A Surprise Proposal in Charlotte and the Twist I Never Saw Coming
I showed up to photograph a proposal.
I left having photographed a full-circle moment I never saw coming.
At the time, I thought I knew what the surprise was. There was a ring. There was a plan. There was even a dog involved (my favorite). What I didn’t know was that I would leave the one most surprised.
Rose Petals, Champagne, and a Very Good Boy
Ethen and I met ahead of time while Katherine’s mom handled the distraction portion of the plan, casually pulling her out for a few “errands.” Meanwhile, Ethen got to work.
A path of rose petals slowly took shape, leading to a heart made entirely of red roses. He made room for a table styled with champagne, Vermont cheeses, caviar. It all screamed, I really love this woman!
While we waited, Ethen and I talked and passed the time petting Fitz, his dog and soon-to-be ring bearer. We clipped the ring to Fitz’s collar, walked through the plan, and tracked Katherine’s location.
When she arrived, I was holding both my camera and Fitz, just waiting for the signal.
Release the Ring Bearer
The signal was not subtle.
Ethen dropped to one knee.
I let Fitz go — and he absolutely launched.
Straight to his parents. Then into full celebration mode. Zooming. Spinning. Running laps like he had just won something (which, honestly, he had).
I genuinely don’t know how Ethen managed to get the ring off Fitz’s collar with how fast and excited he was, but somehow he did. Once Fitz finally slowed down, Ethen asked Katherine to marry him.
She said yes.
And it was perfect. Even with the chaos. Especially with the chaos.
The Plot Twist I Didn’t See Coming
As they walked over to the table to celebrate, something started to feel familiar.
Katherine’s face.
Her voice.
The way she spoke.
Then Ethen mentioned that she was an OB/GYN, and suddenly my brain caught up with my mouth.
“Dr. [redacted]? I think you delivered my baby girl in February.”
She did.
Nine months earlier, this woman had brought my daughter into the world. And now, there I was, photographing one of the biggest moments of her life. The person I thought I was surprising had completely turned the tables on me.
Why This One Will Always Be a Favorite
I photograph a lot of proposals. A lot of milestones. But every once in a while, a story overlaps with your own life in a way you could never plan for.
This was one of those moments.
Getting to document a proposal is always an honor. Getting to do it for someone who already holds such a meaningful place in my own story felt incredibly full-circle — and honestly, pretty emotional.
Congratulations, Ethen and Katherine. Thank you for trusting me with this moment. And Fitz — thank you for reminding us all that perfection is overrated.
