Proposals
Congratulations on making the decision to propose to your significant other! Proposing is such a special moment, and it deserves to be photographed so the two of you can look back and relive the day. Planning a proposal can also be nerve-racking- I am here to not only capture the moment, but also to help you plan and put you at ease so you can just focus on asking the love of your life The Big Question.
Below you’ll find some more info on how to include a photographer in your proposal, some tips, and pricing information.
Austin proposing to Christine during a hike in Breckenridge
“I hired Gabrielle to take photos of my surprise engagement to my (now) fiancée. From our first phone call, I knew I wanted to work with her. She was responsive, kind, and willing to help in any way, shape, or form. She hid at the top of Snowmass Mountain to capture the special moment - and she did an excellent job! We both loved working with Gabrielle and would recommend her to anyone needing a photographer!”
Ken proposed to Hollie while sightseeing at the Maroon Bells in Aspen
Planning Your Proposal
Molly proposing to Ashton in Telluride
When incorporating a professional photographer into your proposal, there are two main routes you can take:
The Complete Surprise (aka the hidden ninja photographer) or The Photo Session (your partner knows there is a photographer there, but thinks it is for some couple photos).
Your decision on which route to take should be based on your partner’s personality. Are they someone who can sniff things out from a mile away? If so, they might see through having a “couples’ photo session” and a Complete Surprise is probably the way to go. If you guys have had professional photos taken together in the past, a Photo Session might not cause suspicion.
I recommend reaching out to me first before talking to your partner. If you come up with a cover story first, it might be hard to fit into your plan and make any adjustments to improve the logistics. Most people don’t go around partaking in proposals, so I can give some suggestions on how to go about it.
Jordan proposing to Lauren while on a hike outside of Boulder
“Look no further for a photographer because Gabrielle is the best. My fiancé worked with Gabrielle to plan a surprise engagement photo session, and the experience (and photos) were beyond my wildest dreams. Gabrielle perfectly and beautifully captured the most special moment in my life thus far and my gratitude is endless. She captures emotion while making you feel so special and beautiful. We fully intend on having her capture our wedding day, and I cannot adequately express her talents, dedication, and excellence at capturing life’s moments!”
Vijay proposing to Irina at an overlook in Boulder
“Gabrielle made our proposal session extremely comfortable and fun! She helped with picking a location, timing, and guided us through with poses. Gabrielle works with the perfect balance of professionalism and fun! And to top off our wonderful experience, our photos are breathtaking! She perfectly combined our exciting moment with the beauty of nature around us! We would recommend Gabrielle to anyone!”
Hunter proposing to Hailey while visiting Aspen
Some Tips on Popping the Question
Alex proposing to Samantha at a lake in Leadville
When proposing to your significant other, it’s easy to get swept away in trying to remember what you wanted to say and forget about everything else! I have three main tips that I tell all of my clients to ensure some great photos of the moment and your partner’s reaction.
GETTING Camera Ready
Make sure your partner’s sunglasses are off. You can achieve this without raising suspicion if you suggest taking a selfie. You can say “hey let’s take our sunglasses off for the photo” which is less weird than randomly telling them to take something off out of nowhere. This will also allow them to fix their hair, their outfit, maybe take off a jacket, etc. so they are ready for photos. You can also use a selfie opportunity to make sure they are standing in the proper position to capture their expression and the view- which leads me to tip #2.
Capturing the View
Make sure their side is to the view. In the photo above, I worked with Alex, the one proposing, to figure out where to place his fiancée Samantha. Once we decided on a location, he made sure she was facing a certain way so that I could capture her expression as well as the lake behind them. If one of your backs is to me, I can definitely run around to position myself to capture your expressions, but because of this, I may miss the initial moment or you’ll have a different background than what we decided on.
STAY On Your Knee
This is the most important of the three - stay on your knee longer than you think! Not only is it super romantic for your partner to hear what you have to say from your knee, it also allows me to make sure I get the shot (and from different angles). You’d be surprised how many people give a little speech, get down on their knee for about half a second, and bounce back up. If you disregard everything else, remember this handy little tip!
Matthew proposing to Melanie while on a trip to Breckenridge
Alex proposing to Kylee while exploring Breckenridge
“Gabrielle was AMAZING! She helped organize a surprise engagement shoot with my fiancé and executed everything to perfection. She went above and beyond to capture our moment and even laid on the dirt to get the perfect shot. If you’re interested in working with her you will not be disappointed.”
Ryan proposing to Melanie while visiting the Maroon Bells
What’s Included
Hans proposing to Alicia while sightseeing at Garden of the Gods
Location and Planning
Upon booking your proposal, I will work with you to make sure you have an awesome location and an airtight plan. If you are from out of state and visiting Colorado, or maybe you don’t have a location in mind, I will suggest some beautiful places for you to pick from.
If you’re interested in incorporating an activity- such as hiking, snowmobiling, or dog sledding, I can help you arrange that! If you would like in proposing while skiing or snowboarding, check out my other website, Ski the Day, dedicated to just that!
We’ll work together to come up with a plan. We’ll figure out timing, where to stand, and how to word things to get your partner to a certain location or dress a certain way without suspicion.
If you’d like to involve champagne, set up a special sign, a picnic, etc. at your location, I can make that happen. We’ll discuss your vision and I can bring whatever you would like to the spot, and the cost of the items will be added at-cost to your invoice.
If you are surprising your partner by inviting family and friends (whether immediately after the proposal or later in the day) I can help you coordinate their arrival & reveal. I can also give you a few tips to ensure their arrival remains a surprise and doesn’t get spoiled!
Capturing the Proposal
I’ll be there like a lil ninja to capture the moment and the joyful moments afterward.
Mini Engagement Session
When booking a proposal, you have an hour of photography coverage. Most proposals are pretty quick, so the remaining time can be used for some engagement-style photos! I will scope out the location to find some awesome spots, and help guide you on how to pose.
Sneak Peek Photos
Getting engaged is big news! Within 24 hours, I will email you some sneak peek photos for you to post online and share the happy news with your friends and family.
Check out below for the specifics of how you receive your photos.
Rob proposing to Natalia at Sapphire Point in Breckenridge
Emerick proposed to Haley while dogsledding in Breckenridge
Hunter + Hayley celebrating with champagne
Charlie proposing to Kate at the top of Aspen Mountain
Kishen proposing to Aarti near Keystone
“Gabrielle was absolutely amazing. She is incredibly flexible and great to work with. She brings the perfect mix of jaw-dropping incredible photos, an engaging personality, and first class professionalism. She is also part-actor! My fiancé had no idea Gabrielle was there for us and she caught the surprise perfectly in our proposal photos.
”
Travis proposing to Romina in Aspen
Receiving Your Photos
Chris proposing to Lauren on a snowy day in Breckenridge
How Will we RECEIVE our Photos?
You will be emailed an online gallery of the digital images through a website called Pixieset. You will receive both web-quality and print-quality versions of each photo with This way you can share them on Facebook, Instagram, or get them printed!
WHEN WILL WE GET OUR PHOTOS BACK?
Within 24 hours of your proposal you will receive a few sneak peek photos to share! You will receive a full gallery of your photos within eight weeks of the date of your proposal.
CAN WE SHARE OUR GALLERY?
Yes! You can share your gallery link with your family and friends. You’ll receive a download PIN along with your gallery, which you can give to others to download the photos. Grandma is going to be so excited.
HOW LONG WILL WE HAVE ACCESS TO OUR GALLERY?
Your gallery will be live for 90 days after your proposal. You will receive an email before it expires. I recommend downloading the gallery in its entirety, and saving the photos in two places to be safe!
CAN WE PRINT OUR PHOTOS?
Of course! You will have personal printing rights to print the photos as many times as you wish.
Printing photos has become lost in this digital age, so I highly recommend physical copies of your memories.
All of the print-quality images you’ll receive are optimized for printing. You can also directly order prints through the gallery. I use a professional printing lab that will ship your photos directly to your door. It makes things easy and guarantees the quality!
Jeff proposing to Heather on top of a mountain in Snowmass (where they met!)
Travis proposed to Marissa while on a hike in Garden of the Gods
Anthony proposing to Brielle on a frozen lake in Dillon, Colorado
Marcos and Jessica snowmobiling in Breckenridge along the Continental Divide their proposal
Joe proposed to Madi while on a evening walk with their pup
“I could go on and on about how amazing Gabrielle is! My fiancé booked Gabrielle for our proposal so I can’t take any credit for the wonderful choice, but now I can’t imagine anyone else being a part of our special moment! Gabrielle went ABOVE and BEYOND not only to capture the most beautiful pictures of the proposal and after, but also with helping my fiancé coordinate the perfect moment. She was so easy and fun to work with, and the pictures turned out amazing - each one better than the next. Everyone I show has the same reaction - “Stunning...she captured your personalities perfectly.” Each time I look at them I am flooded with all the emotions from that day. Thank you, Gabrielle, for preserving the moment through your gift of photography!”
Caleb proposing to Dayna at the Maroon Bells in Aspen, Colorado
Proposal PRICING
If you are coming from out of state and aren’t sure what package your preferred location falls under, please reach out.
TIER I
An online gallery of high-res digital images to download and share.
Locations include Aspen, Twin Lakes, Buena Vista, Steamboat Springs, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Sand Dunes, Telluride, Ouray, Crested Butte, Grand Junction, Pagosa Springs, and Durango.
One hour session starts at $2000
TIER II
An online gallery of high-res digital images to download and share.
Locations include Summit County (Breckenridge, Dillon, Silverthorne, Frisco) Eagle County (Vail, Beaver Creek, Avon), and Leadville.
One hour session starts at $1200
TIER III
An online gallery of high-res digital images to download and share.
Locations include the Denver Metro area, Boulder, Fort Collins & Colorado Springs.
One hour session starts at $1500
Skiing & Snowboarding Proposals
If you are interested in proposing while skiing or snowboarding, you can check out my other website Ski the Day, dedicated to just that!
I also wrote an article on the ins and outs of proposing while skiing.
“Gabrielle took amazing photos of our proposal and we couldn’t be happier with the pictures! Hiring Gabrielle was the best choice that I made for that day! Specifically, she was extremely helpful in planning the proposal moment (where to stand, where she would be to get the best shot, etc). Additionally, I was impressed by her dedication and attention to detail while editing the photos - they all look stunning and we couldn’t have asked for a better photographer!”
Matt proposing to Lauren while hiking with friends around Lake Dillon
What’s next?
Use the button below to reach out! We’ll set up a call to discuss your proposal ideas, and come up with a game plan! To reserve your date for your proposal, I’ll send you an online agreement to sign, as well as an invoice for the cost of the session. After that, you’re booked!
