Dogsled Proposal | Utah Mountains
His email came unexpectedly — someone that had found me via the interwebs and sought a photographer to cover his proposal to his girlfriend while they were in Park City on vacay from Chicago. For SURE. I love proposal photography. Like, every.single.part of it. I love the anticipation, the element of surprise, and even the fact that both people are usually so gobsmacked after the main event takes place that, quite possibly, without the photographic proof and the ring on the finger, it’ll feel as though it didn’t happen. It’s an all-around fantasy come-to-life — a Love Actually moment that can be [yes truly] life-affirming.
I responded to Kyle enthusiastically, and in his reply he mentioned that he’d like to pop the question during a dog sled ride. Reading over my shoulder, V goes (as only V can: loudly & with Russian accent), OH YAASSSSSSS THIS WILL BE AMAZING. Meanwhile, I’m dotting i’s and crossing t’s in my head, thinking about the ‘what’s involved’ part of a shoot like this. Of COURSE we’re doing it — I would never hesitate to be a part of something this special/incredible — but the logistics (which I’ve covered in another post) were a tad complicated.
Technicalities aside, we found ourselves in the middle of the woods awaiting the Luna Lobos mushing team one December morning; and on this sled would be Kyle & an unsuspecting Jennifer. Oh, and as if I wasn’t already anxious about nailing the moment, Jennifer is a professional photographer, herself having covered a bajillion proposals. The pressure was on.
But, as with every shoot, all my nerves dissipate as soon as the client arrives… and, in this case, the client arrival was a pinch-me reality. We heard barking & howling in the distance, echoing through the Canyon, and seconds after V & I looked at each other with our game-face nod, the crew rounded a bend into our line of sight, speeding (more than you’d think!) right along. They parked near us and, once the wow-factor of this entire epic scene passed, I remember thinking (because this had plagued me both the night before & the morning of), ‘huh, I guess they don’t think it’s particularly strange that two randos with professional camera gear are standing in the middle of the woods for no apparent reason.’
Jennifer hopped off the sled and began photographing the dogs, and I offered to take a photo of her & Kyle and the dogs, just buying time until *it begins*. Within a minute, Kyle took her hand and led her about ten feet away from the dogs. I couldn’t hear what he said, but within seconds Jennifer’s very audible reaction made it clear she hadn’t seen this coming in a million years. As he reached into his pocket, she threw her head back, then bent over, covering her face; and, yep, tears sprang to my eyes. He pulled her closer to him, got on one knee (in the snow no less), held out the ring — the entire act was debonaire as hell — and she squealed YES. After kisses, face-holding, ring-viewing, more kisses, shaking, loads-of-hugging, moments captured, and ultimately a cup of hot chocolate (Greg, the sled guide was prepared), these two utter lovebugs were on their merry way back to the trail… and off to a land called social media, where they could make their exciting announcement & virtually celebrate with family & friends.
CONGRATULATIONS, KYLE & JENNIFER!! And well done, may I add, for that proposal — it was one for the ages.
