There’s something wildly romantic about a proposal that doesn’t wait for perfect weather. When Ryder reached out about photographing his surprise proposal to Gianna at Wrightsville Beach, we had a plan. I knew where I needed to be, he knew how he was going to get her there, and most importantly: Gianna had absolutely no idea I was involved. But when I say it rained — it rained.
A Rainy Surprise Proposal at Wrightsville Beach
By the time we got to Wrightsville Beach that May evening, the sky was gray, the beach was practically empty, and the rain had fully committed to being part of the plan.
Normally, I’m all for embracing whatever the weather gives us, but this proposal came with an extra challenge: I already knew Gianna.
Which meant I couldn’t exactly casually stand on the beach holding two cameras without immediately giving everything away.
So while Ryder brought her down to the beach, I was doing my best combination of hiding, staying far enough away not to be recognized, and keeping an eye on them so I wouldn't miss the moment.
And somehow, despite the rain and all of the moving pieces, it worked. Ryder got down on one knee, Gianna said yes, and suddenly the pouring rain didn't matter at all.
When the Rain Becomes Part of the Photos
After the proposal, there was no reason to fight the weather anymore — so we leaned all the way into it.
They were already wet. The beach was quiet. The sky had that soft, hazy blue-gray color that only seems to happen on rainy days at the coast. Instead of trying to make their engagement photos look like a sunny beach session, we let them feel exactly like that evening did.
A little messy, a little cinematic, and completely romantic. Gianna and Ryder ran around the beach, held each other, kissed in the rain, and basically forgot that they were getting absolutely soaked.
And those are always some of my favorite photographs — the ones where something that could have ruined the plan ends up becoming part of what makes the story memorable.
Moody Black-and-White Film at the Beach
I also brought 35mm film along, which felt especially right for this session. The overcast sky, rain, movement, wet hair, and empty stretch of beach were practically begging for something a little moodier. I shot some of the evening in black-and-white film, giving us photographs that feel less like traditional engagement photos and more like stills pulled from an old movie.
Film already has that imperfect, nostalgic quality I love, but paired with a rainy Wrightsville Beach evening? Magic. The digital photographs captured the softness and pale coastal colors of the evening, while the black-and-white film gave us an entirely different version of the same story — grainy, intimate, imperfect, and timeless.
Your Proposal Doesn't Need Perfect Weather
One of my favorite things about photographing proposals is that they're real. You can make the plan, pick the location, coordinate the photographer hiding somewhere in the distance, and check the forecast approximately 47 times — but at some point, you just have to let the moment happen.
Gianna and Ryder's Wrightsville Beach proposal is the perfect example. It wasn't sunny. It wasn't perfectly styled. Nobody stayed dry. And I genuinely don't think these photographs would feel the same if they had.
The rain made the beach quieter. It gave everything this soft, hazy atmosphere. And instead of a picture-perfect beach proposal, they got something that actually feels like theirs.
Years from now, they won't just remember that Ryder proposed at Wrightsville Beach. They'll remember getting absolutely soaked afterward, laughing on the beach, and celebrating anyway. And that feels a whole lot more worth remembering.
Planning a surprise proposal?
If you're planning a surprise beach proposal in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina—or somewhere else meaningful to the two of you—I would love to help you plan and document it.
