Some sessions I book knowing exactly what’s coming. Others just feel like a gift.
When Garrett reached out, I already had a soft spot for this family. His older sister Emma got married in 2024, and I had the pleasure of photographing her beautiful day. So when he told me his plan, I was completely in.
The setup was simple and very intentional. A picnic, just the two of them, on a beautiful day. Garrett had been collecting corks from wine bottles over the course of their relationship, and he arranged them in a frame to spell out the big question. It was the kind of detail that makes your chest tighten a little because it’s so clearly them, not a Pinterest idea, just proof of time spent together and someone paying attention.
My job was to stay invisible. I hung back, stayed quiet, and let the moment do what it was going to do. And it did. He asked. She said yes. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, family and friends appeared to celebrate with them.
That part always gets me. The moment goes from just two people to a whole room of people who love them, and suddenly everyone is crying and laughing at the same time and nobody is trying to look composed.
It was a perfect afternoon, and honestly, a pretty great excuse to catch up with Emma. Getting to watch the next chapter of a family you already care about is one of those quiet perks of this job that I never take for granted.
Congratulations to this sweet couple. Wishing you a lifetime of wine nights and reasons to add to that collection.
