A sweet, romantic early fall proposal at Sunset on the beach in Cape Cod Massachusetts. Photographing engagements is truly one of the best parts of being a wedding photographer.

Planning the Cape Cod Beach Proposal

Charlie contacted me in August, stating that he was ready to take the next step in his relationship with his girlfriend, Corinne. He explained that he wanted to propose to her on their upcoming trip to Cape Cod in September – which she actually planned! I completely adore photographing proposals, so of course, I was right on board.

We got to planning right away, and got all the details sorted out. To start off the plan, he would be taking her to dinner at The Chatham Bars Inn at 5pm. Then, after eating and having a drink or two, they would walk across the street to the beach to watch the sunset. As they walked over, I would track Charlie’s location to be sure I was hiding in time. It was the perfect plan, and he was confident that she would have no idea.

When the day for the proposal came, he was nervous, but confident. I got to the location early so I could plan to wear to stand and hide. As it turned out, I actually didn’t have to hide at all, because there were seals in the water! Thanks to the seals, I was able to play it off by just photographing them, which made it easy.

Photographing and Executing the Proposal

Now it was go time. Charlie brought Corinne down by the water, and stood with her in the exact spot we planned. During the planning process, I had sent him a stick figure drawing to show him which way to stand so I could get her reaction. Charlie did not disappoint. Corinne had absolutely no idea what he was about to do! She wasn’t really looking away from him at all, so I could tell Charlie had a hard time getting the ring box ready inconspicuously. However, once he got it and the time was right, he dropped on one knee – to her surprise – and asked her to marry him. It was such a sweet moment, and she said yes!

The proposal was complete with a few beach-goers congratulating and cheering for the happy couple. Charlie pulled it off, and it made for the most gorgeous proposal images, as the sunset on Cape Cod was stunning that night. We topped it off with a quick engagement session on the beach, and the newly engaged couple headed off to celebrate with her family.

All in all, Corinne had no idea that she would practically be planning her own Cape Cod beach proposal when she booked the trip. She even planned the dinner for the night! I stayed hidden until the proposal was complete, and Charlie executed the plan perfectly. I’d call that a win win!

Want to read about how you can plan the best proposal for your girlfriend? I have a post all about planning a proposal here! https://gabrielleshoots.com/tips-for-planning-boston-proposal/

Getting married soon and looking for the right wedding photographer? Visit my website here, and inquire for your date here. I’d love to chat!