Let’s set the stage.
Imagine a warm, pristine afternoon on the soft sands of Atlantic Beach, NC. The sun is just starting to set in the background, and waves are rhythmically crashing in the distance. A lovely scene awaits just down the boardwalk from The Dunes Club, a popular country club in Atlantic Beach. Our couple, Ben & Randi, slowly walk barefoot along the sand toward the final location. I can see them about a hundred yards down the beach from my camouflaged perch in the dunes, camera in hand. What they find is an amazing array of red roses surrounding a bottle of champagne in the soft, white sand. Just moments after, a love story in the making is soon to be sealed forever.
An Intricate Plan Unfolds
Ben reached out to me a month earlier from our scenic evening just described. He asked me to photograph a very special day he’d been thinking about for a long time. From the moment the plan was explained to me, I knew Ben wasn’t a stranger to being romantic. I learned just how special of a partner Randi is to Ben. Therefore, we couldn’t settle for anything less than a stunning evening sunset proposal. After reviewing the document that would rival a Navy SEAL mission brief, I was hooked. It was titled “Operation: Diamante” and it was 13 pages long. Not even kidding. I absolutely could not wait to carry this out with Ben. Recruiting a few key other people, The plan was then set in motion.
Randi, unaware anything was out of the ordinary (okay, she may have had a small idea. She’s pretty sharp!), was on a weekend beach getaway with Ben and all the family in town. Both Ben and Randi’s folks were together to celebrate a great beach weekend getaway together. The plan was to have Ben take Randi over to the Dunes Club ahead of everyone, before a nice dinner in the clubhouse with all the family. Ben and Randi arrived, and Ben suggested they take a little walk on the beach. Once out there, the rest of the families secretly arrived for an after proposal surprise. They were hustled in and carefully hidden.
A Photographer Hidden in the Dunes
As all of this was unfolding, I was perched a ways down the beach, directly perpendicular to the exact spot set up beforehand where the big moment would happen. Sitting in the dunes with a ghillie suit on (yes, I really had one on), I blended in perfectly with the environment. One couldn’t spot me even if they were five feet away from me. With a large telephoto lens attached, our lovely couple grew bigger and bigger in the viewfinder as they approached their final spot. I laid extremely still in the dunes, but the moment was close, and my heart was pounding in anticipation.
From Past to Present
Being a part of a moment like this is truly one of my favorite things. And being able to document it and tell a story like this one is truly an honor. The story of Ben and Randi goes back 3 years before, where they met on an online dating site. (It’s the 21st century, after all!) But, a perfect match it was. Pretty soon, they fell in love. They realized a life spent together was becoming a great possibility. And one they both knew they wanted forever. And so, arriving at this moment after three years, with perfect weather and a perfect afternoon sun setting over the horizon, couldn’t have been more special for them.
The Moment is Here
With my camera trained carefully on Ben & Randi, I saw them in full view as it all became clear to Randi what exactly was about to happen. Ben positioned her carefully in front of the roses on the ground, and got on one knee. I carefully captured every defining moment as time stood still. A “yes!” and a life-changing embrace created the perfect scene of love on the beach. I allowed a special, intimate moment to be shared before I carefully approached, snapping more pictures of the beautiful scene. It wasn’t until I was almost ten feet away that Randi finally noticed me. After the elation and surprise, we shared an impromptu engagement session as the sun perfectly set behind the bridge and made for some absolutely fantastic photos.
The Family Surprise
After our shoot, we made our way back to The Dunes Club for the final surprise of the night. Friends and family came from all over to be a part of the celebration. The look on Randi’s face as her friends and family greeted her was absolutely priceless. The rest of the night was spent socializing and reminiscing on memories from all.
I’m so excited I was able to capture such a special moment for Ben and Randi. Here’s to many more beautiful beach sunsets waiting to be written!
For the readers who made it this far—if you have a special story that’s waiting to be told, don’t hesitate to reach out! Ghillie suit or not, I’d love to capture your special moment.