Picked the Best Pumpkin in the Patch

Over the past three years, I've written and witnessed many stories that have ended in "happily ever after." But this one right here -- it's my absolute favorite because it's my MINE! Yep, the million dollar question of, "How in the world is your boyfriend going to propose to YOU?" has been answered. 

I'd obviously be lying if I said that I hadn't wondered how this moment would eventually play out, but to be honest, I never envisioned a "perfect" proposal because I didn't know myself what that would look like... until now.   

Some couples meet, fall madly in love instantly and never look back. We weren't one of those couples. (I know, I find it hard to believe as well that Avik didn't fall madly in love with me instantly). The road to this day had been a long and a curvy one. We even hit the brakes and veered off course. At times, we felt like we were taking two steps forward, one step back. But in the end, all roads led us back to each other. The corn maze, where Avik proposed today, was in essence, meant to be a symbol of our relationship.

I arrived at VonThun Farms early in the morning to meet my friend to do a photo shoot for her twins. I wanted to test out my new lenses, and she wanted photos for the twins' first birthday. It was a win-win. Or at least, so I thought. She was nowhere to be found, and I was left walking around the maze with my Canon DSLR in hand thinking, "I don't have time for these games. It's Sunday morning -- I should be in bed wondering what I'll have for brunch instead." Little did I know, through each twist and turn, I was getting a step closer to Avik.

As I approached the end of the maze, it was lined with petals and there he was on bended knee, waiting to tell me that although it took us some time to get here, we ultimately found our way back to each other, and from this day forward, we'd never walk alone.

What came next is obvious but worth noting, because it's pretty special...​

The ring, while undoubtedly stunning, actually gets its sparkle from the chock-full o' meaning packed inside this precious stone. The inside of the platinum band is engraved with phrases and birthstones that are a nod to both, my past and future with Avik. When the jeweler takes hours to get to know your girlfriend in order to design a ring that captures her journey, you know you're in good hands. Zameer Kassam is a storyteller first, a jeweler second, wherein his transcribed words translate into a piece that tells a story for years to come. 

So there you have it: my proposal - part corny, part amazing .  

I'll be the first to admit that it's no easy feat proposing to a proposal planner, but Avik took a page out of Ever After Proposals' book and focused on what matters the most: the proposal was sweet, surprising and above all, simple yet meaningful.  

A HUGE shout out to my besties Shaefali, Shreya and Roma for helping Avik make this day all the more special. You four just might give me competition some day ;-)

Credits:  

• Christopher Kuras Photography
• Zameer Kassam Fine Jewelry

San Diego Picnic Proposal on the Beach

Europeans take their vacations very seriously. After all, with an avaerage of 30 days of annual paid leave, what's one to do with all that time? Well, if you ask Arkadius, you leave Germany to spend two glorious weeks in sunny southern California with your awesome girlfriend, Alexandra. 

While most travelers pack a souvenirreturning from a vacation, Arkadius packed a special box from Germany. When faced with figuring out how to place this priceless souvenier on Alexandra's hand, he contacted Ever After Proposals. 

During our ongoing conversations, one of the things I found interesting learning about the couple was Alexandra's love for the famed Italian pianist and composer, Ludovico Einaudi. After going through his vast collection, it was clear why "Resta Con Me" (translated to "stay with me") was the perfect song to capture the couple's marriage proposal.

The question still remained though: where was this magical moment going to occur? Since the couple traveled thousands of miles to experience San Diego, I figured why not take them to one of the most iconic places in San Diego:  the Old Point Loma Lighthouse at Cabrillo National Park. It provided the perfect decoy for the couple that was on a week long excursion of sight seeing, while taking advantage of the perfect weather and picturesque setting. 

They began the day by touring the historic lighthouse, followed by a walk along the cliffs which gave panoramic views of the Pacific ocean. Since Arkadius was keen to catch Alexandra off guard, this was the moment they stumbled upon an uber romantic picnic set up for just the two of them -- with a private pianist playing "Resta con me," of course. Before Arkadius had a chance to kneel down to ask her to marry him, she saw the sign marked "Alexandra ich lieb dich,” which means “I love you” in German. In case she was looking for a sign that he was the one, it's safe to say, this was it.  

Whether you're a hopeless romantic or just plain hopeless, contact Ever After Proposals to see how we can help give you creative, personalized marriage proposal ideas, bring them to life and make you shine as brightly as the ring on her hand. 

Find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. And remember to give me a ring before you give her the ring. 

Credits:

• Cabrillo National Park
• Samantha Bonpensiero Photography
• With Love Event Decor
• Piano Passions

How To Get a Photographer to Photograph Her Own Proposal

David first reached out to me in September 2014, just days after assisting his then girlfriend, Gaciel, photograph the surprise proposal for Amar and Priyanka in Miami. After realizing I was the mastermind behind their proposal, he was excited to discuss how I could help plan his.

As a professional photographer, Gaciel is no stranger to witnessing special memories in people's lives, be it proposals, weddings or baby showers. So in planning David and Gaciel's proposal, I knew I had to incorporate her love for capturing those moments. But how was I going to get a photographer to photograph her own proposal? In the words of Barney Stinson, "Challenge accepted."

After looking through Gaciel's business Facebook page, I realized she does a lot of work for a South Asian wedding decor company, Suhaag Garden, as the vast majority of photos featured were from events they had designed. So I contacted the owners of Suhaag Garden, Jilna and Jigar, who turns out -- not surprisingly -- are good friends with Gaciel and David. 

Armed with this new-found revelation, I hatched the perfect plan: I asked Suhaag Garden to arrange a photo shoot at the Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay, as part of a "sample table Jilna was setting up for a client's upcoming wedding." Gaciel was happy to oblige, as it was an opportunity to both, enjoy doing what she loves, and get a chance to hang out with Jilna and Jigar.

While David frequently accompanies Gaciel during photo shoots to assist, figuring out how to also bring her two sons along -- that too, on a school day -- required a bit of a white lie. Luckily, Gaciel fell for it and the four of them arrived at the Marriott's outdoor pool deck where a fully adorned table awaited them. 

Gaciel got right down to work and began shooting every detail, from the roses to the silk blush napkins. About 30 minutes into it, Jilna said to take a break while she made some adjustments to the decor. (Code word for "it's show time"). Jilna added a second layer of centerpiece to the already stunning design. This was made of two glass posts bridged together with golden branches and white orchids. Long crystal beads hung from the branches, along with personalized photo ornaments. David had handpicked the photos and phrases he wanted for this occasion, as they signified special moments in David, Gaciel and her two kids' lives.

Just as Jilna was putting the finishing touches on the centerpiece, Gaciel walked over to begin photographing the new addition. But David quickly swooped in to replace the camera in her hand with something else she will cherish for the rest of her life. Gaciel's kids, Sebastian and Maximiliano, who are quite the pros themselves with the camera, captured these candid moments and made it a true family affair.    

Whether you're a hopeless romantic or just plain hopeless, contact Ever After Proposals to see how we can help give you creative, personalized marriage proposal ideas, bring them to life and make you shine as brightly as the ring on her hand. 

Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.  And remember to give me a ring before you give her the ring. 

Credits:

• Suhaag Garden 
• Gaciel Santana Photography
• Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay