Red Rocks Surprise Proposal
Alright I’m here to say that planning surprises is really fun but it can also be super stressful. Not necessarily for me, as the photographer. But the proposer has SO much to coordinate. The ring, the location, the timing, the sun, what they are going to say, on and on and on. It’s a whole bunch!
If you are looking to propose to your boo, reach out to a photographer! They can take a huge load off your shoulders by helping you pick out a perfect location during the best lighting of the day. Of course, a photographer can capture the moment and help you get engagement photos but they also have a ton of expertise in helping plan proposals so you don’t have to ALL the leg work!
Often I have people tell their partner they are stopping to see the amphitheater on their way out to a nice dinner, that way you are both already dressed up for photos! If it happens to be a morning and that doesn’t work you can always bring a change of clothes for your partner to take photos in after the surprise part of the proposal is done. This is a 2 birds, 1 stone approach! You get a proposal documented and you already have your engagement photos done so you can send out save the dates as soon as you are ready!
Red Rocks can get really crowded so I have a few tried and true spots I like for a surprise proposals that are more private and not too close to the parking lots. There are trails, and rock formations you can get right up next to that are all beautiful and if you go on a short walk you can typically get away from crowds - even if there’s a concert!
Just be wary of the no climbing signs, please! We have to remember to respect the landscapes and I have actually seen people get tickets for climbing on rocks beyond fences that are clearly marked “no climbing”.
Make sure to coordinate super closely with your photographer ahead of time and know where you are going! I always send explicit directions of where to park, walk, and exactly where to get on one knee. When I see your cue we agree upon ahead of time I know it’s show time and I start to capture the moment of surprise.
Just a word of advice - if you forget where you are going and you miss a spot we agreed upon or forgot the directions… DON’T PANIC! Just find a quiet spot that looks like it has a pretty background and send it! Not everything goes to plan but if you can make sure you aren’t kneeling behind a giant rock and you have some privacy that is our ideal scenario!
Take a slow scroll through this surprise proposal and see how it works:
