Whether you’re a fellow Yooper or just a weekend traveler, when you’ve found the one you want to spend the rest of your life with, there’s no place better to do it than in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The Upper Peninsula is full of beautiful scenery to help make your surprise proposal extra memorable. We hope this guide on how to propose in the Upper Peninsula makes planning your proposal easy!
We’re so excited to help you plan your surprise proposal in the Upper Peninsula!
We’ve been married for 11 years and recognize it’s a privilege to witness couples start this next step in their relationship.
While Rob’s proposal back in 2011 was special and memorable, it wasn’t captured on camera (or phone). This memory will always live in our minds, but we can’t accurately share it with others. That’s why we love helping you capture your proposal so you can truly relive the experience over and over.
You probably have a lot of questions – where should I propose? What time of day should I propose? Where should I stand to make sure you can see us? Let’s take a few minutes to answer those!
Where should I plan to propose?
We photograph wedding proposals all over the Upper Peninsula! Be sure to contact us if you are traveling to the area so we can help you narrow down the many options available.
A few of the most popular places to propose in the Upper Peninsula include:
- Lake of the Clouds Overlook in the Porcupine Mountains in Ontonagon, Michigan.
- Brockway Mountain in Copper Harbor, Michigan.
- Black Rocks in Marquette, Michigan.
However, don’t feel limited to select a place just because it’s a “popular” proposal location. If there’s a place that’s already special to you, consider bringing your special someone there for your proposal.
What time of day should I propose?
That’s really up to you – and your choice of location. Most Upper Peninsula proposals take place outside in a scenic area. Depending on what part of the state you’re in will play a role in the best time of day – especially if we’re along the shores of Lake Superior. (After all, we’d stand out like a sore thumb if we were standing offshore in the waves! 😉 )
In our experience, the most popular time to propose is late afternoon just before dinner. There’s no better way to celebrate your engagement than going out for a nice meal afterward!
How far out should I start planning my proposal with you?
One of the biggest mistakes we see is people waiting until just a couple of weeks out to try to book their proposal. We want to help make your proposal as low-stress as possible, so plan ahead.
To ensure we have your preferred date available as well as that we have time to go scout out the area as necessary in preparation, we recommend you contact us about your proposal at least a month ahead of time. Keep scrolling to read more about how we help make this process easier for you!
How do I book you for my surprise proposal?
The proposal itself lasts just a few minutes, but the planning and preparation occur weeks in advance!
This is probably (and hopefully!) the first time you’ve ever proposed to someone. That’s why we’re here for you with every step of planning your surprise proposal.
After you reach out, we’ll plan a time for a short phone or video call. Often we schedule these during your lunch break at work. Our call will last approximately 15 minutes as we talk through your planned date and location. We love hearing more about the two of you to make sure we help you craft the perfect customized proposal. If you’re traveling to the area, we can even give you suggestions on how to spend the day ahead of time and restaurant suggestions for after!
Additionally, we’ll talk through where exactly you should stand and how to ensure your partner is in the right position, too. We do this using Google Earth & Google Maps. Additionally, if it’s a new location for us, we can almost always visit ahead of time and send you pictures and videos talking you through the area.
It’s important to decide where you will stand so we can be in position ahead of time. We’ll talk about the sun position, the background you want, and decide where you guys will stand, where we will hide, and even the cue so we know you’re about to get down on one knee. Often Rob and I are able to be out in the open posing as tourists enjoying the view, but we’ve also hidden behind snowbanks and trees in secluded areas to make sure we aren’t detected.
What To Expect On The Day You Propose
We’ll ask for a picture of the two of you together ahead of time. The best way to do this is to take a selfie together that morning before you head out on your day’s adventures. This way we know what you look like AND what you’re wearing that day.
I’ll send you a text at a predetermined time to let you know we are heading to the location. We aim to be in place a minimum of 20 minutes ahead of your arrival to ensure we have time to set up and scout out the current conditions. One time we had to text the partner and let them know the main road was closed so they could plan an alternate route!
Rob and I make sure to get two different vantage points for your proposal. This way even if you end up standing slightly off where we planned, one of us should be able to adjust quickly enough to not miss a moment. (Spoiler alert: you’re going to be nervous, and we expect for things to not go exactly as originally planned.)
Once your proposal is done and the ring is on, we’ll come out of hiding and introduce ourselves. We’ll let your fiancé know the entire proposal was photographed! Additionally, both of our proposal packages include a short engagement session afterward, guaranteeing at least two same-day images to share on social media.
This gives you the chance to get some great portraits (and pictures of her ring), without touching your phones. We want couples to totally soak in and enjoy the adrenaline rush of “just engaged.”
My favorite part of having engagement pictures right after your proposal is watching it sink in – you’re getting married! There’s such a rush and blend of emotions to process resulting in such genuine pictures. I think I relive the emotions just as much as you do going through your images!
A Couple Of Quick Suggestions For Your Surprise Proposal:
- It can be difficult to make sure you’re both dressed up without arousing suspicion. That’s why we recommend planning your proposal around a date night or special occasion! Many of our clients have found it helpful to make reservations at a “really nice” restaurant (like Fitzgerald’s in Eagle River or Harbor Haus in Copper Harbor) ahead of time. Then it’s fun to get dressed up, and maybe even color coordinate 😉
- This can be tricky, but try to plan a time when her nails are done! Have her mom or best friend ask if she wants to go get a manicure before your trip so that she’ll have fresh nails when she says “YES!” Her fingers are about to get a LOT of attention – there’s nothing better than having a fresh manicure for their new ring shots!
- If you’re close to your family, plan to have them celebrate with you! We’ve had parents secretly witness the proposal, and we’ve had other families meet them at the planned dinner after.
Are you ready to talk about your plans to propose? Please fill out this short form and I’ll be in touch!
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