Surprise Proposal In Acadia National Park

Steven reached out to us about his surprise proposal in Acadia after learning that he’d be speaking at a conference hosted by the Friends of the Pleistocene (an irrelevant detail, but one we just thought was too cool to leave out! I mean- this is the era of the wooly mammoth!). 

Not having much experience in Acadia National Park, he was looking for a private location near the water and turned to us to help him find that perfect spot! We love it when our couples seek out our knowledge of the island. It gives us an opportunity to help them create a unique experience that combines the iconic backdrop of Acadia with the elements, like great light, that we need to craft images that will fully capture their moment in a beautiful and memorable way.

In this case, we knew that Steven’s surprise proposal wouldn’t include just Kayla, his soon-to-be-fiancee, but also their infant daughter, Ellie! With this in mind, we helped him choose a location by the sea that was less populated than many of Acadia’s waterfront areas, but also reasonable to hike carrying a baby.

Here’s a funny story, and the reason we now require a photo of the couple before shooting proposals! We did not have a photo of Steven and Kayla before this and were going on the notion that in this quite secluded spot. He described himself and suggested we would simply watch for the young couple with a baby. We arrived early and were the only ones there, so when a young couple closely fitting Steve’s description, with a baby in a backpack carrier came out onto the rocks, we slyly followed them, cameras in hands, as they made their way toward the water for selfies. As this had been part of Steven’s plan, we began covertly photographing them. But no proposal. So we continued watching and shooting as they wandered around the rocks. Eventually we texted each other with a “What is going on???” assuming we may be waiting out some ‘cold feet’. Then the couple headed off into the woods without a proposal leaving us confused and ready to give chase.

Just then another young couple with a baby arrived. Since it didn’t make sense that the first couple would just leave the ‘proposal location’. We began covertly following the new couple and photographing as they headed toward the water. Thankfully, this time there was a proposal and everything unfolded just as we’d planned with Steven! All was well, though we now have some great photos of a mystery family having some fun in Acadia! Seriously, though- what are the odds of two young couples with babies on this secluded rocky outcropping at nearly the same time??

As it turned out, not only did Steven bring along Kayla and Ellie, but he also carried a heavy pack-and-play for Ellie so that he could do his surprise proposal in Acadia “hands free.” Kayla’s reaction was so great, surprise, delight, and excitement. When we revealed ourselves, Keith held and danced with Ellie (she was all smiles at his cooing!) so that I could get some photos of Steven and Kayla alone in those moments right after their engagement before we nabbed some sweet family photos of them all together.

Kayla later posted this to social media and it was another reminder of how much we just love our adventurous couples:

“One year ago today, I left for what I thought would be the best adventure of my life. I met Steven and we backpacked through Europe for five weeks. He kissed me at the Trevi fountain in the middle of the night and we went whitewater rafting in the Alps. We learned how to make pasta on a rooftop in Rome and went paddle boarding with jellyfish in Barcelona. I fell in love at the top of the Eiffel Tower and we ran through the streets of Siena in the pouring rain. We stayed up all night to watch the sunrise in Greece and rode bikes through the countryside of Amsterdam. It certainly was a great adventure, but I have a feeling this one is going to be even better.”

How cool is that?

Acadia National Park is such a special place to us.

We loved helping Steven plan his own surprise proposal in Acadia knowing that each time we work with a couple in this way, our favorite place on earth becomes a part of their story as well. It’s a gift to be able to share our “secret spots” off the beaten path and give our couples a chance to connect to their own special piece of it without the crowds.

Let us help you plan your sunset proposal in Acadia National Park:

It really is our favorite place on the planet and certainly one of the top National Parks in the country! 

Our process for Acadia proposals starts with getting to know the proposer and understanding what their vision of the event is. We’ll then work with them to find the best location and time of day to propose in Acadia and work with them in any way we can to help with the remainder of the planning and keeping it a secret.

If proposing in Acadia on Cadillac Mountain at sunrise is what truly speaks to you, then we’re all for helping you plan it. But often this idea has less to do with personal connection and more to do with not having a strong familiarity with the park.

Kate has been visiting Acadia every year since she was a child and introduced Keith to it when they shot their first wedding together there. We now spend several months a year exploring the park while we stay at our family’s home on the Quiet Side.

It is with this passion and knowledge of the park that we can find the perfect place for your surprise proposal in Acadia and be there with you to photograph the first chapter in your wedding story. We intentionally don’t give out too many of our secrets here for the benefit of our couples.

If you’re interested in working with us to photograph your Acadia National Park proposal we’d love to chat with you! Let’s start making plans! Contact us now!

View more of our Acadia National Park proposals, engagements, and wedding photos!

Get more information about Acadia from the National Park Service