Proposal & Engagement Photography in Madison, Wisconsin
Summer Golden-hour Proposal In Downtown Madison
Proposals are one of the things that still get my adrenaline pumping. There is just so much anticipation, ideally not really for the answer. If you’re confident enough to plan a proposal with a professional photographer you hopefully have talked about it a decent amount with your partner too.
It’s the months of planning and messaging coming to a conclusion. Things falling into place one by one.
On this day we had:
Perfect Madison summer weather
Ideal evening golden hour light
The area had no events and wasn’t too crowded
I love helping plan proposals in Madison, or anywhere else. To these two, Madison was a super important place for the proposal and we wanted to show that off in the photos. This spot lines up with the Wisconsin State Capitol building and Monona Terrace, two big city landmarks. I love how all the buildings from this perspective radiate out from the capitol.
It’s really important to pick a place for your proposal that is not only beautiful, but meaningful to both of you. It adds a layer of depth to the moment and the photos.
One thing that is always just a little tricky after planning the spot is getting the other half there. It isn’t always super simple. Megan was with her friend and proposal accomplice and they were already at Bel Air Cantina and it was tough to get them to come down to us with Leo, the roses, and the ring. It took a little convincing to get Megan away from the tacos to come enjoy the views.
The Moment Arrives
The scene unfolded like a movie. Megan rounded the corner towards us, and Leo emerged from his hiding place with a whole bouquet of roses. Immediately you can see the surprise and look of astonishment on her face as she immediately realizes what is about to happen.
She even glanced over and made eye contact with the camera as I went from looking as casual as I could with my dual camera harness to quickly hustling into position and taking a ton of photos to capture the moment from the perfect angle.
I will say, Leo missed his x on the floor by about two tiles. But I guess we gotta give him some slack. This sequence is one of my favorite proposals of all time. With the perfect golden light illuminating everything behind them they had an incredible moment together.
For your proposal, first looks, private vows I always back up and give you space. But bring everything much closer with a telephoto lens. This was with my favorite 105mm 1.4 lens. It gives a really beautiful perspective and makes everything around you melt away. Like it should for your proposal.
Absolutely one of the cutest sequences of images I have ever taken.
Time to Celebrate
As their photographer, it was an honor to capture the magic of Megan & Leo's special evening. From the intimate moments shared between them to the stunning portraits after the proposal. It was a beautiful summer evening in the city, everything seemed to slow down around them.
We could not have done it without Leo’s helpers. What amazing friends to have and be there with you for such a special moment.
With the sun illuminating the city behind them these are photos that people have pointed to consistently and said “I want our photos to look like that” and they will. I can almost promise you that. I can’t control the weather yet, but I am working on it.
Summer In Madison
There is just a special feeling about summer evenings in Madison. You can feel the spotted cow, and Babcock ice cream in the air. The way the light comes into downtown over Lake Mendota is phenomenal. I love the proximity of green spaces, more urban scenes, and the lakeshore.
With almost too many good spots for photos on these perfect summer days. It gets hard to pick a spot to actually go to. This area on the Monona Terrace side of the Capitol Building always gets beautiful soft light in the evening.
Final Thoughts:
It’s such an honor to help transform an idea into an extraordinary moment and unforgettable experience for my couples. If you're dreaming of your own proposal or engagement session in the heart of Madison, I would be honored to capture the beauty and joy of your story. Let's connect and bring your vision to life, one photograph at a time
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