It was such an honor to witness Brian’s proposal to Amanda this summer on Brockway Mountain in Copper Harbor! We say it every time, but we would totally photograph proposals every day if we could!
Planning the Brockway Mountain Overlook Proposal
About a month before their family trip, Brian’s mom Pam emailed us to see if we were available for this special day. She explained that Brian wanted to make sure this was a surprise, and he asked her to be involved in the planning so his girlfriend didn’t catch on ahead of time. We worked together to coordinate a time to make a three-way call to discuss the details. Brian explained that they had reservations that evening at the Harbor Haus Restaurant. They were planning to drive Brockway Mountain for the view before dinner, where he planned to propose.
After talking everything through, including helping to coordinate an extra surprise for the day (keep reading!) we hung up with promises to send them some pictures when we were up in Copper Harbor the following week. This way Brian knew ahead of time exactly where to stand to get the best view of Lake Superior along with his proposal.
All Amanda knew was that she, Brian, and their son were going to fly up to the Keweenaw for a long weekend. They had rented a cabin along with Brian’s mom and family, and were going to soak up the sun and relax by the lake.
Buuuut – nothing ever goes as planned, right? Brian and Amanda’s connecting flight up north was cancelled due to storms. Fortunately, while Pam and her husband had already left to drive up north, the airport they were stranded at wasn’t far from Pam’s home. With no outbound flight in sight for the next 24 hours, Brian and Amanda got a ride to Pam’s and then drove her spare vehicle from northern Illinois to the Keweenaw! It was a quick change of plans and a long day, but finally it was time for their vacation to start!
Brockway Mountain in Copper Harbor, Michigan
Friday was a breezy but gorgeous, blue sky day. Rob and I were excited to make the drive up to Brockway Mountain and finally meet this family in person! As we ascended to the overlook, we were pleasantly surprised to note the wind had helped to keep the majority of the tourists away. (This had been my once concern that I raised to Pam and Brian when we spoke; Brockway is often super crowded in August, especially on the weekends. There was a good chance we might have to work around crowds, with the potential of having people in the background of some of their pictures.)
Pam was incredibly helpful in orchestrating Brian’s proposal, including sending me pictures from earlier that day so we knew exactly what they were wearing. The whole family arrived at the overlook. They snapped some selfies as a group, and then we heard Pam say, “Okay, now let me get a picture of just the two of you together!” That was our cue! After posing for Pam’s phone, Brian turned to Amanda and started to speak. Before she knew it, he was down on one knee asking her to marry him <3
And – of course – Amanda said yes!!!
Surprise At Brockway Mountain Proposal
After the proposal, it was time for Amanda’s next surprise! Unbeknownst to her, Brian and Pam had arranged for her parents to be present at Brockway Mountain as well. Rob and I picked them up in downtown Copper Harbor so Amanda wouldn’t recognize their car. They hid out in our vehicle until they saw Brian and Amanda arrive. She didn’t have any idea until Brian told her to turn around and look back towards their family.
Engagement Pictures in Copper Harbor
Rob and I love the time when we finally get to come and introduce ourselves and share why we’re there! Our proposal package includes a short engagement session afterwards, guaranteeing at least two same day images to share on social media. This gives couples the chance to get some great portraits (and pictures of her ring), while leaving their phones in the car. We want couples to totally soak in and enjoy their engagement day.
The wind was so strong on top of Brockway Mountain that I found myself raising my voice just to introduce ourselves. We suggested heading down the mountain to a secluded beach nearby for their engagement pictures. The drive also gave Amanda a few minutes to compose herself and touch up her makeup.
As we walked out to the beach, I asked Amanda if she had suspected this happening. She said that although she knew it was coming “eventually” (they already have a son together), Brian had just made a large business purchase so she didn’t expect it so soon. Brian turned to Amanda with a grin and said, “That’s exactly why I did it now – to throw you off. I already had the ring!”
Brian and Amanda – congratulations!!! Every vacation is memorable, but we know this one will always stand out for your families. Rob and I were so happy to be a part of this special moment with you. We wish you all the best as you take this next step together!
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