Reynolda Gardens Proposal | A Surprise Waterfall Proposal

If you’re looking for a beautiful place to propose near Wake Forest University, it’s hard to beat the waterfall at Reynolda Gardens. Tucked into the historic gardens just beside campus, it feels surprisingly secluded for a location right in Winston-Salem.

For Grayson and Ashley’s proposal, though, the location was only part of the surprise.

Grayson had come up with the perfect reason to get Ashley dressed up and to Reynolda without making her suspicious: one of her friends invited her to do a photo shoot at the gardens.

Ashley thought she was simply showing up for photos with a friend.

Meanwhile, Grayson was waiting for her at the waterfall.

A Surprise Reynolda Gardens Waterfall Proposal

Ashley followed her friend through Reynolda Gardens and down toward the waterfall, where Grayson was waiting beside the water.

And then she saw him.

He got down on one knee in front of the waterfall, and her reaction was everything you hope for when planning a surprise proposal: complete surprise, happy tears, and that split second of realizing exactly what was happening.

But Grayson had one more surprise waiting.

Both of their moms were hiding nearby in the bushes.

After Ashley said yes, they came out to celebrate with them. It turned an already emotional moment into something even more meaningful, especially because their families were able to witness it without giving away the surprise beforehand.

That’s one of my favorite things about photographing proposals. The proposal itself may last only a minute or two, but there are so many little moments surrounding it: the anticipation beforehand, the realization, the hugs afterward, showing everyone the ring, and finally having a chance to take in what just happened.

Engagement Photos in Reynolda Gardens

After the proposal and celebration with their moms, we headed into the formal gardens for engagement portraits.

This is one of the reasons I love Reynolda Gardens for proposals. You aren’t limited to a single backdrop.

The waterfall gives you something natural, dramatic, and unexpected for the proposal itself, and then the formal gardens offer an entirely different look for portraits afterward. There are architectural elements, flowers, greenery, pathways and quiet corners throughout the gardens, so we can create a lot of variety without driving anywhere else.

It essentially turns the proposal into a proposal and a mini engagement session.

Is Reynolda Gardens a Good Place to Propose Near Wake Forest University?

Absolutely.

Reynolda Gardens is especially worth considering if Wake Forest University is meaningful to the two of you. Maybe you met at Wake Forest, went to school there together, are visiting Winston-Salem for the weekend, or simply want a beautiful proposal location close to campus.

Reynolda Gardens of Wake Forest University sits adjacent to Wake Forest’s Reynolda Campus, making it an easy option for someone searching for a romantic place to propose near Wake Forest.

And while the formal gardens are probably the best-known part of Reynolda, the waterfall has a completely different feel. It feels tucked away beneath the trees, with the stone bridge and falling water creating a backdrop that doesn’t look like somewhere you’d expect to find in the middle of Winston-Salem.

When Is the Best Time for a Reynolda Gardens Proposal?

I recommend a weekday morning or evening whenever possible.

Reynolda is a popular place, and a proposal is one occasion when fewer people in the background can make a huge difference.

Morning gives us some of the prettiest light at the waterfall and throughout the gardens. Later in the day, bright sun can create harsher patches of light and shadow. In the morning, we have a better chance of softer, more flattering light and a quieter experience.

That matters even more for a surprise proposal because we can’t simply move you three feet to the left or wait ten minutes for better light once you’re down on one knee.

The moment happens once.

That’s why I help you work backward from the photographs you want and choose the timing accordingly.

Do You Need a Photography Permit at Reynolda Gardens?

Professional photography at Reynolda Gardens needs to be scheduled in advance, and photography fees apply.

If you’re working with me, this is something I can help take care of for you.

You already have enough to think about when you’re trying to secretly buy a ring, get your partner to the right place at the right time, remember what you wanted to say, and somehow act completely normal.

You don’t need to add “figure out the photography rules at Reynolda” to the list.

Planning a Surprise Proposal at Reynolda Gardens

The best proposal plans usually aren’t the most complicated ones. They’re the ones where all the little details have been thought through ahead of time.

That’s where I come in.

I photograph the proposal, of course, but I can also help you figure out how the whole thing is actually going to happen.

We can bounce ideas back and forth. I’ll help you choose the exact location and time based on the light, privacy and photographs. We can figure out how to get your partner there without making them suspicious, where I’ll be hiding, which direction you should face, and what happens after they say yes.

If you’re stuck on what you’re actually going to say when the moment comes, I can help with that too.

You don’t need a perfectly memorized speech. In fact, I usually think it’s better when you don’t have one. But having a few meaningful things you know you want to say can keep your brain from completely disappearing the second you reach for the ring.

And if you want to make the experience bigger, we can do that too.

Depending on the proposal you envision, I can help coordinate planning, photography and video, or add something special afterward like a styled picnic where the two of you can sit down, celebrate and soak everything in.

You can also turn the photographs into a beautiful printed book or album rather than letting one of the biggest moments of your lives disappear into a camera roll.

Someday, you may be sitting on a couch with your kids flipping through that book and showing them exactly what happened the day your family really began.

That’s the kind of thing worth preserving.

What If I Want a Different Kind of Proposal?

Reynolda Gardens is beautiful, but your proposal doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.

If you’re deciding between gardens, mountains, waterfalls or something completely different, start with my guide to the best places to propose in Winston-Salem. It includes some of my favorite proposal locations around the city and nearby areas.

If the waterfall is what caught your attention but you’d rather make a day trip into the mountains, take a look at this surprise proposal at Looking Glass Falls. It’s a completely different experience, with a much wilder Blue Ridge Mountain feel. There are also several waterfalls close by at Hanging Rock State Park and Stone Mountain State Park. I’m very familiar with these areas and can help you pick the perfect place based on how far you want to walk, what fits your vision, and what makes sense for you as a couple.

Looking for a Wake Forest or Reynolda Gardens Proposal Photographer?

Whether you already know exactly how you want to propose or your entire plan currently consists of “I bought the ring…now what?”, I can help.

I’ve been photographing proposals since 2010, and I’ve learned that the photographs are only one part of doing this well. Timing, light, location, crowds, permits, where everyone stands, how you get your partner there and how you keep the whole thing secret all matter.

You don’t have to figure those pieces out by yourself.

I offer everything from simple proposal photography to more involved proposal experiences with planning, video, picnics and heirloom albums.

See my proposal photography packages and pricing and start planning a proposal that feels like the two of you.