This proposal at Lethbridge’s Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens Winterlight Festival will have you keeping the Christmas lights up all year long.

Colby contacted me about photographing his proposal to Thea, and I was so stinking excited. It is no secret that I love capturing couples in love, so capturing this surprise to his very soon-to-be fiance, I was very excited.

Colby planned to propose at the Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens Winter Light festival, which was a challenge on its own. It is dark, lit only by 120,000 different coloured Christmas lights, it is a public place, and we are required to wear masks and social distance with Covid. But the location is so special to them, so it made me extra happy to be a part of this.

The other proposals I photographed before were planned sessions, where a proposal just happened to take place (communicated to me beforehand of course.) This was the first time I had to be the paparazzi hiding in the bushes waiting for that exact moment to happen.

Colby and I met at the gardens the week before to plan where the proposal would take place. Because Thea did not know what was going on, or that I was even there, I felt like a little bit of a stalker tracking them with my camera as they came into the gardens. I think I could hear my heart beating in my ears until he got down on one knee.

Once Colby got down on one knee in front of Thea, you could feel her joy. She kept saying “this is the best night of my life” with tears coming down her cheeks. I cried for this couple and I only met Colby for 30 minutes before this happened…Just so freaking happy for these two and their future together. And her ring. All the heart-eyed emojis. Can’t wait to get together with his couple again for their engagement photos, in daylight this time.

Congrats to the newly engaged couple!

xo,
K

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Wedding dates for 2021 and 2022 are available. Email info@katlynjane.com or contact here for more information.