Surprise Marriage Proposal {Southern Oregon, Photographer}

                 **** WARNING: Really Long Post. BUT totally worth reading! ****
Breanna was a winner in one of my free photoshoot giveaways earlier in the fall. Of course she was excited to win and asked if her boyfriend Chris could be in the pictures also. Without hesitating I said yes! I love photographing couples. A couple weeks later I received an email from Breanna's mom asking if Chris could propose during the photo shoot. My heart skipped a beat! OF COURSE he could! Chris and I exchanged a few emails until it became closer to when we would do the actual photoshoot. During the first few emails he explained to me that he was in the military and wanted to propose to her in his blues. He also wanted to take pictures in his fatigue's. My mind started racing as to how we can incorporate all of this into the photo shoot and keep it a surprise from Bree. I had originally told Breanna in the beginning that I wanted to really think this shoot out and put a story to it. She was excited. I also told her that I have always wanted to photograph a man in uniform and if she thought Chris would be comfortable doing that. (Do you see me setting her up!) I also told Breanna that I wouldn't be able to do the shoot until January. After talking to Chris he asked if we could do the shoot before Christmas. I was able to make room in my schedule for this exciting request. So I emailed Bree and told her that I wanted to move her photo shoot up because I wanted to put together some new advertising to go out at the first of the year and I wanted to incorporate the images from her shoot. She was beyond clueless regarding the little scheme that Chris and I had going. Chris and I seperately went and looked at several locations and both agreed on Jacksonville. Chris loves it, Breanna loves it, Photographer loves it = Perfection. ♥ Chris wanted everything to be perfect and romantic. Smart guy! So with a little help from yours truly we thought up the idea of love letters. Man in the military, letters to his love, her in a peacoat.. yada yada yada. ahhhh (love is in the air people!) Chris had mentioned that Breanna was sentimental. So Chris wrote a love letter, a real one, to Breanna and at the end wrote "Will you marry me" He folded the letter up and he and I met at a local coffee shop. I took the letter home with me and created the little stack of letters. :-)

We met at the Jacksonville museum at 3pm December 21. It has been cold, rainy and freezing. However the Lord answered our prayers with warmer (but still cool) weather and sunshine! SUNSHINE on December 21! Breanna had NO clue what was about to happen to her and I had butterflys in my tummy. Poor Chris was nervous as all heck! He had called me earlier that day and I swear be was about to puke. ha! I wanted to start the photo shoot out casual and just getting to know each other because after all I am supposed to hardly know Chris! My sister Gabriella was second shooting for me and she had met Chris earlier in the week, but on this day they were complete strangers! We started at the Museum and then moved into downtown Jacksonville. After about 30-40 min I had Chris change into his uniform and her into her 3rd outfit. (yes I said third. This girl came prepared! With super cute outfits so I used them all) Because it was starting to get later and I wanted as much light as possible for the proposal I told Breanna that I wanted to go back over to the library and do some of the same shots with Chris in his blues. So back to the museum we went. ♥ This is when it gets good ♥ I pulled out the love letters, you know, the ones she thinks I created to be cheesy and have a storyline. I then pulled into my bag of acting skills and humourously asked her to stand with Chris behind her. I asked her to open the top envelope and pretend to read the paper like it was a letter from her man. HA! Much to her surprise it was a letter to her from her man! And I don't know how to capture the moment in words, but basically she read the entire letter (Which I applaud her for because I would have skipped right to the bottom if it were me) whipped around to see him down on his knee, she threw the letter down and kissed him. He took her hand and spoke to her, words that only the two of them will know what was said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a beautiful princess cut solitaire. She said Yes. Two girls walking on the sidewalk were watching it all unfold and were screaming and jumping in joy. (If I was a REALLY smart photographer I would have taken their picture, but I was crying and trying not to miss a moment of Bree and Chris)

Congratulations you two! Thank you so very much for allowing me to be a part in this moment. I look forward to the engagement and wedding pics! Your my first wedding booked for 2012! :-)

Enjoy these pictures,

She has no idea....

Congratulations to the future Mr. and Mrs. Whiteley

~ ♥ ~