Engaged on Sanibel Island

Ryan called me for a special photo session, he wanted to get engaged on Sanibel Island. His plan was to have a relaxing picnic on the beach with his girlfriend Brittany. He would then get on his knees and propose the question of marriage to his girlfriend he met in 2012. They met in Fort Myers when Ryan was on a special work assignment from his home in Vancouver British Columbia. During that summer, they spent every possible moment together. When Ryan left Florida in September, they figured they might never see each other again as they were on opposite sides of the continent. They somehow managed to stay in touch during that time. In 2014, they decided to meet again in Phoenix as their paths were destined to cross again. After that visit, they made every effort possible to see each other as often as possible. They would fly back and forth between South Florida and Vancouver to be with each other. After another year, Ryan decided to ask Brittany to marry her. It all happened on the same beach they had visited three years earlier.

Engagement Photography on Sanibel Island

The island is a delight to photograph, I have been creating portrait and wedding as a photographer on Sanibel for over twenty years. This wasn’t my first surprise engagement photo session on Sanibel. My position to act as if I was photographing shells and birds on the beach. With two cameras around my neck and I tried to look the part of a nature photographer. Frequently, I would look over to the picnic setting that Brittany and Ryan set up. When they stood up and Ryan knelt down in front of Brittany, this was the moment to begin taking pictures. I wasn’t close enough to hear words, but when Brittany put her hands over her mouth in wonderful delight, I knew this was it. I continued with pictures as Ryan opened a bottle of champagne and they sat and enjoyed the moment. After they relaxed, we made photographs on the seashore. We then walked around the Casa Ybel Resort which is a great venue for photographs. After their engagement on Sanibel Island, the couple enjoyed a celebration dinner at the Thistle Lodge Restaurant. Shown here are some of my favorite photos we created at this engagement photo session on Sanibel.