Okay so let me guess- you are getting ready to plan the most epic surprise proposal of all time, and now you are starting to nail down the final details before the moment comes. 

And luckily for you, I have helped plan and photographed tons of proposals and have truly seen it all. I have seen what works, what doesn’t work, and what makes the proposal go as smoothly as possible so that way your girlfriend (soon to be fiance!!) has no idea what is coming! Keep reading to get my absolute best surprise proposal tips, some of which you probably never even thought of! 

BUT FIRST, if you have not read my blog post that goes into more detail about planning a proposal called “How to Plan a Surprise Proposal” you can do that by clicking HERE. Trust me when I say it is a must read, especially if you have not fully decided how you want to do it yet. It goes over the different ways I have seen a proposal work really well, and how to get the most out of your photos. 

Tip Number One- Share Your Location With Your Photographer 

Not going to lie, this one really only works if you both have an i-Phone. But if on your phone you go to your photographer’s contact, then scroll down to the “Share my Location” button you will see an option to share indefinitely, share until the end of the day, and share for an hour. Trust me when I say that this will make everyone’s lives so much easier, because then your photographer will know when you guys are getting close to the designated proposal spot. Or if something happens and  you decide to change the location (like maybe you go a little further into the park than originally planned) your photographer will be able to see that as well and be able to get to the new location without you having to pull out your phone and tell them, because that as the potential to look pretty suspicious to your girlfriend. 

Tip Number Two- Don’t Use Your Photographer’s Real Name as Their Contact Name in Your Phone

Let’s say, if your photographer’s name in your phone is “Kira Spargur- photographer for proposal” and your car reads or plays texts out loud while you’re driving, one text from your photographer and then your girlfriend will know exactly what is about to go down. My best recommendation is to put your photographer’s name as something completely random in your phone, something your girlfriend would never think twice about but you will know exactly who is texting you. The things that come to mind to me are care related, because that is something a lot of girls would not even think to question. So names like “Tsela Mechanic”, “Volkswagen Parts Salesman”, or even “Subaru Dealership- Body Shop Coordinator”, will absolutely escape your girlfriend’s notice, and stop her from finding out what is about to happen. (Side note: if you want to be really funny you can do something like “Headlights Fluid Manager” or something, because there is that joke going around about people reminding people to refill their headlight fluid, but headlights obviously do not have fluid). 

Tip Number Three- Get Your Families Involved

In addition to you asking the love of your life to marry you, this is also a special time for both of your families. Their families are growing and expanding too- why not invite them to be a part of the moment. If there is a good place for them to watch they can watch the proposal as it is happening, or maybe you can set up a celebratory dinner or party where everyone will meet you guys after the proposal is over. Or if you are having some sort of display or backdrop for the proposal, your family can be the ones to set everything up before you guys get there. There are a lot of different ways to make this into a family event where everyone feels included and involved. However, just be careful that no one accidentally slips up and tells your girlfriend what is happening. 

Tip Number Four- If You Are Proposing in a Public Spot, Try to Choose Somewhere Slightly Secluded

There is a very high probability that your girlfriend is going to cry after you propose to her. It is just one of those things that happens, because she is just so overjoyed at the thought of spending the rest of her life with you. Do you really think that she is going to want to be crying in front of a bunch of strangers? Probably not if we are being completely honest here. If you are up in the mountains you can try to find a spot a little off the main hiking trails to avoid being seen by as many people as possible. Or if you are at the beach you can try and find a natural little cove or hidden area to propose at. Or if you are in the city just looking for a quiet street corner or a park that does not have a ton of people around. And going along with this, definitely try to bring tissues, some extra make up if she needs touch ups, and Q-tips to clean up any mascara that may run after she cries. 

I hope these tips help you in your proposal planning! Just remember though, at the end of the day what is most important here is that you and the love of your life are about to be engaged! Anything beyond that is extra. 

If you are planning your proposal in Colorado or California and decide you want it to be photographed I am booking proposals now! If you have any questions about what it looks like working with me for a proposal, or are just wanting more information, you can CLICK HERE and fill out the inquiry form, then I will respond to you via email within 48 hours with everything you could possibly need to know!