Tate & Kiana’s Surprise Proposal in Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Tate and Kiana’s proposal was one of those shoots where I was asking myself "How do I get to do this?!" It was beyond amazing!
They had traveled up to Oshkosh, Wisconsin with Kiana’s family for their regular family vacation and to go to the air show. Kiana thought that was all the trip was going to be about, but Tate had something much bigger planned.
He was going to propose.
The best part was that Kiana didn't have a clue. Her family knew, I knew, and Tate had been planning everything behind the scenes. She also had no idea that I had traveled all the way from Wichita, Kansas to photograph it.
The Proposal at Lake Winnebago
Before Kiana arrived, I helped Tate set everything up along the shore of Lake Winnebago.
He brought flowers, candles, white flower petals, and a few personal details to make the setup feel special. One of my favorite parts was the custom “Engagement Times” newspaper with some photos of the two of them and the date of the proposal.
Once everything was ready, we just had to wait.
Once Kiana and her family made it to the location, Tate brought Kiana down toward the water. She saw the setup and just couldn't believe it was actually happening. She was shocked.
Then Tate got down on one knee.
And she said yes!
It was such a fun moment to photograph because everything was real. Her reaction, the surprise, the excitement, and all the little moments right after.
After the proposal, they celebrated with their family at an engagement party. What started as a normal family vacation turned into a weekend they will never forget.
Engagement Photos at Kohler-Andrae State Park
The next day, we headed toward Sheboygan, Wisconsin for their engagement session at Kohler-Andrae State Park along Lake Michigan.
It was such a good location for photos and gave us something completely different from the proposal the day before.
Tate and Kiana wore simple white tops and jeans, which looked perfect with the beach and the water. We spent the session walking along the shoreline, running through the sand, getting in the water, and just having fun.
At one point, there were seagulls everywhere, and they ended up making some of my favorite photos from the session.
They also found shells along the beach and made a small heart in the sand around Kiana’s ring. It was such a simple little detail, but I loved how the photos turned out.
For most of the session, I wanted everything to feel natural. I gave them direction when they needed it, but I also let them interact, laugh, walk around, and enjoy being together. It was like they were on a date at the beach (but I was there taking photos so they could remember each moment).
From Wichita to Wisconsin
Traveling from Wichita to Wisconsin to photograph Tate and Kiana’s proposal was completely worth it.
In just two days, we went from secretly setting up a proposal along Lake Winnebago to taking engagement photos barefoot on the beach at Lake Michigan.
It was so much fun getting to capture both parts of their weekend and document such an exciting time in their lives.
Tate and Kiana, congratulations again! I’m so glad I got to be there and capture it all for you!
Andrew
Andrew Cook Photography
Planning a Proposal or Engagement?
Andrew Cook Photography is based in Wichita, Kansas and available for proposals, engagements, weddings, and destination photography worldwide.
If you are planning something close to home or somewhere completely different, I would love to help you capture it!
