Some stories just feel like pure holiday magic, and Randall and Alex gave me one of those this year.

Back in early November, Randall reached out with a mission: he wanted to propose to his girlfriend of six years, Alex, at their favorite Christmas tree farm. For the past couple of years, picking out their tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving had become their tradition. This year, though, Randall wanted that tradition to turn into the beginning of forever.

We met at the farm a few days before to map out our “game plan.” At first, we joked about me pretending to be a random person wandering around with a camera… but the last thing I wanted was for Alex to think I was some weirdo lurking between the trees. So I called in reinforcements: my daughter and her boyfriend. They posed as a cute couple getting their own photos taken while secretly serving as my decoys. The plan? Blend in, stay casual, and for the love of all things Christmas… don’t. blow. our. cover.

Picture this: Alex wandering through rows of evergreens, searching for the tree… me and my decoys following from a “not-too-close” distance… and then losing them for a moment in the maze of trees. I think my blood pressure was running high! Surprise proposals are basically photography’s version of Eminem’s “one shot, one opportunity”— you absolutely cannot miss.

And then—it was go time.

Randall dropped to one knee. A chorus of “awwws” and “oh my gosh!” erupted from nearby families. Someone even said, “Someone should be taking photos!” and I popped out with “I got this!” like the world’s most excited undercover photographer.

Alex’s reaction was so pure. She was glowing with unstoppable joy, followed by tears, laughter, a very enthusiastic “YES!” And at the moment she realized I was actually capturing it all, I could literally see the glow of holiday magic wrapping around them like a warm blanket of more laughter, more hugs and more kisses.

For the next 30 minutes, I documented some of the most genuine, love-soaked moments two people can share after deciding to marry their best friend. Randall and Alex absolutely radiated adoration for each other. The surprise, the setting, the season—it all came together in the most perfect way.

And of course, their sweet pup joined in for post-proposal cuddles, stealing just a tiny bit of the spotlight.

Randall and Alex: thank you for trusting me with such an incredible chapter of your story. I know your holiday season is going to shine extra bright this year. There’s so much to celebrate. Wishing you both forever joy and a lifetime of beautifully unexpected moments.