I am not sure how or when the over the top proposal tradition started, but I must say, I LOVE it.  I love that people are showing their love in front of crowds of strangers, proposing in public venues, making it memorable, recording it so that they have that memory forever, and most importantly…they are photographing it!  I’ve seen live lip dub videos, flash mobs, fake movie previews, and of course, Disneyland proposals!

Below are some amazing proposal pictures that I found on pinterest.  (My favorite is the one outside of California Adventure!! And my second favorite is the photo on the heart bridge next to Snow White’s Castle!)

I think that getting a proposal to be photographed is amazing and very thoughtful, but let’s take it a step further and on top of getting it photographed (cuz let’s face it, you can’t not have it photographed), get it FILMED!!!!  That’s right, below are links to some of my favorite proposals that were caught on film.  These guys were really thinking and really went above and beyond for the most special person in each of their lives.  Props to these guys. Seriously.

http://vimeo.com/23375930 (This is one of the sweetest proposals I’ve ever seen.  I was teary eyed the whole time.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzPld1qpvl8  (Hang tight with this one.  It takes a few seconds to get going but it’s pretty funny)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su1YLAjty-U  (Seriously?!?!?!  Who doesn’t want their own flash mob proposal?!?!?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA3Cd-To8io  (This guy proposed with memes! YES!)

http://www.break.com/index/greatest-marriage-proposal-ever-2059534  (This guy made a fake movie trailer.  SO AWESOME!!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_v7QrIW0zY  (I’ve watched this like five times.  Live lip dub proposal.)

If you ask me what one of my favorite things about photography is, I will tell you that it’s under water portraiture.  But more importantly, it’s under water bride and groom photos. Why?  It’s simple.  Under water is a whole new world with a bunch of new possibilities to explore.  For most people, it’s not a normal place to be photographed, so it’s kind of like creating a fairy tale.  It becomes this wondrous place that kind of exists, but only imagination can take it all the way there….just like wonderland or, you guessed it, Disneyland. These photos look like they are taking place in a dream and that is what makes me love them so much.  We have left reality and jumped straight into fantasy.

In an earlier post, I wrote about using a Disney Dream Wedding to create your fantasy and while I still think that Disney Dream weddings are amazing and a great way to do so, why not use under water portraits instead? (or both, if you’re lucky!)  Forget trash the dress, let’s go swimming and create your own personal dream world.  For me, this is like jumping into a fairytale and it would be a dream come true to be photographing fantasy worlds every day.

Check out the photo session below, hard to believe it’s in a pool huh?  Though swimming in a big bridal gown is no easy feat, we had so much fun creating these photos! It was hard work but I’d say the end result is pretty spectacular.  Any other brides want to jump in a pool with me?!?!

A big thank you to Mr Tuxedo for lending us one of his tuxes, House of Flowers for the beautiful bouquet, and Mary Rita Nommenson for the veil and dress!  Btw, Bakersfield (or non Bakersfield) bride and grooms, if you are looking for alterations, amazing hand made bouquets, or some very good looking tuxedos, please call the previously mentioned people.  They are all amazing and will take extra special care of you on your wedding day!

As you all may or may not know, I am the biggest Disney freak ever!  Walt and everything he created fascinates me.  Mickey and Minnie are one of my favorite couples of all time (well, minus Cinderella and Prince Charming because who wouldn’t want to wear a gown and go to a ball?!?!), I am pretty much a human map of Disneyland, and it is my DREAM to photograph for Disney!  It only seemed fitting that for this blog post, I write about a mash up of my two favorite things….Disney and weddings!!!!

Did you know that you can get married at Disneyland and Disney world?!  You can stay in Cinderella’s castle, ride in Cinderella’s carriage (with dressed up attendants) and even invite Mickey and Minnie to your special day.  Disney has created packages for your Disney Dream Wedding!  They teamed up with David Tutera (one of my all time favorite wedding planners) to help you with the look of your wedding and they have also teamed up with Alfred Angelo to design princess inspired wedding gowns.  The one below is Snow White!  In true Disney fashion, they really have thought of it all!

Isn’t it every little girl’s dream to be a princess?  Unfortunately we are not all born into royalty (nor do many of us get to marry into it), so wouldn’t Disneyland be a great place to live that dream for the day?!  You would literally get to turn fantasy into a temporary reality….AND have your wedding photos done at Disneyland!!!  *hint hint. call me to photograph your Disney wedding!!!* (I could seriously spend two days photographing a bride and groom all over Disneyland and easily not hit all the amazing places to photograph in that park!)

If a Disney Dream wedding is out of your budget (darn those budgets!) and you are as big of a Disney fan as me, why not find small ways to incorporate your favorite Disney characters and movies into your wedding?!  You could have your favorite Disney movie being projected against a wall outside for all of the kids to watch (lay out blankets and popcorn and put some of the older kids in charge),  get your color inspiration from your favorite princess, or even have a Cinderella carriage wedding cake!!!

What can I say?  I love me some Disney.

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” -Walt Disney