Love is my job. As a wedding photographer, I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by it constantly, and it never gets old. If anything, it makes me want more: more stories, more moments, more “wait, tell me everything” energy!
The following stories come straight from members of our own community, and they celebrate the many ways couples take that big, brave step toward forever. Some proposals went exactly as planned, while others endured an unexpected twist from Mother Nature. But every single one ends the same way: with a joyful “yes” and a celebration that marks the start of a lifetime together.
A Surprise Proposal
"Michael tricked me and told me we were going to Bob's Steak and Chop House to celebrate before another grad school (for me!) and school (he’s a teacher!) semester started. This was his sneaky way of ensuring I was dressed up nicely for what was really coming. On our way, he said he needed to make a quick stop to set up something at the ArtCentre. ArtCentre is where we met working summer camps and often still helped out.
"After a few minutes he asked me to come help, and I walked into a whole set up with candles and flower petals for me! He proposed and said all of our friends and his parents were on the way to come celebrate with us! He'd planned a whole party while I had been out of town for Christmas! I was blown away, and we’re looking forward to celebrating a vow renewal soon!" - Bryna Talamantez
"Ears" to Love
"We were SUPPOSED to have a romantic Valentine's Day dinner, but Snowmageddon 2021 had other plans. We spent most of that whole week without power. It was cold. It was dark. It was rough! Around Friday the 19th, power came back on and stayed on. My then boyfriend, Fred, decided he wanted to have a late Valentine's date. He went all out--grilled steaks, baked potatoes, salad, and champagne. The champagne alone should have tipped me off! After a scrumptious meal, he said he wanted to give me my Valentine's Day gift.
"At this point, I should probably mention that I'm a teacher, and when Covid hit and we had to be online all the time for our students and staff meetings, I needed something to help me not be so grumbly about being on camera. I took a page out of Happy Gilmore's book and went to "my happy place"--Disney World. I started wearing Minnie ears on camera. It became a thing, and I started collecting them. When I opened my Valentine's gift from Fred, I found a new pair of ears! I immediately took off the burgundy ones I was wearing and put the beautiful new blue ones on. I asked him which ones he thought I should wear to school the next day.
"He dodged the question, instead asking, 'Don't you notice anything off about the ears?'"
"I took off the blue ears and spotted it . . . on one of the ears was a zipper. I unzipped the ear and found a very slim box. Within the box was a ring! At this point, I started crying all the happy tears. I said yes, then realized that he hadn't asked me anything yet! He got on one knee, proposed, and hugs, kisses, tears, laughter . . . all of it.
"He went out of his way to customize a beautiful proposal for me. He's truly an amazing man, and I am a very lucky lady." - Mantha Camacho
I said yes, then realized that he hadn't asked me anything yet! He got on one knee, proposed, and hugs, kisses, tears, laughter . . . all of it.