Surprise Proposal Photography Archives

Romantic Brooklyn Bridge Park Waterfront Marriage Proposal!

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This story is in my client Jomo’s words. I think you’ll find that he describes their proposal perfectly.

“At an early stage in our relationship, I remember her saying one of her favorite things would be to walk into a candle lit room with rose petals spread all over. I wanted to create that atmosphere and being that it was going to be a proposal, I wanted it to have that special touch to it. I felt like if I did it at our home or some nice hotel it would be nice but I also wanted it to be captured.”
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I did some online research and stumbled onto so many other ideas and photographers and their work but once I stumbled onto your work, I was amazed by your work and immediately knew what I wanted. If I remember correctly, when we discussed the idea, the words we used were, “nice but simple.” Once the arrangements were made, I told my fiancée that I made plans for us so she made sure that she was available.⠀
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Fast forward to the actual day – she kept asking where we were going so I told her it a function and it’s something she always wanted to go to, so dress nicely.
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We took an Uber to Dumbo and as soon as I saw you Ash, I texted you and started following your lead. I could see that she was a bit confused because we were walking through a dark path but she didn’t suspect a thing! As we approached the destination, she saw all the rose petals and candles but she still didn’t know it was for her.
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We came to a stop and I had my speech ready for her. Once I got on my knee to propose, she couldn’t hold her emotions back. There were many happy tears!⠀
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She absolutely loved her proposal and I was absolutely satisfied with your work, Ash. There were city lights, candle lights, rose petals and cameras there to capture the moment. My initial proposal idea was going to be indoors but you made it possible outdoors and we loved it?.”

It was such an honor to help Jomo make his dream marriage proposal a reality. I would love to help you! Feel free to get in touch!

by Ash Fox

United Nations Marriage Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

I get calls and emails all the time that begin with “Where do I even start”. A lot of times it can be overwhelming coming up with an idea for your proposal. You may be overloaded with ideas and not know which one to choose or you may be have no clue where to begin. One great place to start is thinking about activities and interests you share with your partner. For example, Michael and his girlfriend, Emily met competing in Model United Nations together in college. Model UN was both their meeting place and an activity they both were passionate about so Michael took Emily for a tour of the United Nations. Just as they finished the tour, he grabbed Emily’s hand, completely catching her off guard and dropped to his knee in front of the flags and the iconic sparkling silver United Nations building. Emily was shocked and thrilled by Michael’s sentimentality because the UN met a lot to them. I sneakily photographed the entire moment from the street as if I was a tourist passing by. Afterwards I brought them over to Tudor City where we took some post engagement pictures with views of the Chrysler building and others featuring Emily’s pear cut diamond ring set in rose gold is also a dream! Well done Michael!

by Ash Fox

NYC Mini Golf Marriage Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Harris’s marriage proposal took place as the site of his very first date with his girlfriend, Tara, Mini Golfing at Chelsea Piers. Tara, thought it was a regular date night and a fun idea to go mini golfing, but she had no idea that Harris planned to propose there. I pretended to be working at the Mini Golf center blending into the atmosphere as much as possible, but I was really there to secretly photograph Harris’s proposal. After a few holes, Harris dropped to his knee when Tara least expected it, right there on the mini golf green, with a gorgeous view of the Freedom Tower behind him. A mini golf marriage proposal is a great way to have fun and feel relaxed even though you’ll be proposing. Harris was a smooth operator and showed no sign of nervousness. I loved the way Harris combined an activity they loved as a couple with an homage to their first date together. Often proposals go in one of two directions, a totally new experience where you create a new memory in a new place, or the proposal revisits a sentimental location and the proposal marks an additional milestone in your relationship. – Ash Fox

by Ash Fox

Conservatory Gardens Surprise Proposal with an extra surprise!

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

NYC Central Park Conservatory Gardens Surprise Proposal with an extra surprise!

Florian selected the Conservatory Gardens in Central Park for his marriage proposal because it reminded him of the parks in Paris. The Conservatory Gardens is a little known spot in the park that is impeccably up-kept with perfectly manicured lawns, shrubs and flowers. During the spring, I love to visit the garden and photograph all the new blooms. It’s a wonderful, oasis away from the crowds and more touristy sites of Central Park.

Florian and I plotted out the perfect spot for him to stand while he waited for his girlfriend to meet him in the park. Little did she know, Florian had two big surprises for her. When she arrived he guided her over to the famous fountain in the center of the garden and dropped to his knee, holding up a classic robin’s egg blue, engagement ring box from Tiffany’s. His fiancé-to-be was so shocked and excited, but there was more in store! Florian told her to wait with her eyes closed while he jutted off to grab his next surprise. When he returned, his fiancé felt something furry tickling her nose. She opened her eyes to see a brand new apricot, poodle puppy that she’d always dreamed of owning. Florian did a great job making his marriage proposal unique, personal, and memorable. It was an honor to photograph this couple’s big day! – Ash Fox

by Ash Fox

Autumn Gramercy Park Marriage Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Autumn Gramercy Park Surprise Engagement

Gramercy Park is by far one of the most romantic and exclusive parks in all of NYC. You can only get in with a special key that’s reserved for those who live on the periphery of the park and for the guests of the Gramercy Park hotel, who are able to rent the key. Daniel planned to propose to his beautiful longtime girlfriend, Shelby in Gramercy Park. He surprised her when after a long stroll throughout the city, he was able to slip her into the park a place neither of them had ever been in. I spied on the couple serenity photographing as they strolled through the park, capturing all the moments leading up to Daniel’s knee drop. Shelby was so surprised! After Daniel proposed he waved to me and we spent some time getting some artistic engagement portraits throughout the park. Finally, Daniel suggested they stop by the Gramercy park Hotel nearby, where he surprised her with an engagement party including both their families! Daniel and Shelby’s joy and love for each other is so beautiful to see. It was really magical to capture their intimate moment surrounded by the fall foliage on that cool November Day.

Gramercy Park is a gorgeous setting for getting engaged no matter the season. If you’re curious about what it looks like in the Spring, check out my post on Chris’s engagement here https://www.ashfoxphotography.com/gramercy-park-proposal/

Ash Fox

by Ash Fox

91st “You’ve Got Mail” Garden Park Surprise Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Nick proposed to his longtime girlfriend in one of my favorite hidden pocket parks in the city, the 91st street garden (aka the garden park from “You’ve Got Mail” ) The 91st garden is a great choice if you are looking for a park to propose in that’s not Central Park and away from the crowds. It’s a gorgeous alternate option for an engagement if you don’t have a key to the exclusive Gramercy Park or if you and your girlfriend LOVE the movie “You’ve Got Mail”. It’s such a beautiful place to create a movie moment for your loved one. Nick proposed to his stunning girlfriend on a warm fall day just as the colors of the leaves were beginning to change. I loved photographing his fiancé’s excitement as she leaped off her feet into Nick’s arms – Ash Fox

by Ash Fox

Central Park Zoo Secret Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Scott and Danielle’s Central Park Zoo engagement was an epic proposal I’ll never forget. Scott and Danielle are members of the Zoo, so planned a nice day trip to explore the zoo with a few of their closest friends. In front of the seal exhibit, Scott dropped to his knee proposing to Danielle. She was blown away. A huge gaggle of friends and family rushed in cheering with signs and flowers. Scott and Danielle’s Proposal was a party proposal to the max. They are the epitome #relationshipgoals for all who know them. It was an honor to photograph the big surprise – Ash Fox

by Ash Fox

Governor’s Island Picnic Surprise Marriage Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Kevin proposed over a casual Sunday picnic on Governors Island, an interesting little pocket of land just a short ferry ride from lower Manhattan. It was a warm August Sunday and the perfect day for a quiet picnic in the park. I spied on Kevin and his future fiancé in the moments before Kevin proposed, photographing them discreetly. When he dropped to his knee she was so shocked and excited and amazed he pulled off a picnic in the park and having a photographer there to capture it. Once I revealed myself, we spent some time strolling around the lush and green park getting some nice engagement photos. It was such a pleasure photographing this relaxed, late summer afternoon proposal for Kevin and his stunning fiancé! – Ash Fox

by Ash Fox

Times Square Billboard Marriage Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Ryan contacted me nearly a year in advance to make sure he could lock in the date of Christmas Eve in order to propose to the love of his life during their trip to NYC. Ryan and Elisa are from Perth, Australia. Ryan told me he saw Elisa walking on a beach back home and said to his friend “That’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I’m going to marry her”.

Ryan wanted to really WOW Elisa, so chose to propose to Elisa on a Times Square Billboard. The Times Square Billboard Proposal is one of the most amazing ways to proclaim your love and create a moment that feels straight out of a movie. There are 50,000 people who walk through Times Square each day, so proposing on a billboard in the center of Times Square really feels like your marriage proposal is for the whole world to see. Ryan took Elisa to the center of Times Square on one of the warmest Christmas Eve evening I can ever remember. I waited for them to approach and captured those moments before Elisa looked up and saw her name in lights on a billboard in the middle of times Square featuring a picture of her and the words “Will You Marry me Elisa”. She turned to Ryan and there he was on his knee proposing to her. She was WOW-ed. The Perth Times loved this proposal so much they covered it in a Newspaper article you can see here…

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/perth-romeo-ryan-veitch-puts-partners-name-up-in-lights-at-new-yorks-times-square-for-epic-proposal/news-story/877c5a996f371ba54e5cd853bf90e55e

If you would like to propose in the middle of Times Square on a Billboard like Ryan, feel free to get in touch so I can help you make it happen! :) I offer Billboard Marriage Proposal packages to rent a Billboard in the middle of Times Square with a message of your choice and capture your engagement with photography. – Ash Fox

by Ash Fox

The Most Romantic Library Surprise Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Paras’s proposal is one of my all time favorite proposals, because Paras carefully considered what his girlfriend would like and tailored it to her interests. Paras told me his girlfriend loves books and said he’d like to propose in a library but he wasn’t sure about doing it in an actual Library because there are restrictions and you need certain permission. I found Paras the perfect location to achieve the library feel for his proposal without having to deal with permits or cranky librarians. We settled on a beautiful, sunny, Library Bar room where he could have a leisurely a late afternoon drink with his girlfriend and discreetly hide one of her favorite books in plain sight. Since Paras’s future fiancé’s favorite book of all time is Jane Eyre, Paras knew hshe saw Jane Eyre on the shelf she would without a doubt pull it down off the shelf. Paras was certain should would fall into his trap and she did! I watched from a nearby table with a large newspaper obscuring my face and camera (like the spy proposal photographer I am) and saw Paras’s future fiancé pull the book down from the shelf. She opened the book and out spilled paper hearts from a larger heart cut into the book with a photo of them and a written dedication from Paras. She looked up at Paras, in awe of the book and there he was down on his knee proposing to her. It was beautiful. You don’t need a circus to make a great proposal (unless your girlfriend LOVES the circus) just a lot of heart.

by Ash Fox

Top of the Rock Marriage Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Steven and his girlfriend Estefany had just moved to NYC. and to top off the big move he chose to propose to her overlooking the city where they are beginning a new life together. I’ve seen hundreds of incredible proposals, but Estefany’s reaction really moved me. “You could have given me a piece of string and I would have been happy.” she’s that kind of girl. It was an honor to be there for this sweet and beautiful couple. – Ash

by Ash Fox

Central Park Autumn Bow Bridge Proposal

PROPOSAL STORIES & IDEAS

Austin proposed to his now fiancé, Amber, on a warm autumn afternoon. If Autumn is your favorite time of year, Central Park really showcases the beauty of the season to it’s fullest. I suggested the Bow Bridge as one of my favorite classic spots in the park. Amber (no that isn’t Jessica Alba!) was so surprised and elated when Austin dropped to his knee in front of the amazing view of the bridge. They were visiting the city from Florida, so Austin wanted a spot that would capture the unique character of Central Park. I was thrilled to be there to witness and photograph this couple’s magic moment!