special after proposing and there are tons of things that you can do. Making reservations at a nice restaurant or your favorite restaurant is a romantic way to end the day. You can also plan a surprise party with family and friends to greet you as you get home. Take some time to plan something special because you’re going to want to remember this day, we promise.

Proposal Tips from a Photographer

Help Them Choose an Outfit

We recommend helping them choose an outfit they like and feel confident wearing, especially if photos are going to be taken. Trust us; photos will be taken. but remember the goal here is to be as discreet as possible. Additionally, make sure the outfit fits the theme of your proposal, and make sure you dress up to match. Complement your outfit with theirs and you’re going to be all set and ready to go.

Encourage Them to Get Their Nails Done

This proposal tip may be a bit harder to follow through on while acting discreetly. Our recommendation is to enlist the help of a trusted friend who can keep your secret, or you have a family member who can offer to get nails done with them. Maybe plan a shopping day or something similar so it’s not just a random trip to the salon.

Hire a Photographer

If your soon-to-be fiancé has ever hinted at hiring a photographer to capture your proposal, we’d recommend following through with their hint. A photographer can help you plan your proposal and give recommendations on where to go, how to kneel, and where to position your soon-to-be fiancé based on the lighting so you can get the best photos. Additionally, after your proposal, a photographer can spend some time with you and your fiancé taking photos of the newly engaged joy and glow that you’re sure to both have. These professional photos will tell the full story of this next step in your relationship and will complement your engagement photos and wedding album perfectly. We may be biased, but we will always recommend hiring a photographer that you trust to document the special moments in your lives.

Proposing in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara has so many beautiful locations to propose. Some of our favorites are the Ritz-Carlton Bacara and Lotusland. The Bacara is great if you’d like to stay in Santa Barbara for a couple of days to celebrate. Lotusland has some of the most unique plants and cacti in the area which makes for some epic photos. If you’re thinking about proposing in Santa Barbara, let us know. We’d love to be there to document this once-in-a-lifetime moment for you and your love!