I never thought I’d get so much enjoyment from lying in a ditch filled with rocks and dry brush!

Two months ago I received a phone call. A Man asked me if I’d be willing to photograph his proposal. UGGGHHH Heck YES! He must not know me, OF COURSE!!! He proceeded to tell me that they live in Maryland and they are there because he is in Grad School but they met while working in Healdsburg. Justine worked at Truet Hurst and Tyler worked at their “sister” winery up the road. Truet Hurst (rightfully so) is her “favorite place on earth” according to Tyler. So he knew that it was the perfect place to ask her to marry him. SO he didn’t just plan to fly her out and ask her. He made a MASTER PLAN of epic proportions! He enlisted the help of his good friend Randy and his girlfriend Michelle. They received shipments of all the little details all month long and headed down to the winery this afternoon to get everything all set up.

I didn’t want her to see me but it was sort of hard to blend in since it was down out back behind the winery patio down by the creek where they have these gorgeous red Adirondack chairs set up on small square concrete slabs over looking the creek. The surroundings are nothing but grass and tall trees… and a creek. So I didn’t really blend in in the least bit! My original plan going down there was to play it off like a touristy wine taster taking pictures of everything. But once I got there i realized I needed to channel my inner Aidan (my 3 year old) and find a great spot to hide! Lucky for me there was a big drop off where the grass and dirt separated and there was a good 2 foot drop down to the creek bed. So I laid down low and waited…. I felt like I was hunting or something…in leggings and a satin tunic! LOL! The plan was that Tyler was going to walk down this little path that leads you from the winery to the creek and once he got to the point in the path where it was a straight shot to the table (he figured at that point she’d see the set up) so his plan was to play “their song” on his phone. Broken Road from Rascal Flats….cue “awwws and oooohhhs”

As I get my first peak at them walking along the path, heart beating fast (can’t imagine what Tyler was feeling I thought I was gonna die in anticipation), I see just as they are about to make it to the straight away she veers off into the vegetable garden that is just to the side of the pathway and she starts to pay special attention to the kale =) I could see that Tyler wasn’t quite sure what to do. Does he just play the song and move it along or does he keep patient and let her admire the kale (still makes me laugh, she used to be the one to pick the vegis from the garden so she has a special attachment to the kale) so Tyler played it cool and let her hang out for a bit. Once they started back on the path he started the song. I have no real words to describe how cute it was to watch her reaction when she put it all together. She had glanced at the set up (not initially thinking it was for her), then the song, then everyone acting so weird when they first arrived. You could see it all connect and she stopped in her tracks and that look was just priceless!

I stayed in my “bunker” for a little longer and then came out and around for a better angle. She barely noticed she was just so shocked! It was so cute because she kept saying “Oh my God oh my God” and he finally said… “is that a yes??” and she said “YES!!” It was really just perfect! I really enjoyed watching her immediately pay attention to every detail he had put together. He didn’t have to point any of it out. She noticed every single thing. Tyler had champagne glasses engraved to say Engaged 12-21-11 on them and she immediately looked right at that and she gave validation to everything he worked so hard for. Justine couldn’t stop smiling and just looking around in disbelief! It was such a special moment!!
Oh Tyler, thank you so much for letting me be apart of something so special. I photograph weddings all year long and as special as those days are it was such a treat and such an honor to be able to capture the beginning, to capture the question that starts it all.

Tyler and Justine, as an extremely happily married woman I wish you all the happiness, love, support, and liberation a wonderful marriage can give you.

After the proposal we headed back up to the winery to say hello to Randy and Michelle and all the other amazing people who helped make this day happen.





Their engagement photos are soon to follow……..