A Surprise Proposal at Auburn University | William + Emma

About a month ago, William reached out to me with some exciting news he was ready to ask the big question. After several years of dating, he knew it was time to propose to Emma, and he wanted it to be thoughtful, intentional, and completely unforgettable.

From the very first phone call, William had a vision. The only challenge? Emma is incredibly smart and we both knew we’d have to plan this carefully so she wouldn’t suspect a thing.

The Perfect Cover Story

Since William is graduating this May from Auburn University, we decided to stage the proposal as a graduation session. It was the perfect excuse to get Emma dressed up and camera-ready without raising any red flags.

To make it even more believable, I offered to grab a few headshots of Emma during the session as well. That way, she had every reason to look her best and fully lean into the “graduation photo” vibe.

We started the session casually, walking around campus capturing classic senior portraits of William.

Everything was going smoothly, and Emma had no idea what was about to happen.

A Quick Change of Plans

The original plan was to propose in front of Samford Hall one of the most iconic and recognizable spots on campus.

But as we quickly discovered, the day of our shoot was E-Day. The campus was packed with prospective students touring, large groups gathered everywhere, and to top it off, the grass in front of Samford Hall was muddy from rain the night before.

So we pivoted.

Right next door to Samford Hall is Langdon Hall, and it turned out to be the perfect backup location. It was quieter, cleaner, and honestly just as beautiful. Sometimes the unexpected changes work out even better than the original plan and this was definitely one of those moments.

The Big Question

We moved into position.

I told Emma we were going to grab a few solo shots of her. While I was photographing her, William quietly stepped away, grabbed the ring from my camera bag (yes we hid it in my bag the whole time!), and got into place behind her.

I asked Emma to turn around.

And there he was down on one knee.

Her reaction was priceless. Pure surprise. Pure joy.

What made it even sweeter? Her friends were watching from across the street, secretly witnessing the entire moment unfold.

It was emotional, beautiful, and absolutely perfect.

Rooftop Celebrations

After the proposal, we took a few quick portraits of just the two of them that freshly engaged glow is something you simply can’t fake.

Then we headed to the rooftop at Graduate Auburn, where friends and family were waiting to celebrate. The rooftop party was filled with food, drinks, laughter, hugs, and so much excitement for what’s ahead.

It was the perfect way to end such an unforgettable day.

The Beginning of a New Chapter

William and Emma, I am so incredibly happy for you both. It was such an honor to help bring this moment to life and capture the start of this new chapter.

Proposals are always special but when you get to photograph friends stepping into forever together, it just hits differently.