Samantha + Andrew’s Gazebo Proposal on Skaneateles Lake
Surprise proposals are a favorite of mine to photograph, so I was thrilled when Andrew reached out. He was planning a gazebo proposal on Skaneateles Lake, and wanted to hire a Syracuse photographer to capture the moment that he asked his girlfriend, Sam, to marry him. Who could say no to that?!
Andrew and Sam are from out of state, but Andrew attended school nearby in Cortland, NY. During his time there, he took frequent trips up to the town of Skaneateles, and quickly fell in love with it. He and Sam still visit the area on vacation, so he thought it would be the perfect place to propose!
Andrew’s parents not only knew about the surprise proposal, but they agreed to help plan it. They arrived at Clift Park earlier in the day and set up a table, rose petals, and light-up marquee letters that read, “MARRY ME” inside the gazebo. I was in awe when I arrived and saw the setup. I knew this was going to be so special for Sam.
The three of us hid and waited for Sam and Andrew to arrive. The last thing we wanted was for her to spot Andrew’s parents and ruin the surprise. Sam and Andrew made their way down the street, and as they got closer, Andrew had Sam cover her eyes, then he helped her up into the gazebo.
When she removed her hands, Andrew was in front of her, down on one knee holding a ring. Sam was over-the-moon excited and of course said yes! I loved the pure joy and raw emotion emanating from the happy couple. Once they’d had some time to themselves, Andrew’s parents popped out to join in on the excitement, congratulating and embracing their son and future daughter-in-law.
We spent some time afterward taking proposal pictures of the two of them. They opened some champagne and just enjoyed the moment together. They were absolutely glowing, and I’m so happy they’ll have these photos to remember this special trip. We wrapped things up, and I congratulated them before they left for a dinner reservation at Pastabilities in downtown Syracuse.
I love helping to plan proposals like this one! If you’re waiting on your partner to pop the question, be sure to share this blog with them - it makes for a pretty powerful hint!
