When Kevin proposed to Michaela, he knew he was going to have to work very hard to keep it a surprise. The premise was pretty straightforward: Kevin’s birthday was coming up so he told Michaela that he would like to meet up with a few friends and coworkers for a small party at Il Porto in downtown Frederick MD. The reality was that he had planned a proposal party! He invited their closest friends and both sets of parents to meet them at the restaurant where he planned to propose. It could have all fallen apart had Kevin not had the foresight to tell his coworkers who were supposedly attending the party about his proposal schemes. Thankfully, Kevin covered his tracks! As luck would have it, Michaela bumped into one of Kevin’s coworkers a couple days prior to the proposal and he smoothly lied about the party, leaving Michaela completely in the dark. As a result, when she walked into Il Porto and saw her family and friends and Kevin down on one knee, she was completely surprised!

Kevin and Michaela’s Frederick MD engagement shoot went as smoothly as his proposal. The lighting was so perfect and they posed so easily that we actually finished our shoot thirty minutes early – something that almost never happens! This was my first time photographing at Rose Hill Manor Park and I am definitely adding it to my list of favorite spots. Apparently there had been some sort of Halloween festival a couple days prior to our shoot because I had to photograph in such a way that Michaela and Kevin would block the skulls, witches, and grave stones that were in the background!

I realized after this shoot that I totally need a flannel blanket – I’m not sure why I haven’t jumped on that bandwagon yet!

These next two images make me so happy and warm inside 🙂