It was such an honor to capture this special day for Paige and Jonathan, and I was beyond happy to join in on the celebrations of this incredibly sweet couple! As an added bonus, two of my past couples turned friends were there to celebrate, too! When Jonathan asked me to photograph his proposal and the following surprise proposal party, I was over the moon. Jonathan and Paige are a couple that I have had the pleasure of getting to know through some of my previous couples’ weddings. Upon first meeting Paige and Jonathan, their chemistry had always been clear to me, so I knew the day would be magical!
Their Turn for a Love Story
I first met Paige in 2019 when she was a bridesmaid in my couple Haley and Ryan’s wedding that I was photographing. We reunited in July of 2022 when I was photographing another couple, Reilly and Brian’s wedding, where Paige was a bridesmaid yet again. At this wedding, funnily enough, Paige actually caught the bouquet and Jonathan caught the garter! I had suspected they would be engaged in the near future, but little did we all know it would be happening so soon!
In September, Jonathan reached out, sharing that he wanted to propose to Paige. He shared that after seven years of being together, he had purchased Paige’s dream ring months ago and was finally ready to pop the question. Within minutes of our phone call, we were excitedly concocting the perfect plan for the proposal and surprise proposal party.
The Proposal
Leading up to the proposal, Paige was told that she’d be attending a “dress to impress” themed party. What she thought was just a stop for drinks at The Comus Inn’s bar turned into a surprise proposal on the lawn.
When Paige arrived at the Inn with her mother, one of Paige and Jonathan’s favorite songs, “Cover Me Up” by Morgan Wallen, played loudly over the outdoor speakers. Paige was guided along the pathway by her mother until she saw her soon-to-be fiancé in the distance with large block letters spelling out “marry me.”
With the mountainous Maryland backdrop behind him, Jonathan professed his love, dropped to one knee, and asked Paige to marry him. After Paige said yes, the crowd of strangers at the Inn roared with excitement as the newly engaged couple embraced.
The Engagement Photos
In utter shock over the proposal, Paige hadn’t seen me documenting the event. It wasn’t until I finally approached the couple to take more images that Paige noticed it was me and squealed, “Avery!” Her genuine elation that I was there to photograph the moment melted me, and was truly the icing on the cake!
While the two were celebrating their engagement, I captured their excitement and a few portraits before we headed inside for the next surprise.
A Surprise Proposal Party
After a quick engagement session, we all headed into the restaurant at the Inn. Inside, Paige and Jonathan were greeted with champagne and a surprise proposal party. Paige’s jaw dropped when she looked around to see that all of their loved ones were there to celebrate with them. Hugs were exchanged, and happy tears were shed as friends and family oohed and aahed over Paige’s new bling. Joyful celebrations were complete with an abundance of bubbly, laughter, and FaceTime calls.
One of my favorite moments during the party was when Jonathan’s mother touched up the makeup on Paige’s tear-stained face. I’m so glad I was there to witness and document this special moment between the soon-to-be mother and daughter-in-law.
It was an unforgettable honor to capture this special day for Paige and Jonathan. I will forever be grateful that I had the opportunity to join in on the celebrations of this amazing couple and to reconnect with two of my wonderful past couples as well!
If you are planning a special surprise such as a proposal that you wish to have documented, I’d love to be there as your hidden best friend! I would be thrilled to capture every moment and emotion as a memento for you to look back on for years to come. Be sure to check out some of my featured proposals and engagements, and reach out to get the process started!
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