Favorite Arizona Proposal Photo moments in Sedona, Tempe, Phoenix, Mesa and The Grand Canyon
Get inspired with real Arizona proposals!
Real Clients, Real Moments
by David Orr Photography
You and your sweetheart have been together for a little while now, and everything just fits so well! In fact, you can’t imagine life without them, and you’re ready to take the next big step in your relationship, the proposal.
But a million questions flood your mind as you try to bring the perfect plan together!
How far are you willing to journey to ask for their hand in marriage? Maybe you’ll fly across the country; drive 28 hours non-stop; or hike 2 hours under the 90-degree desert sun.
What special place will you take them to?
Maybe it will be a familiar rock next to a rushing creek where you picnicked together 3 years earlier; or a 1,000-foot cliff above a winding river; or a private Spanish courtyard surrounded by palm trees and a gently splashing fountain.
How will you ask?
Perhaps you’ll deliver a love note in the form of a handwritten scroll. Maybe you’ll dance under the shade of a tree to your favorite song playing over your cellphone. Maybe you’ll crack open a special bottle of champagne you’ve been saving.
And once she says yes, how will you celebrate?
Maybe her family will be secretly waiting to congratulate you both at the trailhead; perhaps you’ll camp together under the stars within a beautiful national park; or you’ll share a candlelit dinner overlooking the lights of a new city.
If these scenarios sound like fairytales, they’re not! These are just some of the many special details of proposals that we have witnessed and photographed!
Below are quick stories of our recent favorite Arizona proposals.
So, read on for some inspiration.
Get tips as you plan your own proposal!
A Surprise Sedona Vacation and Proposal:
Neil & Shariwa
Neil secretly flew into Arizona the night before, traveled to Sedona in the morning, and hiked down to Oak Creek, to the very same spot where Shariwa had taken him on a date three years ago.
A half hour later, Shariwa hiked down her favorite Sedona trail with her sister. Her sister presented her with a handwritten scroll from Neil, and told her to continue to the bottom of the trail on her own. Shariwa was absolutely floored when she arrived to see Neil waiting for her at their spot, dressed up in a white linen shirt, ready to ask for her hand in marriage.
Happy moments of the day:
The ring Neil chose for Shariwa featured a gorgeous teal blue Montana sapphire.
Neil had his parents, brother, sister-in-law, and Shariwa’s parents waiting at the end of the hike to meet them. Neil presented Shariwa with a bouquet of roses, and each family member in turn presented Shariwa with a rose to welcome her to the family.
Heavy monsoon rain the night before transformed Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon with foggy mountaintops and ephemeral waterfalls above a gushing creek.
A Tempe Town Lake Proposal:
Esther & Jack
Jack and Esther came to Phoenix to visit family over the 4th of July weekend, and decided to take in some of the fun sights around town during their free time.
Their first stop was Tempe Town Lake, where Jack walked with Esther along the south shore to the Elmore Pedestrian Bridge, a beautiful 4-span suspension bridge that links the north and south sides of the lake. Once they got out under the white sweeping arches and over the blue waters, Jack took to one knee and proposed.
Looking cool on a hot day:
Esther’s sister had just moved to Arizona, so a trip to visit her was the perfect cover story for Jack to plan his proposal around.
After the proposal on the bridge, we headed to the shade of the adjacent Tempe Center for the Arts “Mare Undarum” (sea of waves) reflecting pool. The negative edge pool combined with a wall of water-reflecting mirrors and large glass panels provided a playful setting for us to create some reflective mirror-image portraits.
It was a hot, 105-degree July afternoon in Phoenix plus humidity, but you wouldn’t know it looking at the happiness on Jack and Esther’s faces.
A Sedona BnB Proposal Story:
Max & Lauren
Normally rain would seem like a bad thing for an outdoor proposal. But Max and Lauren embraced it, walking barefoot and holding each other close under the soft drizzle!
This monsoon storm was also the first significant rain Sedona had received in over a year and a half, bringing life back to the desert on the day of their proposal!
Adventures of the day:
Max booked a vacation rental with a dramatic view of Cathedral Rock for their Sedona stay. When the national forest and all hiking trails were suddenly closed due to wildfire danger just a day before, the vacation rental’s backyard ended up being the perfect backup plan!
Max and Lauren loved hiking around barefoot for some of the photos--in spite of plentiful rocks, cactus, and all sorts of other prickly desert things.
Max and Lauren celebrated with a special bottle of champagne that they bought on a winery visit earlier that day.
We found the perfect agave to show off Lauren’s stunning engagement ring, a quintet of emerald and trillion cut diamonds set in a gold band.
A Vacation Proposal in Sedona:
Austin & Carly
A great proposal takes a lot of planning, from the initial web searches and calls, to reading trail reviews; scouring maps; booking air, car, hotel, and dinner reservations; packing date-night clothes; stashing an engagement ring in your carryon, etc.
For Austin’s proposal, after our initial phone call and emails, we exchanged over 59 texts to get everything lined up. That’s a ton of texts to hide from your partner to avoid spoiling the surprise! Even after all of our careful planning, a lot needed to happen for the proposal to go smoothly. Most importantly, Austin and Carly had to hike 2.5 miles and find this exact rock where the proposal would happen. Our planning paid off, and Austin and Carly had this special spot all to themselves, and I was there to capture the proposal without Carly even knowing!
High points of the day:
The Sedona desert was in full bloom, with delicate yellow prickly pear cactus flowers at every turn on the trail.
Carly’s fingernails were on point, looking perfect for the ring close-up photos. (Pro tip: find a way to encourage your significant other to have their nails done prior to the proposal without being too obvious; it works best if the suggestion comes from a best friend or family member.)
The Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness boasts over 48,000 acres of red sandstone canyons, pinnacles, arches, and windows, accessible via over 18 trails. It felt like we were all alone for this romantic moment in time!
A Sunny Bartlett Lake Proposal:
Ryan & Sahithi
Sahithi and Ryan went out for what seemed like a casual hike along the desert shore of Bartlett Lake.
Having come from Chicago, they were expecting a soft sandy shore, but instead were confronted with a rough, rocky walk in their loafers. But they persisted and were rewarded with stunning views of the desert lake in all directions.
Memories made that day:
Sahithi has a strong fear of deep water, so walking out onto a peninsula surrounded by deep water was a huge challenge for her. But she faced her fear head on and hiked to the water’s edge, where what seemed like a regular hike turned into a marriage proposal from the love of her life.
Ryan timed his marriage proposal to coincide with Sahithi’s birthday weekend, making it a birthday that she’ll never forget!
A Royal Palms Resort Proposal:
Liz & Junior
We worked with Junior for several months to find the perfect proposal venue that was both classy and private, and he decided on the historic Royal Palms Resort, with its lush gardens, exceptional views of Camelback Mountain, and unique Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.
Surprises of the day:
Junior proposed on the Vernadero Lawn, framed by palm trees and a fountain leading to a special view of Camelback Mountain.
Our private booking with the Royal Palms meant we had photo access to all of the outdoor venues normally reserved for weddings, including Alegria Garden and Camelback Vista.
Junior arranged for Liz’s family to fly in to Arizona as a surprise. Following the proposal, he and Liz met up with her family at Papago Park for a surprise tearful reunion.
A Scenic Sedona Hike Proposal:
Caitrin & Jared
Jared and Caitrin visited Arizona in the spring for a week-long vacation, with plans to take in some of the most scenic outdoor spots, so of course Sedona had to be on the list.
When Jared shared his Sedona hiking itinerary with me, he already had many of the most popular spots covered. So I suggested a lesser known but stunningly beautiful hike for the proposal, where I knew they could have the moment all to themselves.
Features of the day:
It’s hard to believe, but you truly can find trails in Sedona like this one with spectacular views, and no hikers passing by for over an hour! Jared and Caitrin had already hiked several of the most popular Sedona trails, and were surprised and impressed by the beauty and privacy of this trail.
Jared and Caitrin made quick work of the rugged trail, giving us more time to try out beautiful backgrounds.
Caitrin’s engagement ring features a massive oval-cut diamond, one of the prettiest we’ve seen.
A Superstitions Mountain Proposal Hike:
Stephen & Cassandra
The location that Stephen chose for his proposal to Cassandra is one of our all-time favorite hikes in the Sonoran Desert, a journey through lush desert and fantastic rock formations up to a stunning view of Weaver’s Needle, a 1,000-foot tall volcanic spire and the alleged location of the mythical Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine.
Stunning views of the day:
Being ever the romantic, Stephen played some music from his cellphone and asked Cassandra for a dance before getting down on one knee to propose.
The spot where Stephen proposed is marked by a special lone pine tree that has survived the desert elements and multiple wildfires unscathed.
The ring Stephen presented Cassandra is a real stunner; a brilliant round-cut diamond with a diamond-pave band.
A Winter Grand Canyon Proposal:
Paolo & Sunshine
How do you top a visit to one of the seven natural wonders of the world? By visiting just after a snow storm, of course!
A fresh dusting of snow on the south rim of the Grand Canyon transformed an already special place into a magical wonderland for Paolo and Sunshine’s surprise proposal!
Happy campers that day:
The canyon viewpoint we chose was off the beaten path, with a short hike from an unmarked parking area, so Paolo and Sunshine had this spot virtually to themselves for a more intimate experience.
This was Paolo and Sunshine’s first time camping. We can’t think of a better place on planet Earth for your first camping trip!
The temperature hovered just below freezing during the entire proposal session, so Paolo and Sunshine got to snuggle extra close to keep warm!
Sunshine’s sparkling emerald cut diamond engagement ring looked amazing against the white snow.
A Sedona Proposal Before Sunset:
Lonnie & Ashley
When Lonnie contacted us about his proposal, he was looking for a beautiful Sedona location to take in the views.
And he was on a tight schedule, with plans to drive up from Tucson in the afternoon, leaving just an hour for a sunset proposal before a special dinner reservation. So, our challenge was to find a location that was easy to drive to, required minimal hiking, and still had those classic Sedona red rock vistas. We found the perfect trail to fit the bill!
Favorites of the day:
Lonnie and Ashley first met in the military, and continue to serve in the Air National Guard and Army.
We love Lonnie and Ashley’s country-casual style, complete with blue jeans, plaid, cowboy boots, and heels. (Pro tip: Although those heels didn’t slow Ashley down at all while we hiked up and down slick rock and loose dirt, it is always a good idea to bring some hiking or tennis shoes with socks for hiking to beautiful vistas. Shoes can always be switched out for the photos!)
The location we chose offered 360-degree views of many of Sedona’s most iconic landmarks including Bell Rock, Courthouse Butte, and Cathedral Rock. There’s gorgeous scenery in every direction.
A Sedona Proposal at Golden Hour:
Clay & Stephanie
Clay and Stephanie traveled from snowy Chicago in December to visit family in warm and sunny Tucson, Arizona. They decided to take a day trip up to beautiful Sedona for a hiking excursion.
Highlights of the day:
Clay and Stephanie were so naturally comfortable and cuddly together that we hardly had to provide any posing direction for their portraits after the proposal!
We had beautiful golden hour light for our portraits because we carefully planned the proposal timing with the sunset, and nearby mountains, in mind.
This hike in Sedona is one of our favorites because it offers spectacular panoramic views without the huge crowds of more popular Sedona locations, making it a great spot for a private proposal.
A Horseshoe Bend Proposal:
LaJonté & Anthony
Anthony had not been to Arizona before, but he had seen Horseshoe Bend on social media, and was excited about sharing the jaw-dropping beauty of this location with his soon-to-be fiancée. Since he chose to propose on a November weekday, Anthony had his pick of the best viewpoints of the canyon.
Epic scenery of the day:
Anthony and LaJonté drove a staggering 28 hours from Columbus, Ohio, with just one stop, to get to Horseshoe Bend.
Anthony proposed to LaJonté on the first day of a 10-day roadtrip through various national parks in the southwest.
The 1,000-foot sandstone cliffs of Horseshoe Bend were carved over millions of years by the Colorado River, the same river that sculpted the better known Grand Canyon just downstream.
Pro tip: Visit outside of peak season. In the summer during peak season, you can easily expect several hundred visitors at Horseshoe Bend, with a line of cars waiting to enter the parking lot. When the lot gets full, visitors have to park at another location farther down the road and then ride a shuttle bus in.
We hope you found these proposal stories inspiring and uplifting! And just remember, there is one key to a successful proposal…
Great planning, together!
When you hire us to document your proposal, we’ll review trails with you, plan hike timing for sunrise or sunset, and constantly check the weather. We’ll help you find parking, and come up with a back-up plan in case the lot is full. We’ll recommend alternate trails if your preferred one is closed on the day of the proposal. We’ll help locate the best spot to stand for beautiful lighting and the most impressive backdrop for this once-in-a-lifetime moment. And we’ll be in constant communication through texts and photos, so we can recognize and find each other out on the trail, plus much, much more!
What we’re trying to say is, we’re ready to help you plan and capture your epic proposal with gorgeous photos in an awesome Arizona setting.
Let’s get to it.
Let’s plan your outdoor proposal adventure together!
Just fill out our short form, and we’ll get back to you, pronto!
To learn more about our proposal photography:
Thanks for reading!
- Amanda and David Orr
