As a photographer who lives in a college town, I have a lot of experience with proposals. It feels like almost every weekend someone is getting engaged and I am SO THERE FOR IT!! One of my favorite things about being a photographer is watching love stories unfold right in front of my eyes. It’s incredible being the only one in the world to witness a surprise proposal!

Even after having captured quite a few proposals in my career, this one is hiiigh on my charts! Let me tell you…

Like many of my engagement couples, I knew Preston and Lisa from college. Preston reached out to me a few months before their surprise proposal date with a crazy idea. He wanted to do it in the mountains and have it be a complete surprise. Can we make this happen?

We hatched a plan and it worked.

After Preston explained his proposal dream, I took his requests and RAN with it.

We planned out an entire scheme to make this happen. I posted a fake model call on my Instagram stories offering a free photoshoot to one lucky couple since I had a “really creative idea” that I wanted to try! It was for the specific date that Preston wanted to propose. Honestly, we were just hoping that Lisa would reach out and reply to my story!

About 20 minutes after posting the story, I got a few messages from Lisa: “OMG YES WE WILL! OMG PLEASE!!” I texted Preston: “We got her in the bag. :)”

We still had a few weeks until the shoot, so I put the two of them into a group text message so I could send them the details. Then we waited! Preston and I chatted the night before on the phone and he said, “Kmac, the box is really big. I just need to get it out of my pocket as soon as possible!”

It was the best day. Ever.

The morning of the proposal, we met at 5am in Downtown Lynchburg, VA and drove an hour to the overlook on Blue Ridge Parkway. We decided to go to Ravens Roost Overlook on Blue Ridge Parkway. The overlook faces west so it’s usually really crowded at sunset. Since we went for sunrise, it was completely empty at 6am!

We stayed warm in the car until the sun was beginning to create a pink hue in the clouds and it was just bright enough to take photos. I started them with some simple prompts to get them comfortable in front of the camera. Once the light was perfect, I led them up to the designated spot for the proposal.

This was the moment.

Preston and I had decided earlier that I would give him a cue by prompting them to stand back to back. I instructed them take one step apart, close their eyes, and think about some of their favorite things about each other.

Preston and I had decided earlier that I would give him a cue by prompting them to stand back to back. I instructed them take one step apart, close their eyes, and think about some of their favorite things about each other.

It was Preston’s moment.

While they had their eyes closed, I acted as if I was still getting that “super artsy shot” as Preston pulled the ring box out of his pocket and got down on one knee. He held out the most beautiful ring.

Lisa still had her back to Preston with her eyes closed, and when I told her she could turn around, well, the photos speak for themselves.

LET ME TELL YOUUUU the look on her face (as you’ll see) was PRICELESS! She was absolutely shocked and her mind was blown that this whole plan was schemed up for her!!

The look on her face.

After posting their proposal photos on my Instagram account this shoot went VIRAL. This is never my goal for any of my shoots since that’s not at all the heart behind my business. But, sometimes it just happens.

I was so touched to have it reposted by so many feeds that I admire like Green Wedding Shoes and Dirty Boots and Messy Hair.

I would like to think that it’s my top-notch photography skills that caught their attention, but I know that really, it was Lisa’s face that did it. Every single repost mentions her reaction! It truly was a showstopper! I count it as a special gift that I was able witness such a priceless moment firsthand.

I am always ready for a surprise proposal!

We spent the rest of the morning capturing their love. Ever so often while we were shooting, they would just burst out laughing and shout to the mountains, “WE’RE GETTING MARRIEDDDD!!!” Following this outburst, they would start jumping up and down while being in each other’s arms. It was the SWEETEST thing!!

Proposals are special on so many different levels. And a knock-her-socks-off surprise proposal is in a category all on it’s own! Proposals are the start of the most beautiful journey and every single time it’s such an honor to capture them.

It was the sweetest morning getting to celebrate and capture these first few moments of their engagement! It was unbelievably special and I will never forget it, congratulations Preston and Lisa!! Love you guys ♡