TheProposal
The adventure
Saskatchewan?
I kept the destination a secret until the boarding line for Saskatoon. She thought I was joking at first, then was completely devastated once we got on the plane. By the end of the flight, she was already looking up attractions there. It was a big relief when she found out it was only a layover, and that we were actually headed to beautiful British Columbia.
Actually, Not a Picnic
She was absolutely shocked when we pulled up to the heliport. I had spent the whole drive there sweating and worrying about all the things that could still go wrong. By then, Plan A was officially on, the photographer was confirmed, and the weather was perfect.
And then came the moment everything had been building toward...
Now let us rewind a little and share how all of it came together...
The ring reveal is still waiting for you at the very end :D XOXO
The Invitation
Everyone thought that trip was about Newfoundland, the easternmost coast drive in Canada. It wasn't. The day after we got back, a little birdie showed up with an invitation, and that was when the real story began.
The Dress
She thought the dress was sold out and that she had missed her chance. I still wanted to find a way to get it for her. With help from our friends, it traveled from Saigon to Hanoi, then from Hanoi to Toronto, covering more than 14,000 kilometers before it finally made it to her. She had no idea any of this was happening until her birthday, just two days before our trip began.
The Cabin
I booked the cabin almost a year in advance. Deep in the forest, with the creek running nearby, it felt like our own little corner of the world. Every night ended with a fire, either outside under the trees or inside by the wood stove. I also coordinated with the host so that after she said yes, we would come back to a surprise charcuterie board and a bottle of wine waiting for us.
Joffre Lake Passes
Joffre Lake passes were released only two days in advance and disappeared almost instantly. I was overthinking it so much that I even coded a bot to check the BC Parks website for openings. When the time came, my friend and I sat just meters away from her, trying to act normal while frantically refreshing the page. It all worked out, and we got the passes.
Behind the Final Scene
This was Beverley Lake, a glacier lake in Pemberton, British Columbia, 1,136 meters up. Candice acted like a staff member from the helicopter company, but behind the scenes, I had really been in contact with her for almost a year to photograph the moment. Adam, our pilot, was also filming for us. Everything was finally in place to pop the most important question.
A closer look at the ring, shall we?
The Knot
The ring had been in the making for 7 months, and it was only ready one week before we were due to leave for the trip. It all came together just in time.
