Proposal at the Cherry Blossoms
Surprise proposal photography and engagement portraits at the cherry blossom festival are among my favorite ways to help you celebrate your engagement.
The cherry blossoms - sakura - reach peak bloom every spring in Washington DC, and after more than a decade of experience photographing couples and taking fine art photos here, I’m a photographer who knows all the best spots for beautiful lighting and iconic views to help you create meaningful portraits.
The best time to plan your surprise proposal and capture the moment you propose is sunrise or sunset. There are over 400 kwanzan trees around the Tidal Basin, and the west edge is where the magic happens! Wide-open spaces, low hanging branches, and fewer people.
a beautiful Surprise proposal at sunset overlooking the Tidal basin and Washington monument
I looked forward to photographing Trevor’s surprise proposal to Amy for weeks, ever since our phone conversation planning the evening’s details. He already had every detail thought out, and hardly needed guidance from me. Trevor was simply bursting with excitement and love for Amy, and I later learned that he knew she was the perfect person for him from the start. Just like many couples, they found each other online, but connected in person on their first date at Anna at the Winery. On their second date, as Trevor realized Amy was *the one*, it started snowing. Trevor said, “it was magical.”
Trevor knew Amy loved DC’s iconic monuments and memorials, so he wanted to propose at the Jefferson Memorial with the Washington Monument and Tidal Basin in the background. This is a popular area - one I’ve been to many times before - but never have all the elements come together so perfectly as that day. A few days prior, the temperature dropped to freezing, but the peak bloom wasn’t affected. By Saturday afternoon, a warm sun, blue skies, and a gentle breeze welcomed Amy and Trevor to downtown DC, the perfect setting to ask her to marry him.
In Amy’s words,
“Trevor is the most thoughtful and caring man I have ever met.”
Amy describes the moment she knew she would one day marry Trevor as feeling like something in a movie. She was flying into DCA from a business trip like many times before, and he surprised her at the airport terminal. He even brought flowers!
It’s easy to tell through their smiles when they’re around each other, they comfortable and confident to be themselves, and they appreciate each other’s complexities, including goofiness! Amy and Trevor each make the other feel loved and cared for, 100% of the time.
a delightful cherry blossom surprise
DC’s cherry blossoms bloomed a little longer than usual this year. Perhaps they knew such a special event would occur, and what’s more, it was Amy’s birthday! Trevor brought Amy to the Jefferson Memorial, a strategic location to see the iconic Washington Monument in their proposal photos, and at the edge of the water, knelt in front of her. We spent another 30 minutes running around the trees taking photos, and neither of them could help but smile and laugh the entire time.
After, they went to dinner in Georgetown at…Martin’s Tavern! He had kept dinner a surprise as well since he knew she’d guess his plan immediately; JFK proposed to Jacqueline Bouvier in booth #3.
Congratulations Amy & Trevor!
It was also Amy’s birthday, so I couldn’t resist taking a few portraits of her!
plan your surprise proposal photography session with me!
Learn more about planning a surprise proposal or engagement session at the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC by using the contact form or emailing RL@RLincoln.com
Surprise Proposal Photography includes advance planning and advice on location and lighting, a wardrobe guide, a photography session to capture the proposal moment, and an online gallery of your retouched, high res images. The online gallery is easy to download and share with friends and family!
already engaged? let’s schedule your engagement portraits!
An engagement photo session is so much more than just photos for your save the dates - they artfully capture your love and who you are *right now* as a couple, your happiness and your excitement for choosing to embark on life’s journey together. Engagement portrait sessions can take place anywhere in New Orleans or Washington DC.