a sweet surprise, a lot of squirrels, and a sprinkle of rain
What an incredible, intentionally-planned St. Pete proposal. Trance reached out to me a couple of months prior, saying that he wanted to propose to Julia. Not knowing exactly where or when he wanted to do it, we jumped on a call and discussed the details.
Trance's love for Julia is so apparent in the way he talks about her and the intention that went into planning this St. Pete proposal. Trance wasn't just intentional about the location--choosing a beach or park location that was more secluded and intimate, knowing that Julia wouldn't want a big audience--but he was also mindful to include Julia's three year old daughter in the process of choosing and picking up her engagement ring.
The day of their session, the rain was unpredictable ('tis Florida, am I right?). With radars showing 100% rain coverage and the weather app saying a 20% likelihood, we were unsure but took a leap of faith. I got to the park early to keep an eye on the weather, and after saying a prayer for a break in the rain, it ceased at once. Literally at once--a clear cut (thank you, Lord!!).
I quickly walked around to find a hiding place before they arrived. Soon after, I heard them coming down the boardwalk, laughing and chatting. They set up a blanket not too far away, sat down, and talked to one another while looking out at the water... then came the cue.
Trance and I agreed that his "cue" would be the two of them taking self-timer selfie. Once I noticed the cue, I sat ready for the big moment. A handful of minutes later, Trance got down on one knee and asked Julia to marry him! Her joy was obvious, even from afar. And, of course, she said yes. 🤍
Once they had a moment to themselves, I made myself visible and Julia was in disbelief! She kept asking Trance how he did all of it without her knowing, even down to the fact that he had called her workplace and asked them to give her the day off so that she wouldn't be rushed nor stressed to have an evening out after a long work day (again, Trance was SO intentional!).
Not only is Julia's ring beautiful, but so were the moments that we were able to capture together after the official ask. Flowing through the park, from the water views, to the boardwalk, to a patch of flowers and also some funky trees, we took some really sweet engagement images to commemorate such an exciting milestone in their relationship.
To Trace & Julia: thank you thank you thank you for allowing me to witness such a beautiful, sentimental moment between you two. It was truly an honor to capture it all. 🥺 I'm so excited for you two to tie the knot!
Photographer | Tara Zimmerman
Location | Abercrombie Park
