It was a moment forever edged in my memory. I could hardly breathe. My heart was pounding so loud. It wasn’t because the air on Tussey Mountain was thinner. 😛 It was seconds after I triple checked my camera settings, gave Brandon the code phrase, and watched him get on his knee to propose to the love of his life – Emi. She looked stunned and stunning. She clasped a hand on her mouth, let out an audible gasp, and her eyes began to well with happy tears. I was standing afar with my telephoto zoom lens to give them their privacy. I couldn’t hear his speech or her response, but it was so so clear that she said YES!

I almost didn’t have the privilege of capturing this special moment. You see, I hesitated to pick up the phone when Brandon called. It was a non-local number and I have had my fair shares of spam calls. At the fifth ring, though, I decided to pick up my phone (why not?), and the rest is history. 🙂 We talked about Emi’s interests and hobbies as well as her hometown, trying to figure out the best location for Brandon to propose. His master plan was to tell her he won a photoshoot so she wouldn’t suspect why they’re getting professional photos done. I immediately re-worded my entire engagement style guide to be a more generic guide for couples so that Emi wouldn’t have the term “engagement” or “proposal” on her mind. Since it was around the time of her birthday, Brandon gifted her an exciting, expensive gift (tickets to Justin Timberlake show!) so she wouldn’t be expecting another big gift so soon. Brandon really thought of everything to ensure this is a complete surprise for Emi! It definitively was not an easy feat. He shared that Emi was really tough to surprise. Moreover, he has been discussing with family members to ask for their permission (a true gentleman!) and thus needed to be extra careful about keeping this secret. The weeks of planning, the email exchanges, all led up to that moment when they declared their forever intention with one another. It was beautiful. ?

Brandon and Emi – I am so, so excited for you both to begin your next chapter! Thank you a million times for allowing me to capture this very important memory! May you always be blessed with each other’s love, humor, and infectious joy!