Sonora Engagement Photographer | Hurst Ranch Surprise Proposal | Christine Dibble Photography
When I got the call about this surprise proposal session a couple of months before the date, I was not sure I could contain the excitement. Mel was planning a photo shoot for the whole family while her twin sister visited for Christmas, but in the middle of it, her sister was going to receive a surprise proposal! About half the family attending was in on the secret. We exchanged phone calls instead of emails that could be found and met to exchange props ahead of time. We planned code words and discussed locations. Of course, when the day arrived, there was a big storm. We had talked about using a location with snow, but that was not very practical with lots of very young children and the driving winds that blew in. Hurst Ranch was nice enough to give us access to their big wedding barn, and it was even outfitted with several live Christmas trees on simple stands! They brought in some hay bales, and we added a velvet chair and the family heirloom quilt. After rolling through group shots and individual family shots, we asked Megan to pose for a few couple shots. She was completely surprised when she found herself staring at Alan on his knees with the most gorgeous diamong engagement ring! Then the driving rain slowed just enough for a few blustery outdoor shots of the newly engaged couple.