Miraval Arizona Resort Proposal | Marissa & Shailey

An LGBTQ+ Double Proposal at Miraval Arizona Resort

Today’s blog post is a little throwback to a couple years ago. I had the incredible opportunity to capture a DOUBLE proposal at the beautiful Miraval Arizona Resort and Spa in Tucson, Arizona.

Planning a long-distance surprise proposal

When Marissa reached out to me wanting to plan a surprise proposal for her girlfriend Shailey I was over the moon! Proposals are one of my most favorite moments to photograph. Engagements and weddings of course have a very special place in my heart but there’s something about proposals that just make me so excited and in love with love. Being able to witness the start of a couples journey to a life long commitment is incredible. I’m always honored to be trusted with such a special moment.

Helping plan proposals is also very exciting for me and something that I offer to everyone who books me for this type of photo session. Having been a part of the planning process for quite a few proposals now, I’m a valuable resource to anyone hoping to propose to their person. It can definitely feel overwhelming when thinking about planning a proposal. Marissa had an even more daunting task of planning a long-distance proposal from Texas!

I was honored to help Marissa plan all the details down to the exact times for where they’d need to be at the resort. I also brought a bouquet of flowers and picture frames of their puppies for the little table setup that Marissa planned. She really did an amazing job creating a meaningful and special table for Shailey. With some help from Allison, the resort coordinator, we were able to pull off setting up all the decorations and making sure the area was perfect for when Marissa and Shailey arrived.

How the first proposal went down

Marissa came up with the perfect cover of taking Shailey on an evening walk to the Labyrinth, a serene, stone path located on the edge of the Miraval resort property. I was sitting nearby with my camera hidden under my jacket so I wouldn’t alert Shailey to what would be happening next. Marissa knelt down on one knee in front of Shailey on the top of the ridge with the Santa Catalina Mountains in the background and popped the question! It was such a magical moment and Shailey was truly surprised. She of course said YES! I took photos and let them have their moment before showing them over to the little table setup that Marissa planned. Scroll down to see more photos of how thoughtful this setup was!

How the second proposal went down

After Marissa asked the question, we started making our way around the resort stopping to take pictures at a variety of locations we had selected in advance. Allison, the event planning manager was so incredibly helpful throughout this whole process and drove us around in the golf cart.

We were taking photos at one of the last locations on our list and Shailey said she needed to get a hairbrush. When she came back, we kept taking photos and before I knew what was happening Shailey was also down on one knee! I just kept on taking photos as I realized that a second proposal was happening. How incredible is that? Apparently, Shailey had planned on proposing at some point during the trip as well and Marissa had just beaten her to it. You could just feel the excitement and love in the air as we continued taking photos.

Throughout the entire session, I focused on capturing the raw emotions and genuine interactions between Marissa and Shailey. I wanted to encapsulate their unique love story in a series of photographs that will speak to their hearts for years to come.

The Miraval Arizona resort provided the perfect backdrop for this special occasion. Its timeless charm and picturesque surroundings added an extra layer of enchantment to the already magical moment.

Witnessing such a romantic double proposal reminded me of why I fell in love with photography in the first place. It’s moments like these that make my job incredibly rewarding. Being able to freeze time and capture emotions that transcend words is a true privilege.