Styled Shoot Turned Proposal - Chico Wedding Photography - Jeff&Alex

As mentioned in our last blog post, it has been SUCH a fun season of seeing some of our closest friends get engaged. 

Jeff approached us a few months back about wanting us to be "in" on this special surprise, and we could not have been more excited! We started planning and dreaming right away. We all thought up a crazy idea for the proposal. What if we teamed up together with some other amazing wedding vendors in Chico to create a "styled shoot" and at the end Jeff would propose. If you're new to wedding photography, a styled shoot is where a bunch of vendors put their heads together to create awesomeness. It's a way to have fun, collaborate and display their work for all to see. It was the perfect plan to keep everything a secret from Alex, all while totally keeping her in the loop! We played it off by texting Alex asking if her and Jeff would be willing to "model" for our upcoming shoot. She then asked Jeff what he thought and he (knowing it was coming) was little resistant at first to throw her off, but then finally he gave in and agreed to the photo shoot.

Below is beautifully written paragraphs from Jeff for his vision of the proposal and the significance behind everything! From Jeff:

"It all started with a bench. 

A very old, rickety, and weathered bench. 

Upon which Alex and I had many momentous conversations, both good and bad. 

We spent many summer evenings, and a few cold winter nights, sitting on this bench. We first talked about how we truly felt about each other on this bench. We also laughed together in this bench, amidst friends who have now become the reason why we call Chico, CA home. We talked about life together and the countless issues that arose during the unnatural art of learning to love another imperfectly perfect human being. We grew together, we fought together, we loved together, and we cried together. 

All the while wondering if this bench would really hold us up. 

As our attachment to this bench grew, along with our commitment to each other, we began to dream about taking this bench from the house that I lived in, and restoring it to our own purposes, mainly to have in our own home. 

As my ideas of how to ask Alex a certain question grew, so did the realization that this bench would have to be involved. And so, I'm sure it came as a huge disappointment when I told her that the bench had actually been thrown away and taken to the dump. I no longer lived there and therefore had no idea that it had happened. 

I lied. 

I had stolen the bench back and restored it entirely. And as she rounded the corner near the end of our styled photo shoot and marveled at the beauty of a bench bearing a striking resemblance to our old rickety and weathered (and unstable) bench, all the while saying how this is what our bench could have looked like if it wasn't thrown away, it was there that I had her sit down and told her that this was the bench -- our bench. The bench that has been the silent listener to so many conversations that defined our relationship, that grew us closer not only to each other, but to Christ, the bench where, now, we would step into a new season together. The bench where once we wondered if it would hold us up physically, we now realized was holding us up more than just physically, but relationally, emotionally and spiritually, as well. 

I realize now that the bench represents so much more; the everlasting faithfulness of our God to be present with us in any season. 

This bench is our Ebenezer stone. 

Needless to say, it was on the bench that I asked Alexandria to marry me; to spend the rest of her life with me. 

And she said yes!"

Molly Ryan Floral did all the pretty floral arrangements and Carey from the Idea Emporium hand crafted literally everything else you see in these photos, from the custom laser cut wooden signs to the gorgeous skirt Alex is wearing! Brides, if you are in need of a florist or would love to brainstorm ideas and branding for an upcoming wedding or event, we HIGHLY recommend talk to one of these women! They seriously make dreams (including ours) come true!!

Okay, now onto the photos, we're so excited to share! 

And this is is when Jeff got down on one knee while Alex was sitting on their special bench! Our hearts were racing and tears were shed as we captured this special moment from afar for these two great friends!

All and all, amazing experience had by all! Huge thanks again to all the amazing vendors involved. We're honored to have this styled shoot featured today on On The Go Bride, for more details about all the work that Carey & Molly put into it and MORE photos of these two awesome friends, head on over there by clicking below!

-S&C