Two Surprise Proposals for the Price of One

Evan had a special plan in mind: a proposal to his girlfriend, Cher, set in the most romantic city to propose: New Orleans. However, there was a concern weighing on him – his upcoming knee surgery. This threw a curveball into what he envisioned as a perfect moment. The idea of bending down on a soon-to-be-operated knee made him slightly anxious, yet he was determined. In his heart, the timing felt almost symbolic, as if repairing his knee was a crucial step towards embarking on this new journey with Cher.

He wanted an intimate and serene setting for the proposal, something that aligned with Cher's preference for quiet yet meaningful moments. Evan thought a park in New Orleans would strike the right balance – not too crowded, yet not too secluded. His aim was to create an environment that reflected the beauty he saw in Cher every day. Their relationship had blossomed beautifully over the years, transitioning from a friendship that lasted three years into a loving partnership. Now, as they approached their 5th anniversary on November 2nd, Evan saw this as the perfect opportunity to ask Cher to marry him, marking a new chapter in their journey together.

Their Love Story

Evan and Cher’s first date story was rich with synchronicity and symbolism. I’ll let Evan tell it, though:

"Our first date was actually a double date with two of our close friends at the time. It was peak fall so we drove half an hour from our college campus to an orchard in upstate New York to pick apples, buy donuts, and drink boozy cider smoothies. We had a little photoshoot in the trees because one of our friends was a photographer. Cher ended up losing her car keys in the orchard but we didn't realize until the place had closed, so we spent about an hour in the gravel lot in the dark telling stories with our friends while a housemate brought Cher their spare key. We took more pictures in front of her locked car (some holding packets of ketchup? I wish I remembered the context for that) and I think that was the first time we kissed in front of anyone. Since that date, fall has always been our season."

The Plan

One of their favorite songs as a couple is Chateau Lobby by Father John Misty. Evan had heard a violin cover of it not long before contacting me so he hoped I could find a violinist to perform it. He wanted some decor so that she could feel that a lot of effort went into making this moment memorable for her. But he also knew her tastes so he wanted the decor to be impactful but fairly simple.

When we planned together, we picked a brand new spot in New Orleans City Park that I had never used before called picnic city park. There was a small stone bridge to get to the area that is otherwise surrounded by a bayou. We decided to go with decor that had a "glam goth" vibe: white fabrics, gold metal pillars, lots of candles, white lanterns, and black and red rose petals. I was able to hire Sam Craft to perform Chateau Lobby on violin as well! Everything was shaping up to be a beautiful early Fall moment.

I went to the location to take photos and figure out the right time of day for light since I had not used it before. I sent Evan angle options and he picked the view with the bridge and the large oak tree in it. It was possible that the lighting would be tricky from that angle but the bridge made the scene look like it was from a fantasy novel- and he knew Cher would like that. So it was settled! We had our plan. Now to play the waiting game.

Evan's knee surgery went well and he spent weeks in physical therapy getting ready to get down on one knee. I sent emails periodically checking on his progress. I wanted to be sure he was feeling up to getting down on one knee and, if not, how I could make it easier or more comfortable for him. But in the end he said he practiced using the opposite knee and it was all going to be okay.

Getting Everything Ready

On the day of, I brought along an assistant to help me set everything up. I was fussing over all of the details, wanting it to be perfect. Before putting the blanket down, we made sure to remove any sticks or weeds that may be uncomfortable if Evan kneeled on them. Even after all of that, the ground wasn't level so we were using sticks and pieces of bark to level the decor elements out. The perfectionist in me couldn’t stand to see pillars leaning in different directions!

The violinist showed up looking dashing in a black and gold tailcoat- perfectly glam goth. I stationed my assistant on the other side of the bridge to let me know when the couple was getting close. She spotted them, dressed all in black, Cher's bright red-orange hair standing out against the green backdrop of the tree-lined bayou, and she gave me the signal. I had Sam start playing and soon the couple walked over the bridge.

The Big Moment

Lighting was a bit of an issue as I had feared with the setting sun hitting Evan directly at certain moments. But because I had placed everything under the tree where I was fairly certain there would be shade at the time of the proposal, the photos ended up looking lovely. Cher put her hand to her heart and gasped when she saw the setup. Evan led her to it and she dropped her purse to the side of the tree. They hugged and danced to the music for a moment. I heard her say "it's my favorite song!". Then he carefully took a knee. She was saying yes before he even took out the ring. And when she saw the ring, she jumped up and down and squealed "yesyesyesyes!".

He stood up and put the ring on her finger. She admired it, saying how perfect it was. Then she looked up at him with a twinkle in her eye that wasn’t just the glistening of joyful tears. She said "hold on a minute!" and dashed over to pick up her purse from where she had dropped it next to the tree. I continued to photograph everything, wondering what she was up to. I thought maybe she was grabbing tissues.

But what happened next surprised the surprise expert!

Plot Twist

She pulled out a white ring box! Her pointed at her with a smile saying "no, you didn't!". She said "I know I promised I wouldn’t get down on one knee but..." then Cher took a knee opened the ring box, and proposed right back to Evan! It was the first time I had ever seen a woman propose to a man and it was a total bucket list moment for me.

She slid the simple, engraved silver band on his ring finger and they kissed. I continued to photograph as the sun set behind them. Cher said it didn't feel real. She also asked if Evan had prepared his speech or spitballed it in the moment because she was pretty sure she blacked out and didn’t remember a thing. Fortunately, he said he had rehearsed it and could tell it to her again later.

I had them nestle together on the blanket surrounded by rose petals and took candid photos of them cuddling and talking. They did what is one of my favorite post-proposal things- discuss all the moments where Cher suspected Evan was doing secret proposal related things leading up to their trp and find out if she was right or not (she was right, of course. She knows him well!).

I let them enjoy themselves for a while before they headed off to dinner. When I sent preview photos the next day, Evan said it was all even better than he ever imagined, that it felt absolutely magical, and that he and Cher were looking at the photos and crying while sitting on a bench in the beautiful courtyard of the pharmacy museum in the french quarter. I would say that means it was a job well done!

So, are you thinking about crafting your own unforgettable proposal? With the holiday season upon us, it’s the perfect time to plan something extraordinary. Let’s make your love story come to life in the most magical way. Get in touch, and let’s create memories that will last a lifetime. Your dream proposal awaits! 💍🌟🌹

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