Intimate Surprise Proposal at the Lowell Hotel, Upper East Side
This beautiful proposal took place on the private terrace of the couple’s suite at The Lowell Hotel—one of Manhattan’s most elegant, tucked-away spots. The plan was simple in theory, but the logistics were anything but. I coordinated closely with the husband-to-be, the hotel staff, and their catering team to make a stealthy entrance while dinner was being set up in their room, slipping in quietly so the bride-to-be wouldn’t suspect a thing. Once everything was in place, I stayed hidden until the moment came—an intimate and private proposal with an iconic skyline view. She had no idea I was even there until after the “Yes!”.
Afterward, we used the terrace and suite for a quick round of portraits—classic, romantic shots that felt natural after such a personal moment.
Proposals like this require more than just photography—they need planning, timing, and total discretion. I work directly with clients and venue staff to make sure everything goes smoothly, so the only surprise is the one that matters.
If you’re planning a private proposal and want every moment captured beautifully without giving anything away, I can make it happen seamlessly.
Here are some of my favorite images from this shoot (click/tap to view full size and un-cropped):
To see more examples of this style of photography, visit my couples gallery >>
All images in this blog post were shot on a Nikon D850 using a variety of lenses, and all individually post-processed in Adobe Lightroom using custom-built presets.
Jinnifer Douglass is a full-time freelance photographer based in NYC, shooting for both individuals and brands such as Google, Sotheby’s, Uber, Make Up For Ever, Squarespace, and more! Specializing in portraits, food, and special events, she works to make every piece of your social and website content ‘Insta-worthy’ with high resolution, full-frame DSLR photography and expert Lightroom editing. Interested in chatting? Leave a comment below, or send an email to info@jinyc-photo.com!