This surprise proposal was such a roller coaster! A last minute passport mixup almost got in the way of Jake and Megan’s trip to Paris where he was planning to propose. Luckily, it was all sorted in a few days and the surprise proposal went off without a hitch.
So how do you plan a surprise proposal in front of the Eiffel Tower?
Well the first step is getting in touch with a photographer in Paris that knows a thing or two about planning surprise proposals (hey there, I’m Lisa!) If you want a “complete surprise”, as I like to call it, then we’ll agree on a time and place to meet by the Eiffel Tower, where you will pop the big question. Jake contacted me before his trip to make sure that he would have plenty of time to figure out all the details and his cover story 🙂
The Time & Location
The location seems like a no brainer here – the Eiffel Tower right? Well, if you want a spot that won’t be photo bombed by tourists and keychain vendors, you can’t just pick any location. I have a few great spots that I love to go to for extra privacy for your special moment.
As for the time, I recommend doing the surprise proposal early in the morning to avoid all the crowds and get the best light. Even if your photo session includes some champagne to celebrate the proposal, you’re in Paris, so why not get a little tipsy to start your day?
What to wear for your surprise proposal
This is a tricky one – on the one hand, you don’t want to give your plan away by suggesting dressing up for no reason and walking by the Eiffel Tower. On the other hand, most people will want to look their best for their proposal/engagement photos, so you do need to come up with a story.
- You have several options here:You can have a close friend or family member suggest a photo shoot in Paris as an absolute must for your trip. That way, your significant other will dress up without suspecting anything
- If you’re going for the “complete surprise proposal”, you’ll need to convince them to pack and wear their best outfit. You can say that you’re going to a fancy restaurant with a dress code and it’s close to the Eiffel Tower
The second option is exactly what Jake did. He told Megan that he had reserved a fancy brunch for them (they do early brunches a lot back home, so it wasn’t a very suspicious suggestion for her). Of course, it’s Paris, so there’s even a dress code for brunch places. When they walked past the Eiffel Tower, he suggested that they take off their coats to get a few photos in front of the landmark. That’s when he snapped a photo, got down on one knee and the rest is history (and I was there to capture it all).
What happens after the proposal?
After the shock, tears of joy, kisses and ring-oggling, you just let me know when you’re ready for me to introduce myself and I come out of the woodwork.
I loved that I even caught that moment when Jake pointed me out to Megan.
After his proposal, we made our way to Trocadero where we had an impromptu engagement session in front of the Eiffel Tower.
