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.

Skateboarding on Skyline Drive - Fun Winter Engagement Session in Shenandoah National Park

Claire and Jedi | Engagement Session Planning Checklist | Sunrise Engagement Session on Skyline Drive and Little Stony Man Summit

We started Claire & Jedi’s engagement session at an overlook to watch the extra quiet sunrise, and explored a few more overlooks before making our way to the hike where they got engaged! They brought along 3 outfits, one for each location that we went to, and sent me photos of each outfit before their session so we could decide which outfit to start with.

When we got to the top of their hike, they set up a picnic, enjoyed the view, and told me their story of Jedi’s proposal and how they met. After we finished photos, I left them to finish their picnic while I hiked back down.

Here’s a checklist for planning your engagement session!

☐ Pick out Sunrise or Sunset (I can help decide!)

☐ Pick out the meetup location (We’ll pick this out depending on sunrise or sunset, as well as where you’re traveling from or where you’re staying).

☐ Find a fun place to stay for before or after your shoot.

☐ Find a place to eat or drink for before or after your shoot.

☐ Pick out your favorite drinks and snacks to bring along for the car ride or to have as a picnic during the photo shoot (champagne, a growler of local beer and some cool mugs, coffee or hot chocolate, etc.)

☐ Come up with your favorite activities for your photo shoot

☐ Make a playlist of music that pumps you up for adventure

☐ Pick out your outfits! I have a Pinterest Board with outfit ideas I love to share with clients to get the ball rolling. See if your photographer is okay with looking at your outfit choices before your shoot, too!

☐ Make your list of what you want to bring -
(lanterns, allergy medicine, extra clothes, yummy snacks, a sign to announce your engagement, etc.)