Surprise Marriage Proposal in Domino Park (Williamsbirg, Brooklyn)
The groom-to-be reached out while he and his girlfriend were planning a trip to New York from down south. We picked a spot along the waterfront at Domino Park, worked out the timing, and came up with a plan that would let me stay completely out of sight until the moment arrived (actually hiding in a bush, lol!). Thankfully, she never noticed me, which is exactly what you want when you're trusting a stranger to secretly document one of the biggest moments of your life.
Once the proposal happened and she said yes, we spent the rest of the hour exploring the Williamsburg waterfront and taking portraits around the area. One of the advantages of morning proposal sessions is that everything feels a little calmer. Fewer crowds, less waiting around, and more freedom to move between locations without constantly working around other people. We wrapped up near a restaurant where they had reservations waiting, including a champagne toast to start the rest of the day's celebrations.
If you're planning a surprise proposal in NYC, the proposal itself is only half the equation. The logistics matter too. Choosing the right location, staying hidden, timing everything correctly, and then seamlessly transitioning into engagement portraits afterward is what turns a stressful plan into a smooth experience.
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!