Beach Proposal on Blue Shutters

This shoot with Chris and Ingrid was a kaleidoscope of romance, playfulness and (carefully planned) spontaneity all mixed up with lots of love on a beautiful beach in early springtime.

I was undercover as a nondescript photographer who just happened to be on Blue Shutters Beach when Chris pulled Ingrid over toward the waves and got down on one knee. Ingrid was so surprised at the sight of the ring that she didn’t even notice me documenting the moment!

The first and most important shots of this sweet couple’s engagement were completely candid. Ingrid had no idea about what was going to happen, despite the fact that members of both her and Chris’s family had tagged along on the walk in Charlestown, Rhode Island.

It was a gusty March morning, certainly not the most inviting New England beach weather, but the whole crew stuck around for champagne afterwards.

Chris’s proposal, and Ingrid’s enthusiastic “Yes!,” was one of my favorite shoots so far this year. It turned out to be easy for me to remain incognito while Chris popped the question, and the photo shoot that followed totally mirrored the excitement of the moment.

Chris had put a lot of thought into how the event was going to play out, showing me ahead of time where he planned to walk out onto the beach and enlisting his mom to pull Ingrid down to the water for a quick photo so that she’d be right next to the ocean when he kneeled in the sand.

He even remembered to stand exactly where I’d told him to so that I’d be able to get both his and Ingrid’s faces in each shot as he proposed.

The only thing missing from the plan was a backup destination. No need - the sunshine sparkle on the water matched the sparkle on the ring.