A Bellingham Photographer’s Tips to Keeping your Proposal a Surprise

Ready to pop the question?

This is it. You found your special someone and you want to make it legal. How amazing is that?! If you are ready to pop the big question and want to make sure you keep it a surprise I have three pieces of advice for you: you'll want to make a plan, enlist help, and you’ll need to exercise your ability to be flexible. 

Make A Plan 

You may already have a vision for how you want to propose. But if you don't, you'll want to visit my earlier post on how to plan a proposal your partner will love. 

For the cliff notes on that post here are my main points:

• Choose a private or public proposal

• Be simple or be grand

• Thoughtful details matter

• Don't be suspicious

• Plan for your partner not for yourself

Enlist Help

It goes without saying, since I am a portrait photographer after all, but if it’s a part of your plan to have your proposal documented with professional photos then I can be your helper! Just because the main job is to take photos, I can help be your accomplice and help set your plan into action. 

If photos are not a part of your plan, then get your friend or your family in on the surprise and they can help you make sure your soon to be fiance gets in place at the right place and the right time for your proposal. 

Lean on your helpers to prompt your partner for you so you don’t have to be the one acting suspicious with odd behavior or requests. 

Be Ready To Be Flexible

Every plan is fragile without a solid plan b and c to back it up. Be prepared to be flexible in case something out of your control gets in the way of your ideal plan. 

If you want to keep your proposal a secret, you are going to have to keep the nerves and stress under control and nothing is more stressful than things not going to plan! 

So, for example, if you plan on proposing at sunset at the beach on a certain date and it ends up pouring down rain you’ll be glad you made a plan b to bring an umbrella or a plan c to re-route your proposal to another location. 

This is especially true if  your plan is to have your partner’s family and friends be there to witness the big moment. It will be very difficult to communicate with a group of people on the fly in secret. 

To Sum Up:

 In order to keep your proposal a surprise, you need to make a really solid plan, get support and be okay with being flexible in case your plan goes off track. 

Now, happy planning and good luck! ;)

And if you plan on proposing in the Bellingham area, me and my camera can be there for you - view my calendar and book me for your proposal now here.