There is something incredibly special about photographing a proposal. Particularly when I’ve been involved in the planning from the very beginning.
Drake first got in touch with me several months before he planned to propose to Riley. He knew he wanted to ask her to marry him somewhere in the Cotswolds, but he wasn’t quite sure where. His original idea was Bourton-on-the-Water, but one thing was particularly important to him: he wanted the proposal itself to feel private and secluded.
As beautiful as Bourton-on-the-Water is, it can also be incredibly busy. I knew we could find somewhere that gave Drake the quintessential Cotswolds setting he was looking for while making their actual proposal feel much more intimate.
Finding the perfect Cotswolds proposal location
After researching some different options, I found Bourton House Garden near Moreton-in-Marsh and immediately thought it could be perfect.
It is a beautiful garden surrounding an elegant Cotswold house. It has so many lovely little areas tucked away within the grounds. Drake loved it too, so the location was decided.
From there, we stayed in touch and planned everything carefully together. We discussed where he would propose, where I would be and how we could make sure I captured the moment without Riley realising what was about to happen.
Drake chose the steps opposite the house for the proposal, and it couldn’t have worked better. Surrounded by the gardens, it felt peaceful, private and incredibly romantic.
Capturing the moment without giving away the surprise
On the day, I arrived at Bourton House Garden early so I had plenty of time to make sure everything was as we’d planned and get myself into position before Drake and Riley arrived.
When the moment came, I was nearby pretending to photograph the gardens. While actually being perfectly positioned to capture everything as it happened.
As it turns out, Riley had already started to become a little suspicious that morning. Drake hadn’t quite been behaving like his usual self, and as she’d been hoping for this moment for a long time, she had an inkling that something special might be happening.
Then, on the steps surrounded by the gardens, Drake got down on one knee.
She said yes.
Riley looked completely over the moon, and being able to photograph those first few moments after she realised what was happening was incredibly lovely.
Proposal photographs at Bourton House Garden
Once the surprise was out and Drake could finally relax, we spent some time exploring the gardens together for their newly engaged portraits.
We were completely spoilt for choice when it came to backdrops. The gardens are full of beautiful planting, pathways, architecture and quiet corners, which meant we could create lots of variety without needing to travel anywhere.
It’s a little gem of a location, and somewhere I would happily recommend to couples looking for a beautiful and more secluded place to propose in the Cotswolds.
But our afternoon wasn’t quite finished.
Engagement photographs in Lower Slaughter
After leaving Bourton House Garden, we headed to Lower Slaughter for some more photographs.
I had suggested the village because Drake had originally loved the idea of Bourton-on-the-Water. Lower Slaughter has that same beautiful Cotswolds character, with honey-coloured stone cottages, pretty bridges and the water running through the village, but it generally feels much quieter.
It gave us a completely different setting for the second part of their photographs, while still giving Drake and Riley the Cotswolds experience they’d imagined.
They absolutely loved it.
In fact, having travelled over from Ohio, they fell for the Cotswolds so much that they’re now talking about moving here!
Planning a surprise proposal in the Cotswolds
One of the things I love about photographing proposals is being able to help with much more than the photographs themselves.
If you’re planning to propose in the Cotswolds but don’t know exactly where to do it, I can help you find a location that suits what you have in mind. Whether you want somewhere secluded and romantic, a beautiful Cotswolds village or gorgeous gardens, we can plan it together.
We’ll talk through the location, timings and exactly where I’ll be so that when the moment arrives, you can concentrate entirely on the person standing in front of you.
Afterwards, we can spend some time creating relaxed engagement photographs together, giving you a gallery that captures not only the proposal itself but those first incredibly exciting moments as an engaged couple.
For Drake and Riley, the celebrations continued after I left them. They headed to Bourton-on-the-Water for a celebratory lunch and some time together, with a brand new reason to remember their trip to the Cotswolds.
And here are some of their gorgeous photographs from a very special afternoon.
Planning your own Cotswolds proposal?
If you’re thinking about proposing in the Cotswolds and would love the moment captured, please get in touch. I can help you plan the location and timings so everything feels relaxed, discreet and completely personal to the two of you. You can also see another Cotswolds proposal I’ve photographed on my proposal blog, or head over to my portfolio page to see more of my work.
