Spoiler alert: recounting this special day had me choking back tears. Savannah and Adam’s surprise proposal at Artist's Point, Grand Marais was such a monumental moment to capture. A surprise proposal on its own is pretty dang special, but photographing one for a couple near and dear to your heart? Priceless.
I first met Sav and Adam at a wedding that I was photographing over two years ago. Adam was doing videography; Sav was acting as his second videographer. Naturally, we all got to chatting, and Sav mentioned that she had always been interested in photography. After chatting with the bride and groom, I invited Sav to take any photos she would like for the day. Flash forward a bit, after having looked through the images Sav had captured, I reached out to see if she wanted to second shoot for me! Now, two years later, she is one of my associate photographers, has her own photography business, and works alongside Adam as the couple now has a joint videography business!
Minnesota Proposal Photographer | Emmie Verdell Photography
After having worked with Sav over these past couple of years, I was ecstatic to see Adam’s name pop up in my inbox at the end of July. Before I even opened his inquiry, I knew it was to photograph his proposal to Sav. Trying to contain my excitement was a big feat; but I’m proud to say, I did it 😅. Adam let me know that him and Sav were taking a trip up to Grand Marais to unwind and just soak up some quality time. He planned to take Sav to Artist’s Point to catch the sunset, and wanted to have me hidden to capture the moment. Naturally, we communicated via code words and fake names leading up to the proposal! Yes, I was in Adam’s phone as his cousin “Reese”. And our topic’s name was under the guise of “frisbee golf”. Basically, I’m Kim Possible.
When the day finally arrived for the surprise proposal, my fiancé and I couldn’t help but feel giddy as we tucked ourselves behind some bushes. We could literally feel the excitement and nerves as Sav and Adam walked past us to Artist’s Point. To say it brought us back to our own proposal would be an understatement. Stealthily, Collin and I followed them out to the cliffside, ducking behind rocks and bushes to remain hidden. Sav and Adam sat out on the rocks, soaking up every second of the sun dancing across Lake Superior. Finally, Adam hugged Sav from behind, turned her around, and got down on one knee. As soon as she said yes, Collin and I started cheering and popped out to celebrate with them!
Surprise Proposal Photography | Minnesota Wedding and Elopement Photographer
As I write this, Savannah and Adam are tying the knot in a micro-wedding in Sedona, Arizona, in just a month! And I am so excited to say that I will be shooting their BIG day and joining them in sunny Arizona! Documenting these moments in their love story is truly such an honor. It’s hard not to feel emotional looking back over these past couple of years - seeing not only how far these friendships have come, but how far my career has come. It’s just been a really incredible chapter.
Savannah and Adam’s surprise proposal at Artist’s Point, Grand Marais was truly a moment I will never forget. In this new year, I can’t wait to document more special moments for so many lovely couples.
Ready for your own love story to be documented? LET’S CONNECT! And be sure to follow along over on the ‘Gram or some sneak peeks (and the first look at Sav + Adam’s Sedona microwedding).
