These two made my heart sink into my chest so hard. I was all smiles when capturing this beautiful Garfield Conservatory proposal. Taylor had already proposed to Michelle when Michelle came up with the idea to do her own proposal. She decided the Garfield Park Conservatory would be the perfect backdrop. Accompanied by her own custom made donut bouquet, yes, I repeat, donut bouquet, Michelle planned her little surprise for Taylor with me right under her nose.

In their own words…

”This is probably longer than you need, feel free to edit any and all of it!, but I proposed at sunrise, at a (gay couple owned & operated!) bed and breakfast on top of a mountain in El Yunque National Rainforest in Puerto Rico. As the sun was coming up, I played one of our favorite songs and asked Michelle to dance. We talked about new beginnings, reminisced about how when we first met we played a “question game” and then I told her that today I only had one question – would she marry me? I had scoped out that location for a few months online, and knew that with Michelle’s love of travel and photography, it was the perfect spot. Plus I couldn’t imagine proposing to my California girl in the Chicago winter.”

I don’t know if she told you, but Michelle actually proposed to me later that night – because she wanted us both to go back to Chicago with rings! She came up with a bunch of plans last-minute, and when they were all foiled by circumstance, she got down on one knee at a parking garage half a block from our hotel.

I wasn’t really expecting another extravagant proposal, but I knew that she had had some ideas to propose in Chicago so I knew it wasn’t off the table.

When I saw Michelle standing in the Fern Room, my favorite place in Chicago, with our family and flowers and donuts and poetry, I was overwhelmed. During and after the proposal, I felt so loved and seen by the extravagance, by her attention to detail, and by her way of going above and beyond to speak my languages. (I’m not used to extravagance, and it all felt a little silly until she pulled out the poetry, (her own and Mary Oliver’s and then it felt very real and very intimate). We were already engaged, we’d already told our friends and family, and she still went out of her way to coordinate something special and magical and just exactly ours. I felt deeply loved and cared for, and just so excited and happy to have such a phenomenal partner to share this life with. I love her energy and enthusiasm and attention to detail , and the way she pulled off a bunch of big ideas all at once! Life with her is always the best adventure – that’s what I was thinking right after the proposal. That, and how lucky we are to have found each other across 2,164 miles.”

And there it goes, my heart, imploding from my chest. I’m so, so excited to see them tie the knot together. If their wedding is even half as intimate as this proposal, I’ll be sure to feel my heart escaping my chest once more. Enjoy these lovely images everyone.

-Ez