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There’s just something about a springtime proposal that feels extra magical. Maybe it’s the fresh blooms, the golden light, or the pure joy of the moment. Whatever it is, Dylan and Emily’s proposal at The Plaza in Kansas City was full of love, surprises, and the sweetest setup you could imagine!
The Setup: A Romantic Surprise Under Twinkling Lights
Dylan had a vision, and he made sure every detail was perfect. I met him early to capture his setup, and let me tell you—it was beautiful. Under a stunning archway, he and some friends and family had strung twinkling lights to add a warm, romantic glow. A soft blanket was laid out, decorated with fresh red and pink flowers, making the perfect backdrop for such a big moment.
Then, the waiting game began.
The Moment Emily Said “Yes!”
Emily arrived at The Plaza with her friends, thinking it was just a normal day. Little did she know, Dylan was already there, waiting for her. As soon as she spotted him, her friends encouraged her to go to him while they stayed back to watch the magic unfold.
When Emily reached him, Dylan wasted no time. He got down on one knee, looked up at the love of his life, and popped the question. And, of course, she said YES! The moment was full of laughter, happy tears, and the kind of joy you can feel through the photographs.
Celebrating with Friends & Family
After the excitement of the proposal, Emily’s friends and family rushed over to celebrate! There were hugs, cheers, and lots of admiring Emily’s new ring. It was one of those moments where time seemed to stand still—just pure happiness surrounding them.
A Romantic Stroll Through The Plaza
With the celebration in full swing, Dylan and Emily took some time to soak it all in. We wandered through The Plaza, capturing moments of them together, freshly engaged and absolutely glowing.
Emily looked effortlessly elegant in a cream/tan knit dress and tan heels, perfectly complementing Dylan’s brown shoes, khakis, and baby blue button-up shirt. And let’s talk about the golden-hour light—it was perfection. The soft glow added the most romantic touch to their photographs, making the whole session feel like a dream.
The Start of Forever
Dylan and Emily’s proposal was everything a love story should be—thoughtful, joyful, and full of unforgettable moments. From the twinkling lights to the golden sunset, it was a perfect springtime proposal in Kansas City.
Thinking about popping the question? Let’s make it just as magical as this one!
Chris emailed me to inquire about his secret proposal to Emily at the WWI Memorial, & I knew it was going to be a beautiful event right away. He had every detail planned out!
So, the WWI Memorial & Museum here in Kansas City, looks out over the city and created the perfect backdrop for their proposal. Emily was SO excited, and of course immediately said YES!!
But the surprises weren’t over there! After we took some photos of the new fiancés together right after the proposal, we walked down the stairs and Emily’s parents were waiting for them on the lower level to congratulate them!! Nothing better than having your loved ones bring all the hype for your big days.
Getting engaged is such a fun time in life, and I feel so privileged to have captured this special time for Emily & Chris.
I love shooting at the WWI Memorial for proposals. It has such pretty views for your photos. You can see another proposal I captured there HERE.
Cooper and Kala met at veterinary school after a few years of dating they knew they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. Cooper wanted to surprise Kala with a special wedding proposal at Peculiar Winery. With a lot of planning he was able to ask Kala to marry him without her suspecting a thing!
Kala thought they were just having a casual summer afternoon with her family. They had stopped at the winery for happy hour before heading to Kansas City Plaza for dinner. Little did she know there was much more planned for the evening.
When they first arrived at the winery they headed out to the patio to enjoy the summer weather. Their families went inside to order drinks. While Cooper and Kala were alone at the table the hostess brought out a bottle of wine. Hiding in the bottom of Kala’s glass was the question of a lifetime and a beautiful ring to match!
Cooper got down on his knee and asked Kala to marry him. She was completely surprised. Tears filled her eyes as she said “Yes!’ and then immediately jumped up and hugged Cooper in excitement. Cooper made sure to hire me to photograph the entire thing, that way Kala will be able to relieve this magical moment over and over again through pictures.
The surprise didn’t end there; all of their family and friends poured out of the winery doors to celebrate with them. The winery’s patio was full of love and happy tears, all for Kala and Cooper.
Planning a surprise wedding proposal at Peculiar Winery is a breeze, the staff is extremely accommodating. They will help make sure your proposal goes off with out a hitch. The winery also has plenty of room for family and friends to join in as well. Not to mention the have the best drinks! They even make the most delicious wine slushies, perfect for a hot summer night.
For more tips on how to plan the perfect wedding proposal click here.
You have found the person you know you want to spend the rest of your life with and be married to! You’ve picked out the ring, now what?! Don’t worry, I have created this super awesome blog post on Planning the Perfect Proposal in 5 easy steps to help!
Step 1 – Find the right moment
First, Making sure you both are on the same page and are ready to take this next step in the relationship is key. Once you’re sure you’re both ready find a time that feels right- don’t rush the proposal.
Step 2 – Pick the perfect location
If you have a place that is sentimental or meaningful to your relationship, go there. If not then choose somewhere pretty- a garden, a rooftop, a city landmark. Stumped for ideas? I can help with that too!
Step 3 – Hire a Photographer to capture this moment
This is going to be one of the most special moments of your lives together, hire a professional to capture it. Photos of this once in a lifetime event are priceless!
Step 4 – Surprise them!
Keep this moment private (unless your S.O. has always wanted a public proposal and trust me they will have mentioned it if they do haha!). Even if their picking up on hints don’t spill all the details!
Step 5 – Have family waiting off site for a surprise celebratory party!
The answer was yes! So for an extra awesome spin, have family and friends in another room or at the next location for a second surprise! Engagement parties are so much fun!
Natalie & Garrett, our proposal couple in this post:
Garrett and Natalie met 3 years ago when they both worked at the same law office. Natalie and I’s friendship goes way back to college, ever since we were in the same sorority! Garrett knew how much Natalie loved my photography so when we starting planning their proposal he reached out to make sure I could be there for it!
He asked me for tips and ideas on locations he was considering, and decided on the rooftop bar because it would be more private and it had such an amazing view. And so, on Friday December 13th, Garrett graduated from college. After the ceremony he asked Natalie to go get a drink with him by themselves before they would meet their families for dinner.
Haha Natalie was so confused as to why they were going by themselves but she agreed to go anyway. When they got up to the roof Garrett was super nervous and excited. As they were taking in the view Garrett held Natalie’s hands. He told her how much he loved her, and got down on one knee. She said YES! Both of their families then came outside to surprise Natalie and celebrate!
Love this post on Planning the Perfect Proposal in 5 Easy Steps?
Check out another one of my favorite post, The Benefits of doing a first look!
