Kyle flew me out to St Louis to photograph his actual *proposal* which included the Gateway Arch and party of 20+ of he & his fiance, Marie’s, friends– this and their incredibly kind gesture of putting me up in the Ritz Carlton had me pinching myself! What an awesome experience, thanks Kyle & Marie!!
Why this Creative Proposal Photographer?
When I first met with Kyle he said there was no doubt in his mind I would be his wedding proposal photographer :). He wanted someone who would ease his nerves, & help him and Marie feel comfortable in front of the camera. Someone who could capture emotion creatively, too.
Kyle shares, “I knew I could trust Lisa with this incredibly important day and rest easy knowing that she would be able to take some truly incredible pictures for Marie and I. I’ve known Lisa forever, and Marie met her at the proposal, yet we all had a great time together!”
He continues, “Some of Lisa’s strengths are her creativity, her ability to photograph people’s genuine reactions and emotions, and how she is able to get people to be themselves in front of the camera. Marie and I are not big on PDA, but Lisa made us feel comfortable even if we were surrounded by people!”
Marie smiles, “Lisa was awesome! I have never been photographed like that before and loved how she really just let us be ourselves. She naturally let our emotions come through & even got us laughing out loud. Everything felt natural with her and I think that’s evident in the photos.”
The couple agrees, “100% recommend Lisa to anyone planning a proposal, or any shoot! The whole experience was so fun and we love our pictures. Her planning assistance was also very helpful, which ensured we made the most of our time by focusing on a few places that were important to the two of us, instead of trying to go to as many locations as possible.”
Kyle’s Unique Missouri B0tanical Gardens Wedding Proposal
As a creative proposal photographer, I’ve seen well-established plans, and I have to say, Kyle, this one was very well done!
Kyle says, “I chose the Missouri Botanical Gardens because that was where Marie and I had our first date, and it still is a place we like to visit whenever we can. It’s absolutely beautiful there, and constantly changing with new additions and plants. I also wanted to include the Gateway Arch, since that is the major St. Louis landmark and really emphasizes the fact that Marie and I met here in St. Louis. Finally, I wanted to include the StilL 630 distillery because Marie took me for a whiskey tasting and tour here for my birthday and it quickly became one of our favorite spots! We both love bourbon and visiting local distilleries, so StilL 630 combined our common interests and had a great space for us to host a post-engagement celebration!”
Marie adds, “I love that Kyle chose the Botanical Gardens for the proposal. The location in the garden was also special to us. It was on the “secret path” that he really liked for its’ privacy and view. Every time we have gone to the garden we spend a little time there to talk about life, just the two of us.”
Planning the Logistics– Check out my Hiding Spot!
Kyle explains, “Lisa and I were texting back and forth throughout the day, including sharing our locations and Lisa letting me know when she was in the position to catch Marie’s reaction. This was the culmination of months of planning together with Lisa, checking and double checking flight details, primary, secondary, and tertiary photo locations, permit requirements, hotels, travel and proposal day timelines, and organizing the evening party with family and friends to celebrate our engagement!”
He continues, “Lisa’s experience and knowledge were invaluable during all the planning. The timelines and suggestions from Lisa were very helpful to make sure we made the most of our time while also not feeling rushed and allowing us to be authentic.”
Maries adds, “Lisa was so great to work with on our proposal day. She even hid in the bushes for us! The proposal was a surprise to me, so I met her the day of. She was kind and excited for us and just felt like someone we wanted with us on our day. Lisa also never rushed us, which was great. She had a calm presence and was very prepared with the shots she knew she wanted to get in. Lisa knew Kyle before our engagement, so talking with her was easy. We loved having her as our photographer!”
Botanical Gardens Creative Proposal Photographer
As a creative engagement photographer, I have been to many unique locations to photograph proposals and this was one of my favorites.
Marie laughs, “I had no idea Kyle was going to propose that day. Actually, I thought we were going on a picnic, hence my picnic tablecloth-looking shirt. I was coming from the dentist, so really not expecting anything at all. I thought he was going to propose on our upcoming trip to the beach!”
She continues, “Apparently, we were running behind schedule getting to the gardens on the day of the proposal and Kyle was getting a little stressed as we walked through. He was on a mission to “get to the fish at the lake!” I was lollygagging per usual just enjoying the day, but he was on a mission. He intentionally herded me away from the fountains because he knows I have a habit of splashing him when given the chance. Once he proposed I was thrilled. I mean how could I not be? He’s such a great guy, so thoughtful and kind. (laughing) Plus have you seen that ring!?”
Kyle adds, “I was more excited than nervous on the day of the proposal, but still pretty nervous! Marie knew I would be proposing soon but had no idea I was proposing that day, so it was a complete surprise!”
Getting Creative at the Gateway Arch
I’m always looking for interesting moments, angles, and techniques as a creative proposal photographer. I care about my clients and help them to feel comfortable and confident, while also finding the most flattering lighting, and interesting backgrounds and pushing myself creatively, too. In this post, you will see the framing, reflections, and silhouettes as well as different perspectives and lenses, too! Try to see how many you notice and leave it in the comments 🙂
A Surprise Engagement Party at the Whiskey Distillery
Kyle smiles, “The final surprise of the evening was the party at the distillery. We both enjoy bourbon, and this is a great local distillery that we discovered and love going to. Marie thought it was just a small get-together, but I was able to get about 20 of our family and friends there! Lisa did a great job of catching our initial reactions (I had no idea our friends brought noisemakers and ring pops) and the general joy of everyone as we celebrated!”
Marie shares, “After Kyle proposed I think he just couldn’t hold in his secrets any longer. He told me he had planned a party at StilL 630 that evening. That was quite the logistics challenge to put together. I have friends all over the country and he managed to get ahold of them and get them to the party without me knowing about it. I’m usually the planner for my friend groups and know that this was not an easy task. I was so impressed that he managed to get all of our people in one place without me knowing about it! I have some sneaky friends! Literally, all of them knew this was happening except me. I don’t have the words to explain how special this was!”
As a creative proposal photographer, I love capturing authentic emotions like this…
Congratulations on your engagement Marie & Kyle!
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