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Journaling the Journey

Surprise Proposal New Orleans

March 12, 2020

Caroline and Austin

The most beautiful rooftop surprise proposal at Hot Tin Bar.

Caroline and Austin’s surprise proposal in New Orleans took place at Hot Tin at The Pontchartrain Hotel just hours before FIVE parade krewes planned to roll down St. Charles Avenue. Originally, the parades were not supposed to start until later that evening but when Muses got rescheduled due to weather….it pushed things up. That didn’t stop us!

Mary (Caroline’s mom) reached out to me a few weeks before the big day to see if I was available to photograph it and when we started discussing the plan they had in mind I knew it was going to be one hell of a party and I was excited to help!

With the help of her daughter Laura, Austin myself and management at Hot Tin, we planned the most epic private proposal with the most beautiful sunlit New Orleans skyline (featuring the iconic Greater New Orleans Bridge at one end, and the Mercedes Benz Superdome on the other) behind them followed by a surprise engagement party with all of their family and friends!

The proposal: Austin and Laura told Caroline that their whole group was going to Hot Tin to pre-game before the Mardi Gras parades for 12:30pm. Laura wasn’t ready in time (pre-planned duh!) so she told Austin and Caroline to go ahead of her and she would meet them there. Once arriving, they walked to the outdoor area to fine two gorgeous flower arrangements and he popped the question! She was in total shock and didn’t even see me until after the excitement settled! Hot Tin provided endless Veuve Clicquot (my personal fav) as they toasted their engagement.

After the proposal, family members immediately started piling in and it was pretty much a double surprise for her. I cried! She was so overwhelmed with joy and couldn’t believe the lengths they went through to plan this all out WITHOUT her knowing. Caroline is an event planner so the fact that they pulled this off without her catching on is the icing on the cake.

How we got her there with no suspicion: we faked an instagram flyer that said Hot Tin (nestled in The Pontchartrain Hotel) on St. Charles Avenue was opening earlier than usual for Mardi Gras festivities. They really were not opening early at all, it was all for their surprise proposal in New Orleans. Her mom rented Hot Tin an hour before actual opening for their private party that she didn’t know about.

After family arrived, her girlfriends walked in and turns out THEY DID NOT KNOW about the proposal either so they were freaking out when they realized what was happening. When I tell you this plan worked perfectly I mean it! So many people weren’t aware of what exactly they were coming to Hot Tin for and there was so much giggling, crying and jumping up and down when they found out it was for their engagement. There was an amazing charcuterie station to pair with the bubbles that was delicious as well.

Amoungst the party goers were two of her family members who were riding in Muses that day and showed up in full costumes to join in the festivities before they had to report to their floats. Heck, I am just super grateful because later that day I caught my FIRST Muses Shoe from them and it was everything I dreamed of and more haha!

Hands down the best surprise proposal in New Orleans and I am so honored to have been a part of it. I feel like part of the family now haha!

If you or anyone you know is interested in having professional photographs from a proposal…hit me up! I am super into it. Speaking of proposals, check out this amazing engagement session where we re-created an entire first date for Lauren and Brittany, it was so amazing it even got picked up by How They Asked!