This was probably one of the most exciting photoshoots I have done to this date.
In February Philan discreetly messaged me through snapchat to say that he was needing some help ring shopping! and I got SO EXCITED!!! So since I was working with his future fiance I started asking all the casual questions.... what kind of ring do you think you want...? what was the most special date Philan ever took you on..? would you say yes if he asked you?? THAT kind of thing.. you know? And I took her ring shopping and I took him ring shopping and it was the biggest secret I've ever had to keep.
But I did it.
So Philan (after doing very much research) decided he was going to custom design the ring online and order it all himself. I remember the day he sent me the screenshot saying "Thank you for your purchase" and how he was freaking out that he just bought the ring for his future bride and I was just so excited!!!!
We got together and started to plan the proposal. Philan wanted to use a drone to capture the whole proposal... so he BOUGHT one. And our friend James stepped in to help out with flying the drone. We went out to Brandywine Falls one sunny Saturday afternoon and scoped out the land where Philan would soon propose.
On the Wednesday before Ale was going to get engaged she came up to my desk and was like... I dunno if I should get my nails done again or if I should just get them taken off... and I almost blew my cover when I said "Youuu should PROBABLY get your nails done!" :|
..oh Katie... what were you thinking..
And then Ale was like WHYYYY KATIE!??!?! Do you know something?? And I was like "... no.. (BLUSHING SO BADLY) I was just uhmm.... reading this book on femininity... and ... I'll come with you!! Lets go get our nails done!!" And luckily she didn't suspect a thing at all.
So we went together. Two days before she was getting engaged. And Sarah joined us... so it was totally just a casual girls night... right?!
Thursday comes. Ale is getting engaged tomorrow.... ONE DAY AWAY. When she gets into the office I can tell that something is up... and I catch her walking into the printer room and say "Hey! How are you doing?"... and she was like... I'm ok...
...so I follow her into the printer room...
#SHAMBLES
Waiting for a ring is definitely not an easy task for any girl who dreams so excitedly about being married someday (I would know!!) . So Ale just had no idea what was going on... and I was just like... Its gonna be okay!! (CUZ I KNEW THAT IN 24 HOURS SHE'D HAVE THE RING ON HER HAND) But I refrained from saying too much. Just offered a shoulder to cry on and an encouragement to continue to be patient. And she cheered up and the day went on :)
FRIDAY COMES.
James rented a car so Ale wouldn't notice my car in the parking lot. He picked me up with Philan's sister, Pilita, who had prepared a picnic for the soon to be engaged couple and we were on the road out toward Squamish at 7 AM.
Brandywine Falls
When we arrived we found a good place for the three of us to hide and set up the GoPro and James began to practice with the drone. We thought we had about an hour to prepare for their arrival so we were pretty calm.
Meanwhile Philan is picking up Ale from her place and purposefully being irritating and trying to make sure she has no idea that he was going to propose... haha. I believe he asked her if she wanted to drive because he was "too tired"... stuff like that. But he ended up driving anyways.
James was to attach a note for Ale to the drone and it was to fly to Philan, he would cut the note off and then read it to Ale. We did a practice of this and the drone flew right to me. No problem. So James continued to practice with the drone, I found a place to shoot from and Pilita put on her make up. Then we got a text 3 minutes late from Philan saying "Quantum is down 5%" .. or something nerdy like that which was referring to a stock but actually meant that they were going to BE THERE IN 5 MINUTES..
RUNNNNNN!!!
We scattered. James realized he hadn't attached the real note to the drone and he starts yelling PILITA!!! PILITAA!!! THE NOTE!! and I'm like JAMESSSS SHUT UP!!! ... cuz how many people named Pilita are in the world?? Not many. He blew our cover... he totally blew it...
But I was hiding in a big mossy trench and about 3 daddy long legs spiders just crawled up infront of my face... waiting... waiting...
James flew the drone out early, so when Philan and Ale arrived at the proposal spot there was just this random drone flying around. So Philan is like "Ale!! Look at the drone! Its so cool!" and she went along with it but was thinking ... that is SOOO nerdy! Who bring's a drone our here to fly around the falls? (Your future fiance does, Ale. )
So Philan starts to motion for the drone to come towards him. And Ale is like.. Philannnnn WHATTTT are you doing? and she starts to LEAVE! Haaaaahah
So she goes back.. and Pilita and I are just like... OK JAMES... ITS TIME TO LAND THE DRONE.
But it wasn't getting to Philan....
For about 5 minutes the drone seemed to be hitting an invisible wall and was unable to perform under all the pressure. I thought James was just messing with Philan... and it was not funny in the moment but it definitely is now.
So eventually Philan realized that the drone wasn't going to work and he pulled Ale aside and began to explain to her that there was a note on that drone.. and the note was for her.
He said he would just try to remember what it said and just tell her to her face. He started out with: "You drive me crazy."
He remembered a few other things he had said. And then he said:
"It had to be you"
Ale burst into tears obviously and then he put an amazingly large rose gold halo diamond ring on her finger.
And then he was like... Oh yeah... there are a few people hiding in the bushes...
She sees us and starts crying even MORE! :D
It was pretty much the best ever!
the ring has landed! #shesaidyes
They were so happy. It was an amazing privilege to witness. Then she called her family, we had a picnic and we rejoiced with them on their exciting new journey together. It was a wonderful day indeed.
