Is there anything more romantic than a picnic proposal to your sweetheart? When Carsen contacted me at the beginning of August and told me about his plan to propose to his boyfriend Uly with a cozy, over-the-top picnic, I was thrilled. A little rain dampened our original plans, which forced us to reschedule and change locations. But I think the end result was a morning full of blue skies, delicious food, and an abundance of love.

Carsen & Uly’s Love Story

Carsen and Uly are full of life and love for one another. When I first met them, I was instantly struck by their chemistry. You can tell these two share everything and simply adore each other. Uly loves that Carsen is a creative, sexy nerd who “geeks out on things he loves.” Carsen loves how Uly has never lost the ability to find genuine joy in the smallest of things. He say” when it comes to caring about other people, I can only describe Uly’s level of compassion as a true gift.”

The two met on a dating app. As a flight attendant, Uly was constantly travelling and they lived 100 miles apart at the time, so the two had some trouble aligning their schedules to meet in person. They actually chatted everyday for two months before they met face to face. Carsen says, ” I still remember seeing him in person the first time, walking down Cary Street with his luggage rolling behind just as clearly as if it were yesterday.” They’ve now been together for three years. They love travelling together and getting cozy by the firepit with their favorite meal – pizza!

A Picnic Proposal From Carsen’s Point of View

Q: Tell me how you came up with the idea for your proposal.

A: I knew that I wanted us to try a luxury picnic with Ivey Picnics, just didn’t know when we’d do it. The decision to propose came separately, but it was easy enough to put 2 and 2 together and know it would make a perfect proposal.

Q: Did you choose to include any significant details in your proposal? For example, the location, props, family members, etc?

A: One of our early significant dates was a picnic, so this picnic proposal harkened back to that time. Though it wasn’t my first choice of location, I like having the Lucky Strike tower in the background because I feel like I struck luck in finding Uly!

Q: When and why did you decide to hire a photographer to capture your picnic proposal?

A: I’m a very visual person so I knew from the beginning that I wanted a pro to capture this special moment. What I didn’t realize is that I would not only treasure the image of the actual proposal but also the little photoshoot after!

Q: Did any problems arise with your plan?

A: Rain! I watched the forecast in dread as the chance of rain for the planned Saturday proposal went from 30%, to 50%, to 80%, to 100%. Fortunately, all involved were able to bump the whole thing to the next day and the weather was beautiful!

Q: How were you feeling leading up to the big moment?

A: I was pretty nervous. It’s not a question you ask if you aren’t pretty sure you know the answer, but you never are 100% sure.

Q: What’s your favorite part of your proposal story?

A: I’m just thrilled how smoothly it all came together. Everything looked beautiful and we had so much fun.

Q: What are you most looking forward to about being married?

A: I’m not sure how much will change with marriage, but I’ll be happy to be, in a very formal and public way, committed to a person I love so deeply.

A Picnic Proposal from Uly’s Point of View

Q: Any idea he/she was going to propose or was it complete surprise?

A: I had no idea!

Q: What were you thinking and feeling as your fiancé(e) popped the question?

A: Surprised! I never thought that I’d be proposed to. I felt overjoyed but at the same time I’m like “is this really happening?”

Q: How do you feel about having photographer capture your proposal story?

A: It’s awesome. It’s a moment in my life that no one would have been able to capture unless a professional was there, so I’m thrilled Emily was a part of the day.

Q: What’s your favorite part of your proposal story?

A: The heart shaped waffles & Emily’s drone? Just kidding! My favorite part is knowing that the man I love has gone through all the trouble of planning to propose to me. I felt so special and loved!

Q: What are you most looking forward to about being married?

A: Tax breaks? Nah, more traveling and more adventures together!

A Cozy Picnic for Two

After Carsen and Uly’s proposal, they celebrated with a luxurious picnic curated by Ivey Picnics, complete with candles, rose petals, music, and heart shaped waffles!

Are you planning a proposal and searching for a photographer to capture this once in a lifetime moment? Contact EmmiClaire Photography! Let’s chat about how I can help memorialize your proposal in authentic, unforgettable images that you’ll cherish for a lifetime!