Alex’s Surprise Proposal
We were just leaving the gym and a text rolled in —
“Don’t call me I’ll call you!“
By the time we got to the car, the phone rang and we heard Alex’s voice for the first time. He was speaking in a hushed tone, but the excitement in his voice was still palpable. Until this point, we had only exchanged emails — short back-and-forths in sans serif on lunch breaks or between meetings. We were planning something important, something he’ll never forget; and to do that, you need to speak human to human.
He went on to say he found us by searching #orangecountyfilmphotographer and although this isn’t his expertise, after seeing that we were a married couple and seeing our work, he trusted us to know how important this moment would be.
When we asked how they met, Alex explained the random turns of fate, the cross country move, and the Instagram DM that found him, once again sitting across from this girl in a bar— a place oddly reminiscent of where they’d met. Flash back to three years ago, in a random Nantucket bar, on a random night, amidst the wood paneling and overpriced cocktails, Alex found another random. Her name was Kate. They went on to flirt and exchange socials, but with him moving to California, they were sure that they would stay just that — randoms.
Yet not even a year after that night, as he thumbed through Instagram stories something else random happened: he saw a beautiful girl posting about having just moved to LA. Not knowing how he knew her, or even why she (a beautiful nurse who had the same name and bone structure as the Princess of Whales) was following him. Not being a man to waste an opportunity, Alex decided to DM her, “how do we know each other?” and invited her for a drink to welcome her to the city.
Never destined to be ships passing in the night, they immediately had a connection — the conversation took priority over the Burrata which sat forgotten on the table, below their noses and out of their gaze.
From there, their relationship grew and deepened to the point they couldn’t imagine a life apart. Which is exactly why Alex now finds himself excitedly whispering to two wedding photographers on speakerphone in a gym parking lot. He’s bought the perfect ring and cannot wait for this random girl to become his fiancé! Surprising Kate with the proposal is a priority for him; and despite her dropping hints, Alex did what he could to make it seem like he wouldn’t be dropping to a knee any time soon. Alex works in tech and regularly interacts with homeowners in gated communities. The kind of people that have cliff side estates in Laguna Beach with private beaches. One such customer was Gracie. Alex, again not one to waste an opportunity, made her a proposition. He told her how much he loved Kate and how he imagined asking for her hand. Gracie, a romantic at heart, insisted he use their secret beach to propose. So a plan was hatched and the romantic ruse was set into motion.
Alex made reservations for a nice dinner, he and Kate dressed up and headed out. But wouldn’t you know, he had “gotten mixed up” and they had time to kill before the reservation. No worries — as it happens, Alex had a client who lived nearby and who’d sent a message about needing some help. He explained that they “live in an amazing neighborhood” and “I’d love for you to see the property they live on. Why don’t we swing by real quick and then head to dinner?” They arrived at the front door, through which the Pacific Ocean is in full display. When Gracie answered, they talked about technical difficulties for a moment and then Alex asked if he can show Kate around their property “while the light is still good.”
They crossed the yard, descended a spiral staircase, ascended a sea cliff, and crossed over a bridge to the most serene private beach imaginable. For some reason, Kate didn’t think it was suspicious that another couple (us) was sitting in the sand watching the sunset. Alex and Kate walk by Michelle and I, hand in hand. He pointed out the sea caves that he’d told her about, and they started to make their way back. He offered to take a picture of her, and she twirled her dress as the sun started to paint the water gold.
When she finished her spin, she found herself dizzy, staring at the man she loves on bended knee. We were already snapping away, memorializing every moment for them. A full 10 seconds went by as she processed what’s was happening. Eventually she was able to get out the word “YES” as she fell to her knees and wrapped her fiancé in her arms. The waves crashed behind them, backlit by the setting sun. We moved around with our zoom lenses and after a few moments, when reality had set in, and she returned to her body, we introduced ourselves and told her how much Alex had planned for this moment. We then ran around the beach together, taking photos, celebrating, and trying to eek out every bit of magic that this sunset was giving us. Then they collected some sand in a film canister and watched as their last day as boyfriend and girlfriend slowly ended.
Earlier in our lives, Michelle and I both worked in the medical field; her as a nurse and I as an EMT. We often talk about how peculiar it was that someone’s worst day ever could just be a Tuesday for us. Thankfully this is no longer the case. Whether we’re photographing a proposal, a wedding, or a maternity shoot — we remember it all! We’re a part of their story and they’re a part of ours. In many ways, our job is to celebrate love; and even though they hired us, running around on that beach with them did not feel like work :)
Congratulations Alex & Kate!
We’re already obsessed with your love story.
-Love,
M & L
