Jay and I got to do something really special yesterday and it was loads of fun! Michael planned an amazing Central Park proposal for his girlfriend Tarah and hired us to capture it. When Tarah woke up yesterday morning in their hometown of Chicago, she was instructed to pack a bag for New York City. Unbeknownst to her, Michael had planned for us to photograph his proposal at the Bow Bridge in Central Park at 6pm that very same day! A couple of weeks before, he emailed us saying that he had picked the Bow Bridge as his spot and we knew that the beautiful bridge with great views of the lake was the perfect spot for a proposal. Michael sent us pictures of them well in advance and again earlier that day so that we could easily pick them out of the 4th of July crowd in Central Park. Jay and I felt like covert CIA operatives, arriving to the spot nice and early to scout the location, scan the crowd, and find our hiding spots. We positioned ourselves on opposite sides of the bridge to cover both perspectives. Here’s their story in pictures as it unfolded.
Isn’t the Bow Bridge just beautiful?
Show time! Below is the first glimpse that Jay got of Michael and Tarah!
There were a lot of people on the bridge but once Michael got down on one knee, the presence of the crowd no longer mattered. It was a magical moment!
So many emotions!
I love the picture below that Jay took. It captures the contrast between their life-changing moment and the everyday lives of other New Yorkers and tourists.
Once Michael and Tarah had a few private moments, we began their engagement session in one of the most beautiful settings in NYC.
After taking pictures at the Bow Bridge, we headed over to Bethesda Terrace and I love how Tarah couldn’t stop admiring her gorgeous new ring! 
The architectural attractions of Bethesda Terrace made for such an amazing backdrop!
No July 4th is complete without hot weather and cold refreshments.
Tarah and Michael, congratulations on your engagement and thank you for a wonderful afternoon in New York City!
