Love has truly been in the air this year! The popularity of proposal photo shoots have absolutely skyrocketed this year. I’m delighted, they’re so much fun!
Instead of writing about one specific proposal, I thought it would be fun to show off a whole bunch of proposals I’ve captured this year, with a bunch of new locations.
The Iconic Blarney Castle
First off, we have the iconic and classic location of the Blarney Castle. A perfect location that works time after time and doesn’t just offer the striking backdrop of the castle but also has the massive gardens which are so diverse. There are so many different little gardens on the property, giving endless backdrop options for the couple shoot after the proposal. From beautiful mossy and rocky areas to the Blarney House behind the castle, to the Fern Garden, the Poison Garden, the Belgian Beds, the Dolmen much, much more.
“Jannik was fantastic! I told him I wanted to propose at Blarney Castle, and he pretty much took care of the rest! He sent suggestions of good spots to propose, and detailed maps of how to get to the spot. He arrived 30 minutes earlier than us so he was ready when we needed him. Not to mention the quality of the photos he took were incredible!! I’m very happy I went with Save The Journey for my proposal photos, 5/5 stars for sure!!”
Coastal Vibes
The new theme this year has definitely been coastal/beach. I’ve had a lot of requests for cliffs, beaches and the ocean. And I was happy to oblige.
Ben and Valeri were such an adorable couple, I was able to photograph their special moment with the Ballycotton lighthouse in the background as the sun was fading.
“Jan was absolutely incredible! I can’t recommend him enough. I hired him to capture our surprise engagement proposal, and he absolutely nailed it. Photos were amazing.”
This Proposal Was on Fire
Then there was the surprisingly action packed proposal of Ehab and Megan. Their proposal happened during the hottest and driest time of the year. Shortly after the gorgeous proposal overlooking the Kinsale Bay had taken place, a fire broke out on the field we were shooting on. Started by a couple using a disposal tinfoil BBQ, the dry grass had caught fire and was spreading quickly. I ran over and stomped out the suddenly sizeable fire, with the help of strangers who helped out, as well as Ehab himself. The fire brigade was later there to drench the burnt area with water, making sure it wouldn’t reignite.
Their proposal was absolutely beautiful to capture, with Megan visibly over the moon! And I was really happy with the chosen location, really showing off Cork’s beautiful landscape.
“Jan did an excellent job communicating, taking + editing the photos, and was extremely personable. If I wasn’t just visiting I’d definitely come back for more photos down the road. Thanks!”
Picnic at the Beach
Ciarán and Marlena also had the Ballycotton lighthouse in the background but Ciarán chose a more beachy location. He was a gent and had organized a picnic, and after a couple of gulps of wine, he had the courage to ask the big question. I especially enjoyed the couple shoot we did after sunset. It was such amazingly soft lighting that made the photos look even more magical.
Wishing for BJJ Lessons
Alberto was a real romantic as well. Having previously been at the Blarney Castle before, back in his single days. He walked down the wishing steps, wishing to find someone to spend the rest of his life with. This year he was able to return to the wishing steps with his long term girlfriend who he met at Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes, and asked her to marry him. What a beautiful story coming full circle!
“Jan was amazing to work with. He helped me plan for an engagement at Blarney Castle. He suggested the optimal time of day for lighting as well as location for the best shots. Coming from the states I was a bit intimidated with planning an overseas incognito engagement photoshoot but Jan talked me through everything and we successfully pulled it off. 10/10 would recommend!”
From Down Under to the Emerald Isle
Liam and Lisa’s proposal was especially scenic I thought. The two Australians were touring Ireland and Liam thought it would be the perfect time to propose. We did the shoot by Charles Fort in Kinsale and it’s quickly become one of my favourite new spots. With just a small couple shoot afterwards, we got some lovely candid and intimate shots.
Surpriiiiise!
Family Shoot Turned Proposal
A big ruse to make the surprise even bigger!
Another proposal that really stood out to me and was unique, in the sense that I’d never photographed a situation like this before, were Ettiene and Kyra. They were visiting their Ireland with their family and pretended to book me for a family shoot. Little did Kyra know that it was actually all a big ruse to surprise her with the proposal. We started the shoot with some family photos, and before we knew it, Ettiene was down on one knee and poor Kyra was in tears. Happy tears of course! And so were the parents. It was such a heart jerker to capture. Beautiful!
“Such a great experience. Jan is an amazing photographer but also an amazing person. Added so much beauty to our special engagement.”
“Jan We had an amazing photoshoot with you. Such a great and kind person. The photos came out even better than what we could’ve imagined. Thank you so much for capturing our amazing day in pictures that we can keep for forever.”
Another Surprise!
Along similar lines, Phil and Susan didn’t have anyone at the proposal itself but to Susan’s surprise, all their friends were waiting for them, ready to mob them with hugs and prosecco after she said yes. Poor Susan needed some recovery time after that one, being positively overwhelmed! Phil had chosen the UCC campus as that was where they had met.
Marriage Stone
I think this was the longest I ever drove for a photo shoot within County Cork, not the furthest but the longest. But it was definitely worth the drive. This proposal took place at Kilcrohane, near Sheep’s Head, where you’ll find the Caherurlagh Marriage Stone, a location that was very symbolic for the planned proposal but also a favourite hiking spot of Emily and Evan. The scenery was absolutely striking and gorgeous. I couldn’t have asked for more, plus it was fun to incorporate the marriage stone into the couple shoot.
If that still isn’t enough proposal content, here are three more standalone blog posts:
And if you would like to book me for your proposal, get in touch with me here to find out about pricing, packages and availability. Do let me know if you have any specific spot in mind or if you would like to got to one of the above locations.