Abbie & Kelvin | Big Cedar Proposal

I knew that Abbie and Kelvin’s proposal was going to be a fun one! I’ve mentioned before, that there are two tips of proposals.

1. The couple both knows they are getting photographed, but there has been some set up like it’s a couples session, someone won a photo shoot, etc.

2. Someone (in this case, Abbie) has no idea what is going on, and the whole thing will be a total surprise.

Now, I do have to say that the first option can be easier, but the second option is exciting! Kelvin opted for the proposal to be a total surprise. In fact, for quite some time, Kelvin and his mom were the only family members who knew about it. Top secret stuff!

The plan:

The original plan was to propose at the beautiful Top of the Rock. At the very last minute, we found out that there would be a wedding reception and the spot that Kelvin was hoping for was closed.

What you may not know about my proposal photography is that I’m available for far more than the shoot itself. Some guys have everything planned out, but some need some extra help figuring out all the details, and that’s where I come in. Kelvin had a solid plan, but we had to make some last minute changes.

Looking for the best place to propose in Branson? I wrote a blog post about that. 🙂

So, I made a few suggestions, and Kelvin decided to propose in front of the Garden Chapel at Big Cedar. I love the Garden Chapel, and I think that this was a great option! If you want to see more of the Garden Chapel, you can check out Jordan and Jordan’s Big Cedar Wedding here.

The proposal:

The thing about surprise proposals is that preparation is critical. I showed up early and set up a video camera and tried to walk around and look as casual as possible. Looking casual while trying to make sure I knew exactly what was going on was difficult! I took pictures of flowers, which is hilarious because I am not a nature photographer. I even chatted with a few other guests (and another photographer!) who were hanging out in the area.

Eventually, I spotted Kelvin and Abbie parking down below. The good part about the Garden Chapel is that you can’t park there, so I had a high vantage point to see the two of them coming in. I went on about my business fake-taking pictures of the chapel and flowers.

When Kelvin and Abbie walked by, I struck up a casual conversation. I don’t remember exactly what I said, but Abbie said I was a good actress and she had no idea what was going on. Kelvin asked me if I could take a picture on his phone of the two of them. It was kind of funny because Abbie thought he was crazy talking to a stranger and should leave me alone.

She has no idea what is about to happen!

I offered to take a photo with my camera and email it to them (this seems to work well for surprise proposals), and they said yes. I started taking a few photos, and then it happened! Abbie had one of the best reactions I had ever seen. She was so surprised! All this time, Abbie thought they were in Branson to celebrate her birthday, but she was so wrong!

Of course, she said yes. After taking a few more photos at Big Cedar, we went back to Top of the Rock where their families were waiting for them at dinner. We took a few photos at Top of the Rock too. We even got a few shots of the whole group with both of their families. You probably know that I photograph a lot of extended families, so that was fun to mix that in with a proposal!

Congratulations, Kelvin and Abbie! Here are a few more of my favorite photos from their Big Cedar proposal.

Congrats again, Abbie and Kelvin! Your proposal was so much fun to shoot!

Fun fact, I shot another proposal the same day! Khailon and Sam’s proposal is coming in just a few days, so keep an eye out for that one too! If you’re looking for a Branson photographer, I’d LOVE to chat with you about your proposal. Just contact me via the contact form here.

Love proposals? Check out some of the other proposals that I have photographed on the blog.

Erik and Masie | Branson Proposal

Seth and Kaitlyn | Branson Proposal Photographer

The 7 best places to propose in Branson by a Branson photographer

Why you need a photographer for your Branson proposal

Jonathan and LeeAnn | Branson Landing Proposal

DJ & Haily | Top of the Rock Proposal

Hunter and Meredith | Top of the Rock Proposal