Cameron & Kaitlin’s Surprise Proposal at Kanapaha Botanical Gardens


When Cameron reached out to me about photographing his surprise proposal to Kaitlin, he was determined to make sure every detail was perfect. We met three separate times to plan exactly how he would pull it off without giving away the surprise. Eventually, we decided the easiest way to get Kaitlin dressed, ready and in front of my camera without raising suspicion was to bring her best friend, Mikayla, in on the plan. Lucky for Mikayla, she had miraculously won my completely nonexistent best-friend photo shoot giveaway. Yay!

With our cover story in place, Cameron chose the most beautiful spot at Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville, Florida, to ask Kaitlin to marry him.

Unfortunately, when the big day arrived, the temperature was in the 90s, the humidity was miserable and the sun was shining at full force. I’m pretty sure it was almost as hot as Cameron’s burning love for Kaitlin.

We began with the “best-friend photo shoot,” and Kaitlin had absolutely no idea what was about to happen. The light was less than ideal, but I couldn’t move her into a better position without risking her seeing Cameron waiting behind her. Instead, I started overly posing her by herself, doing everything I could to keep her facing the right direction while Cameron quietly made his way toward us.

Then, at just the right moment, Cameron tapped her on the shoulder.

She was completely caught off guard. The moment she saw Cameron, the surprise and emotion immediately washed over her. Cameron dropped to one knee, asked her to spend forever with him—and she said yes!

Despite the heat, humidity and blazing sunshine, it could not have been a more beautiful moment. Kaitlin was genuinely surprised, Cameron pulled off the proposal he had so thoughtfully planned, and Mikayla gave an award-worthy performance as the winner of my imaginary giveaway.

Congratulations, Cameron and Kaitlin! It was such an honor to help plan and photograph the beginning of this exciting new chapter in your lives.

Two young women in flowy maxi dresses pose together smiling in a lush green garden path.
Two young women smiling and posing together outdoors in a lush green garden with red flowers.
Smiling young woman with long brown hair wearing a light gray sundress outdoors in a garden setting.
Woman in white sundress walks garden path near white pergola with man following behind.
Couple walks hand-in-hand along a garden path under a white pergola surrounded by lush greenery.
Couple shares romantic moment on garden path beside white pergola surrounded by lush greenery.
Couple holding hands facing each other under a white garden pergola surrounded by lush greenery and colorful flowers.
Couple sharing an emotional moment on a garden path under a white pergola surrounded by colorful flowers and greenery.
Man proposes on one knee to woman in white dress in a beautiful garden with white pergola backdrop.
Man proposing to woman in a beautiful garden under a white pergola arbor on a sunny day.
Man on one knee proposing to woman in white dress in a garden with white arbor and red flowers.
Smiling couple posing together in a lush garden with a white pergola backdrop on a sunny day.
Couple sitting on a stone bench surrounded by lush greenery in a romantic garden engagement photo.
Couple sitting close together on a bench by a serene pond surrounded by lush greenery and tropical plants.
Young couple walks hand-in-hand on a path lined with tropical banana plants and palm trees.