The Fake Family Session

It started off as a “fake” family session! Alex and her husband reached out to me a few weeks ago and told me that they were helping plan a surprise proposal for her sister, Alana! They had it all planned out, which was amazing! The plan was to meet as if we were just taking family photos with their newest addition, Baby L! But the real plan was that Tyler was about to propose to Alana and she had no idea!

We started the “fake” family session at the Old Well at UNC Chapel Hill! I love whenever I get to take photographs on campus at UNC! It’s definitely one of my favorite places in Chapel Hill! We spent a few minutes taking various group photos at the Old Well before walking down to the Arboretum! This is where everything had been set up for the surprise proposal! As we walked into the Arboretum, everyone slowed down a little so that Tyler and Alana would be in front of the group! Just as they walked past the opening, Tyler pulled Alana into the opening and I think that is when Alana realized that something was happening!

The Proposal

There was a guitarist playing sweet music and flowers and candles were decorated into an almost circle around the seal! Tyler got down onto one knee and asked Alana to marry him! Through tears, she said “YES!” It was the sweetest thing to witness! After the initial shock wore off a tiny bit, everyone congratulated the newly engaged couple! We spent some time taking their very first engagement photos in the Arboretum and near the Old Well! These two had the biggest smiles the entire time!

There were a couple more surprises lined up for Alana that day! The first was that their family was waiting to say “congratulations” at Top of the Hill on Franklin Street! The second was that Alana and Tyler’s friends were waiting to celebrate with her later that night!

Photographing surprise proposals are always so much! Congratulations Tyler and Alana and cheers to an amazing wedding planning journey!