Towards the end of February I was contacted by Tim about potentially photographing his proposal to his girlfriend Jenna in Waco, Texas. I just happened to have been planning a mini adventure to visit my friend who is RVing her way across America with her family . I had instantly written back to Tim and told him how much I love capturing proposals and how his gesture to capture the happenings was the perfect surprise for Jenna.

We chatted back and forth over email as we planned how the whole proposal was going to go. Tim had reached out to the Country Spring Vineyard in Lorena, Tx about using their vineyard as the perfect location. As Luck would have it the week of the trip down to Texas there was going to be a snowstorm and as Tim was surprising Jenna with the location of their road trip they trekked thru a blizzard and then landed themselves in rainy Texas.

When I got to The Country Spring Vineyard about an hour and a half before their arrival I spoke with Mary about alternative locations as the wind on the vineyard was reaching 37 mph gusts. We quickly decided to move the proposal inside by their fireplace. We made arrangements with all of the guests to attend a free “tour” of the facilities, so that Tim could have the space without any additional guests present. I asked for an apron and setup a “Social Media/Branding” shoot and diligently captured bottle after bottle and made an assortment of “videos” as Tim had requested a cell phone video capture of the big question to share with family back home in Iowa.

When Tim and Jenna arrived at 4:00 they got their first glass of wine and headed over to a table. As we got closer to 4:30 the room started to empty and Mary offered her tour to two Baylor University Spring Breakers and I slowly found the remote to turn off the TV… Which I found out later that Tim had just said to Jenna something about all the pictures on the TV… (whoops!)

As Tim popped the question there were lots of giggles and of course she said YES! After everything was finished we headed out into the vineyard to capture a few “post proposal” photos. We even had the cows join in the fun…. which was the perfect addition as Tim his background comes from agriculture and angus show cattle.

Below you will find some tips and tricks to make sure your proposal goes off without a hitch. But first… enjoy some of Jenna and Tim’s Proposal Session at The Country Spring Vineyard… If you are in the Waco area… I can’t tell you enough that you should stop by this vineyard and have a glass of their delicious wine.

How to make sure your proposal goes off without a hitch!

If you are the one popping the question the one thing on your mind is the word “yes”… right?.. No matter how many times you have discussed spending the rest of your life together… proposing is always a nerve-wrecking experience and probably even more if you are going to propose in a public place. So here are a few tips and tricks to help make your proposal the perfect one.

1. Take your time searching for the right ring. Make sure you take your partner’s style into account while you are hunting for the perfect ring. It should be something that suits them and that they can wear every day… and then you are going to add in the ultimate gift from you to them.

2. Though it might be tempting.. don’t tell too many people. If you tell too many people you run the risk of it slipping out and getting around and it could land back in your partner’s ear.. Make sure you cover your tracks if you are using email, messages etc. I know that Tim put me in his phone as his boss- so that way when I text him Jenna wouldn’t think of it.

3. If you are traveling to your proposal on vacation- make sure you protect the ring. If you are flying put it in your carry on but in a safe box.. that way TSA can’t spill the beans and also get an insurance policy for it.. as an added measure.

4. If you are planning on proposing outside.. make sure you have a back up plan. In Tim and Jenna’s case I being their photographer helped shift the location inside. All I had to do was text Tim that changes and he could plan accordingly. If it ends up storming you can always find a romantic spot indoors- maybe at a restaurant, inside a vineyard etc.

5. Book that photographer… especially if you are planning a “vacation” proposal.. your photographer can help you plan all of the details and make sure if you are at a venue or similar space they are keyed in to what is about to happen. The photographer can be incognito and pose as an employee etc. It’s always good to throw them off their tracks. If you had a photographer you will always have those images to cherish and share after they say yes!