Kelsey and Ryan | Holiday Marriage Proposal

A few inches of snow covered the grass on the lawn in front of the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning. Green holiday lights covered the young trees planted in this lawn. The sun was about to dive behind the horizon. I see a well-dressed and beautiful couple walking closer to me, on a sidewalk on the opposite side of the street from where I stood. “That’s them!” I told myself, as I turned my back away from the couple. I pretended to take cell phone snaps of the fountain in front of me. You see, I knew what was about to happen, because Ryan contacted me weeks in advance and asked me if I could capture his surprise marriage proposal to Kelsey in front of the Cathedral of Learning.

I casually glanced behind me to wait for Ryan’s signal. He took out his cell phone from his pocket, and began to set up a selfie of him and Kelsey in front of The Cathedral. That was the signal; the proposal was seconds from happening.

I actually started to tear up, happy tears of course. In that second-of-a-moment, I realized the astonishment, elation, excitement, and love this couple was about to experience. This is a moment that happens once in a lifetime, and I was the lucky one to be privy enough to witness and capture it, like a fly on the wall.

Ryan gets down on his knee. Kelsey’s mouth drops in surprise, and her hands cover her mouth. I hear my camera shutter click in rapid-fire speed, but it is too silent for the couple to hear. Ryan slides the ring onto Kelsey’s elegant finger, and the smile on her face depicted her response of “YES!”, and also the elation in her heart.

Ryan stands up and hugs his now bride-to-be. “Success,” I think to myself. I was able to be inconspicuous, and at the same time, I was able to be in the exact position to capture the emotion of the moment.

After a few hugs, words, and excited glances at the ring, Ryan looks at me and says, “Hi, Leigh!” As I cross the street, he explains to Kelsey that I was there to capture his proposal, and also a few pictures of them afterward in their special moment.

It took me six paragraphs to sum up a moment that happened in seconds, and yet, my words can barely paint the picture of how beautiful and emotional it was.

So, without further ado, here is a brief glimpse of what was captured on Ryan and Kelsey’s magical, snowy, winter engagement night.