When Trey reached out to me about proposing to Allie at Taft Point I was immediately on board. He told me about the two of them, how much Yosemite meant to Allie, and how they were visiting for her birthday weekend. We went back and forth on ideas before Trey landed on the plan.
Trey and I met up in morning so I could pick up some clothes they’d change into later in the day. Trey and Allie would be be coming with a group of friends, but when they got to the trailhead and parked Trey would side track Allie. I was leaving my van open and inside were the clothes to change into. Allie had to be sure something was up but it was her birthday weekend and Trey is the type of boyfriend to go above and beyond, so it was possibly not too out of the norm.
Little did Allie know, I was hiding down the trail and her friends were running ahead to set up stations Trey organized with notes, art, and even her best friend surprising her! They took off down the trail to Taft Point together, but Trey left her with a note before the first station. I did my best to shoot behind trees and hide (this isn’t my first sneaky proposal) but got in for some shots. Allie seemed pretty shocked and was crying tears of joy with her friends so I’m not sure she saw me much anyways.
There were five stations before Allie walked out to meet Trey on the edge of the cliff looking over Yosemite Valley. There, Trey had another note and read to her a bit before they took a little walk. He paused and they soaked in the scene around them before he got down on one knee and pulled out the ring. Allie immediately started to raise her arms in the air and cheer. She pulled Trey in, obviously overjoyed to say yes. I set my second camera on the ground to film the proposal while I moved around and shot. I really like being able to do this for the couples as they often are so filled with adrenaline they forget that actual moment, so giving that to them is special to me.
Allie’s energy was overflowing, her joy obvious, and Trey was so happy he’d done all he could to give her a proposal worth remembering. It was obvious these two are meant for each other, their love matching up perfectly, Trey’s calm approach complementing Allie’s joy, but that same joy giving Trey the biggest smile. They somehow managed to have the most excited but also business as usual proposal - like, of course they’re getting married, and its the best, but duh this was going to happen. Their love is just so obvious and rich when you meet them.
Their friends were exactly what you’d expect from this love rich couple. They were so excited and pumped for their friends. When Allie walked back with a ring on it was like the whole world erupted with joy. They had champaign and hugs and teary eyes. Other hikers cheered as Allie’s best friends basically threw a small party for the newly engaged couple. Trey seemed to be floating. Gone was the excited energy, the planning, the nerves. He was done and just got to soak in the happiness of the moment.
We went back to the cliff’s edge near where Trey proposed for a few more pictures. The light turned a vibrant orange, illuminating the iconic views below. We stayed away from the crowds to have a more intimate time but it was still so perfect.
On the hike back I snagged a couple fun shots of Trey and Allie with their headlamps on. They were tired and exhausted, but the hike back was a great time to decompress with friends and enjoy the stars. We all drove back to their airbnb in Oakhurst for some dinner and wine. They had a big table with all their friends sitting around and were so welcoming to Ayla and I. Everyone went to bed while I stayed up to edit some sneak peaks.
I love proposals because of the couples excitement, the amount of secretive planning, and just being part of such a cool night. The emotion is raw and fast. Capturing that electric feel, that once in a lifetime moment, it’s just one of my favorite things. Allie and Trey were perfectly electric out there in Yosemite. I am just so thankful Trey sent me that first email and I got to be part of it.
