Proposal | S+J


Location: University of Alberta Botanic Garden


Man standing alone by a serene garden pond surrounded by lush greenery and tall evergreen trees.
Woman in green dress smiling as man photographs her in a lush outdoor garden setting.
Man proposing on one knee to woman in green dress in a beautiful garden landscape.
Man proposes to woman on one knee in a lush garden setting at dusk.
Couple sharing a romantic moment in golden sunlight filtering through trees in a lush outdoor setting.
Two people sharing an intimate moment in warm golden light, exchanging a ring in a romantic outdoor setting.
A couple shares a romantic kiss outdoors surrounded by lush green trees in warm golden light.
Couple shares a romantic moment, woman showing off engagement ring while almost kissing.
Couple dancing together near a reflective fountain in a sunlit park, woman in green dress and man in black outfit.
Couple embracing and kissing in a sunlit garden with colorful wildflowers and golden hour light filtering through trees.
Elegant pear-shaped diamond engagement ring with pavé band resting on mossy green stone surface.
Couple embracing by a serene pond with a stone bridge, surrounded by lush greenery in golden hour light.
Couple sharing a romantic moment at golden hour, surrounded by glowing sunlight and lush green trees.
A smiling couple poses outdoors at golden hour, man in black shirt with woman in green floral dress embracing him.
Couple sitting on a stone bench surrounded by lush greenery and blooming flowers in a romantic outdoor garden setting.

Interested In Booking?

A Sunset Treasure Hunt Proposal at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden | Edmonton Proposal Photography


Some proposals are sweet. Some are emotional. Some involve a carefully planned, multi-day treasure hunt that ends with your favourite person waiting beside a pond at sunset, down on one knee.


This was very much the third kind. 😭✨


This gorgeous University of Alberta Botanic Garden proposal was the final stop in a multi-day treasure hunt he had planned just for her. Clue by clue, she followed the trail, never quite knowing where it would lead, until it brought her to the garden on a glowing evening with the sun dipping low over the water.


And there he was - Waiting in front of the pond. Ring in hand. Heart presumably doing backflips.


The Most Beautiful Final Clue


The University of Alberta Botanic Garden is already one of those places that feels a little bit enchanted. There are winding paths, lush greenery, flowers doing their best dramatic main-character performance, and so many little pockets that feel private and peaceful.

But at sunset? Beside the pond? With someone you love standing there ready to ask the biggest question of their life?


Okay. Rude. It was stunning.


She arrived at the final clue and found him waiting, then everything else sort of melted away. The nerves, the planning, the anticipation, all of it gave way to this one beautiful, very real moment between the two of them.


And then, of course, she said yes. 💍


Why a Treasure Hunt Proposal Is Such a Good Idea


A surprise proposal does not have to be a huge production to be meaningful, but I absolutely love when couples find a way to make the proposal feel personal.


This treasure hunt was such a beautiful way to tell part of their story and build anticipation throughout the week. Each clue made the final moment feel even more intentional, because it was not just, “Come meet me here.” It was, “I have been thinking about you, planning for you, and creating this whole little adventure for us.”


That is romance with a plotline, and I am here for it.


For anyone planning an Edmonton proposal, a thoughtful idea like this can make the moment feel even more like you. It could be a favourite coffee shop, the place you had your first date, a trail you always walk together, a fake “family photoshoot,” a picnic, a scavenger hunt, or something completely weird and wonderful that only makes sense to the two of you.


The best proposal is not the one that looks exactly like somebody else’s Pinterest board. It is the one that makes your person feel deeply known.


Edmonton Proposal Photography That Lets You Be Present


Planning a proposal can feel a little sneaky, a little stressful, and approximately seventeen percent like you are trying to coordinate a romantic heist.


That is where having an experienced Edmonton proposal photographer comes in.


My job is to help you make a plan that actually works, whether that means finding the best light, helping you choose a location, figuring out where I can hide without looking suspicious, coordinating with an inside person, or simply being there afterward to capture the “WE’RE ENGAGED?!” joy explosion.


For this proposal at the University of Alberta Botanic Garden, the sunset and pond gave us the dreamiest backdrop, but the best part was getting to document the real reactions afterward. The laughing, the hugging, the ring admiring, the “wait, this was happening all week?!” realization. Those are the photos that become part of your story forever.


Planning Your Own Edmonton Proposal?


Whether you are planning something beautifully elaborate, quietly intimate, wildly creative, or somewhere in the middle, I would love to help you pull it off.


I photograph surprise proposals throughout Edmonton, St. Albert, Sherwood Park, the River Valley, the University of Alberta Botanic Garden, and beyond. I am also always down for a good plan involving sunsets, secret clues, beautiful locations, and someone getting very happily bamboozled into the best day ever.


Get in touch to start planning your Edmonton proposal photography. I promise to keep the secret. 🤫💍

A dark rectangular shape against a black background appears as a solid silhouette.