As I’ve written before, proposal stories are one of my favorite stories to tell. The anticipation, the planning, the detail, the surprise, the reaction, the love – it’s a perfect concoction for a successful film and photograph. I’ve been filming/photographing weddings, proposals, and stories of love for over 4 years now, and while I’ve seen my share of ‘awesome’ moments, this one is near the top of the list.

Most of the proposal stories I work on involve some kind of collaboration with me, the storyteller, and the one who’s proposing. I’m often asked for recommendations or ideas to help make the proposal a little more…impactful. Not for this one. All the credit goes to one man…Todd.

Todd came to me after seeing some of my other proposal work and loved our ability to tell a story. Todd’s girlfriend Jenny has always dreamt of a fairy tale proposal…The man of her dreams confessing his love while on bended knee – what woman wouldn’t want that?

Editor’s side note: Jenny also had a few other wishes for her dream proposal: approval from mother. She had to have manicured nails (this should actually be a pre-requisite as most don’t realize the second you’re proposed to, those fingers get A LOT of attention), the use of her whole name during the proposal, and someone to capture the moment so they could relive it for years to come. Todd achieved them all.

Back to the story.

To keep with the “Fairy Tale” theme, Todd stumbled across Oheka Castle, a beautiful estate that was restored and brought back to its glorified life on the gold coast of Long Island, NY. With it’s castle-looking structure and elegant decor, it was the perfect backdrop for his plan.

Part of me wants to write down every detail of his incredible proposal in this blog, but that would eliminate the reason to watch…so I’ll leave you with one final piece of advice: if you want to witness a beautiful moment between two people in love, do yourself a favor and watch this Oheka Castle Proposal film. Your future self will thank you for it.

PROPOSAL INGREDIENTS

Photography: Michael Justin Studios
     Lead Photographer: Michael Justin
Cinematography: Michael Justin Studios 
     Lead Cinema: Edison Koo
     2nd Cinema: Donnell Culver
Venue: Oheka Castle
Tree: Tantawan Bloom
Pop Up Book: Jackie Huang
Engagement Ring Design: Neil Lane Jewelry
Jewelry Boutique: Kay Jewelers