I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: there’s something truly magical about photographing surprise proposals. It was a crisp and warm autumn day in October, and I had the honor of capturing another old colleague’s surprise proposal to his now-fiancée. The setting was the iconic Bow Bridge in Central Park, and the day couldn’t have been more perfect.

Personal Connection

I’ve been fortunate to witness and memorialize countless special moments for old colleagues from my days working in the finance industry. It’s always a privilege to be the person they turn to for preserving such a significant moment. This is exactly why I post content on my LinkedIn. Something I never used to do, even though I worked in recruiting!

The Unforeseen Twist

This proposal had a unique twist that made it stand out from the rest (so far). Typically, I’d strongly recommend doing a thorough walkthrough of the proposal location to ensure everything goes smoothly. However, due to unexpected weather conditions and short notice from my colleague contacting me, we had to skip the walk-through. In most cases, I wouldn’t advise this, but because I knew this now-client personally, I made an exception. Not only that, my client was becoming anxious about being obvious to his girlfriend, and I definitely don’t want to be the reason of inducing any more anxiety. My job is to make things easier, not harder.

My client knew he wanted to do his proposal somewhere in Central Park. I sent him pictures of numerous locations in Central Park I’ve done past photoshoots and proposals such as Wagner Cove, Bethesda Terrace, and The Mall, but in the end, he decided on Bow Bridge.

Popping the Question

As the warm October sun bathed Central Park, I set up my camera gear and waited at Woodchip Vantage Point, a strategic spot near Bow Bridge. The lush greenery of the park and the soft, diffused light created the ideal conditions for capturing these precious moments.

While waiting for the couple to stroll towards the bridge, my heart raced. I knew I had to capture this moment flawlessly. Once they were within my line of sight, I followed the groom-to-be get down on one knee at the entrance of the Bow Bridge. His partner’s shocked and emotional reaction was heartwarming and funny because he didn’t propose on the actual bridge! Nonetheless, it was a proposal filled with genuine love and affection, and I felt incredibly fortunate to be the one to freeze this moment in time.

Congrats to the newly engaged couple!

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