Lets paint the scene, you have an upcoming love shoot and you just get contacted by the boyfriend “I just wanted to let you know, I am going to propose during our photo session” – You get all excited and maybe let out a squeal, but you tell him “you got this” and hang up the phone.
Then, your mind starts racing… When will be propose, how long into the shoot? Where should I be? On top? Behind? looking at her face or his? Where is the best light? What if she ugly cries? What if I miss the moment?
Well if this is you, then never fear as we have Katie from Peachy Keen Photography who is going to ease all your worries away. She totally BLEW US AWAY with her latest proposal shoot and we wanted to learn a little more about how she managed to knock it out the park!
Hooray: Katie, tell us a little about yourself?
Katie: I am a full time photographer, wife and mom of Harvey and Vera and two bunnies, I have a business with my besties called The Studio which is like a one stop shop for brides. I am a feeder.. if you come to my house.. I will feed you! I love teaching photography and sharing this gift with others, Skye has been with me for almost two years and is incredibly naturally talented.. so this proposal was very special to me.
Hooray: How did this proposal shoot come about?
Katie: Lionel contacted me and basically said that he wanted to propose and he knew she absolutely would want it to be documented and so we plotted and came up with the perfect plan. Luckily I know Skye pretty well as she works for me and it was her 18th birthday on the Saturday and so I gifted her with a “love shoot” which I knew she really wanted. I really had to brush up on my acting skills and we managed to pull it off without her expecting a thing.. totally think I deserve an oscar haha.
Hooray: Did you scout your location before hand?
Katie: No, I know Clearwater trails pretty well and it worked out well as Lionel is an avid cycler and so he told Skye he was going to ride the trails before to give him something to do while we were at hair and make up. But 100% you would need to scout if you didn’t know the spot. you only have one shot at getting it.
Hooray: Did you discuss timings or was it more of a “winging it” kind of vibe?
Katie: We discussed everything down to the last second.. I knew the exact place he wanted to be and I knew the angle I wanted to be at to capture it. We also decided to do it immediately as we started the shoot because I wanted to set the mood and I knew I would get super emotional lovey-dovey images for the rest of the time. At one point on my trip down, which is about 30 minutes, I sent him a voice note but pretended I was sending it to my hubby because Skye was sitting next to me so I just casually mentioned that I was on my way and about 15 minutes out and threw in some questions about the kids and dinner so she didn’t suspect anything.
Hooray: Once he proposed, did you snap away, or did you also feel it was necessary to give them a little bit of privacy?
Katie: So I lead them to the spot we had discussed and guided them in posing etc as we would if doing a normal shoot then when I knew it was time I stopped talking and gave Lionel a chance to say everything he wanted and get down on one knee. I hung back but was continuously shooting the whole time whilst sobbing behind my camera. I got a little closer but gave them as much time as they needed.. only when Skye turned to me shocked and shouted “you knew the whole time” did I speak. I then offered them 10 minutes alone to just enjoy the moment privately before we continued to shoot.
Hooray: Was anyone else involved? Or was it just the three of you?
Katie: Lionel had a buddy with him as we had initially planned to line the walkway with candles but the weather didn’t play part, his friend hid in the bush and filmed the whole thing which was great!
Hooray: Lastly could you give us your top tips for anyone planning on a surprise proposal during their shoot and your top tips for anyone photographing a surprise proposal?
Katie: For the guys planning make sure you have sat and chatted to your photographer, you’ve discussed how and when. You could disguise it in a love shoot or have your photographer hide in a bush and pop out after the proposal. Either way make sure your location is suited and has a hiding spot or the perfect place to drop to one knee. I communicated the whole time with Lionel and knew exactly what was happening and what plans had been changed due to the weather.. and I gave him a heads up when we were around the corner etc. It is a really nerve wrecking experience and you want to do your best not to botch it up.. so I think being organized is key in getting it perfect. Also, pick a place that you think would mean something… whether it be the beach or a coffee shop, make sure it is true to you and it’s something you can look back on and love.
Katie, thank you so much for sharing with us. These images are seriously world class! So much love and emotion, you captured this special moment perfectly.
Congratulations to Skye + Lionel, we wish you a lifetime of love and happiness!
If you would like to see more of Katies work, you can have a look here:
website
Instagram
