Jessica & Heather's Surprise Lake Tahoe Proposal

Am I blogging things wildly out of chronological order by blogging this session? Yes. Yes, I am.  But I couldn’t wait to get to this incredible session with some incredible humans.  This was the first surprise Lake Tahoe proposal I’ve ever photographed. Heck, this is the first proposal I’ve photographed surprise or not anywhere in the world.  To say it was magnificent would be a wild understatement. Jessica had reached out to me all the way from Minnesota to discuss how this little surprise would unfold for her beloved, Heather.  They were planning a road trip with their pups, and would be in Lake Tahoe for Heather’s birthday. Jessica had decided the best gift to get her was a ring.  We worked together over the months to plan the perfect location for the surprise proposal.  Emerald Bay lookout was at the top of the list.  Facing East, with the sunrise always dramatic, we decided it was the perfect spot for Jessica to ask for Heather’s hand in marriage.  The afternoon before the scheduled session we drove past on our way to South Lake Tahoe  from Incline Village and the place was SO packed with humans!  I was so worried that this beautiful moment would be hard to capture with so many other people.  I worked out a plan in my mind and hoped for the best.  The morning of the proposal arrived and the weather was perfect! I was so excited! Dustin tagged along with me (I joked that we got the band back together. He rolled his eyes at me. It was perfect.) When we pulled into the parking lot there was only one other car! Jessica and Heather’s!! I count it as a straight up miracle.  Of course, we somehow set off our car alarm, and I waved and apologized to the happy couple and crossed my fingers that we didn’t blow our cover.  Dustin and I talked about getting the “perfect sunrise landscape shot” a little more loudly than we probably needed to – but again we wanted that sweet cover story.  Dustin set up on a cropping of rocks and I walked around with a long lens.  We couldn’t hear Jess and Heather talk, but we photographed them talking, hugging, the ring presenting and wiping happy tears.  Finally Jess called out to me that she’d done it! And Heather said yes!!  We joined the beautiful brides-to-be and then made some beautiful photos of them together along with their beloved pups.  We did all of this before our kids even woke up back at the cabin!  It was a complete joy to be part of something so wonderful! I couldn’t be happier for these beauties!!  I couldn’t be more grateful to have been part of such a special moment and record it for Jessica and Heather.  Congratulations!!