Planning a Surprise Proposal in Shenandoah National Park
Will your partner want to be dressed up for photos? Or are they cool with hiking clothes?
Some people like the idea of being dressed up in nice clothes for a proposal while others don't mind.
Some ways to have them dressed up for the photos :
If you are proposing at the summit of a hike : Do the hike in your hiking clothes as you normally would, but sneakily pick out outfits to bring in your backpack. OR ask them to pick out an outfit for going out somewhere after the hike. Then maybe they’ll bring anything else they might want like makeup. After you surprise them with the actual proposal, you can both get dressed into fancier clothes at the top of the hike and take more couple portraits in your nice clothes.
If you are proposing at an overlook : Tell them that you are going to a winery/brewery/restaurant or something like that and that you wanted to drive along Skyline Drive to get there, so they are already dressed up. Stop at multiple overlooks to check out the view before arriving at the actual overlook where the proposal will happen.
Both! You can propose at an overlook when they are already dressed up, then do a very short hike in your nice clothes for photos at the summit.
Tell them you surprised them with a photo shoot in the mountains : This might give it away a little bit, but then they’ll seriously be dressed up and ready for photos without being too shocked by everything. Then work with your photographer on a special queue like “when I have you both back to back, then you can be down on one knee for when they turn back around”.
Working with your photographer & things that make the plan go smoothlY :
Send a photo of you together and and your car make/model to your photographer so they know who they’re looking for. Get a photo of your photographer and their car make/model, too!
Exchange phone numbers with your photographer if you’ve just been communicating by email.
Make sure you know exactly where you are going because there might not be any cell service once you’re there. Get an exact GPS location link from your photographer so that you know you’ll be in the same spot.
