A romantic proposal 23rd December 2021 in London
A few days before Christmas I received an email from Joe in Chicago saying he was going to fly into London and was intending to propose to his girlfriend and was I available to photograph this once in a lifetime moment for him as he surprised her by popping the question!
We hatched a plan for him to propose to her at Covent Garden as he wanted a Christmas tree to feature in the photos as they love Christmas and this was the first time in London for both of them. O the day of the proposal he sent me a couple of photos of them that morning so I knew what they were wearing and could recognise them. Once they had arrived in Covent Garden he messaged to say they were there and after a few minutes of walking around myself and my assistant, Kristina spotted them. We held back and followed them at a distance as they perused the shops and Christmas market and then they settled down for a coffee in an open-air coffee shop.
They then watched one of the many street performers that are often in the square outside the church at Covent Garden. He then walked towards the tree and turned to her and started to hold her tight and talk to her before dropping to one knee and presenting her with the most beautiful engagement ring! As it was Christmas Convent Garden was very busy and many people witnessed what was happening and when she said yes they were all clapping and shouting congratulations to London’s most newly engaged couple!
After a brief stop at a Champagne bar nearby where I got some beautiful photos from outside shooting through the window into the warm light of the gorgeous interior with them sharing a bottle of change and discussing who and how they were going to tell their family and friends back home in the USA first.
We then made our way to Oxford Street and took some photos of them with the Christmas Lights before they went to The Hotel Cafe Royal for afternoon tea and to facetime family back home and tell them that Joe had proposed!
I have photographed many weddings at the Hotel Cafe Royal over the years and the staff were very accommodating and let us use The Pompadour Ballroom. The Grade II listed room and its original, ornate detailing have been sensitively restored to create a grand space for celebrations. The Louis XVI style room is a dramatic location and ideal for a few photos by the Christmas tree.
We then ventured up the road to New Bond St which has the most amazing Christmas decorations on all of the designer shops and the most famous Christmas storefront is Cartier with the entire shopfront wrapped in a giant red bow!
We then walked to Claridges where they were staying for the duration of their time in London and then we finished the proposal photoshoot with a visit to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.
I wish them both all the best for the future and it was a pleasure to be their proposal photographer in London at Christmas.
London Proposal photography and why you should have that once in a lifetime moment captured by a photographer.
A wedding proposal is a big decision, and it should be commemorated as such with a proposal photoshoot. This article will show you why you need a photographer present for this once in a lifetime event, and how it can turn into an amazing story for your love storybook.
A proposal can be as simple as a down on one knee with the ring in hand, but it can also be as elaborate as you want to make it. The proposal is your moment, and there are several things that come into play when making the decision about how to propose. First of all, this is something that will be remembered for the rest of your life, so it needs to be perfect.
The venue does matter as much as everything else! The place where the proposal takes place can make all the difference in setting the tone for your proposal and can help determine how well it is received. The place that you choose to do the asking is just as important as what you do and say when you’re there because after all this event isn’t about your feelings-it’s about hers! Most importantly her answer will depend on where you go for this very special moment.
A photographer should be present at every step of the way so that no valuable seconds are lost. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a full day to properly prepare both location and the bride-to-be for such an emotional event, and there needs to be someone there who has enough sense to know when something isn’t going right or could be better.
The photographers will have a better idea of how to do things and what is going to work for this once in a lifetime event. They will know the right locations, as well as some great spots that are not so frequented or known by all brides. In addition, they’ll arrive early enough to have everything prepared before you get there, avoiding any possible mix-ups or problems later on.
Photographers also provide a calm presence at such an emotional time! When she sees the camera she may be surprised at first because most women never expect something like this to happen. No one wants their special moment ruined (especially her) by having to pose for pictures, but if it’s done right it can make for some amazing shots!
You can have a professional photographer shoot a preplanned photo set or ask him to alter his plan to incorporate your ideas. You can give the photographer specific instructions on what you want to make your proposal special, and they will know how to do this with ease. In addition, you can employ some creative thinking in order for her reaction when she sees the ring is different from all others. Just by asking yourself “what would I wanna see” will provide some great insight into what makes a good proposal picture! Even hiring a second shooter will increase the number of angles that pictures are taken from and allow for increased creativity when producing images.
A proposal takes a lot of thought and preparation and should be documented at every step of the way. There are few moments in life that are this important to capture on film, and the proposal is one of them! Wedding proposal photography will help create an amazing story about your love storybook!
Now after reading all this you must be thinking “I want a professional photographer by my side while I propose.” Well, let’s get down to business. I have put together something for you so you can do just that, Take a look at my Proposal Photography in London page, get in touch and let me know your plans and we can work out a quote for your once in a lifetime marriage proposal. If you have already proposed and are looking to capture some amazing pre-wedding photos in London then I can help create some magical photos in the the City at any time of year, get in touch and let me know how I can help.
