*** DISCLAIMER: These are edited in a slightly more moodier style than my typical editing style as seen throughout the rest of my portfolio. This style will not be honored if requested. This editing style was strictly for the purpose of having this be a creative session, and to coincide with the time of year I asked them to partake in this session.***
I am going to start this off by saying I absolutely adore these two, and I just cannot believe I got to play a role in Blayne’s proposal to Kayla!!
Kayla and Blayne are best friends to my little sister, and for a while I have wanted to get them in front of my camera. They are ridiculously photogenic and the two of them just radiate this epic kind of love that’s almost like watching a fairytale — but in this case, a fairytale with witchy vibes and I am HERE FOR IT FAM!!!
Little did Kayla know, Blayne and I had concocted a plan that would give her one big surprise. He and I had been messaging back and forth to make sure we were both on the same page, and one thing he said to me was “I’m not sure if she will want to take photos by herself.”
BINGO.
I knew I could get her to model by herself just for me. I just had to get her warmed up. So we strolled around Salem Willows for about 30ish minutes when we made our way to the edge of the ocean where I had them do a few poses and then I moved in on the plan.
Thinking ahead of time, I really put a lot of thought into the location of where would be best to execute it. After going through their social media, a few photos from this year really stood out to me the most and they all had the ocean in common. So, knowing that, I knew I wanted their backdrop to consist of something I knew brought them both happiness.
I asked Kayla if she would be willing to take some photos of just her, and at that same moment, Blayne was like “oh good! I’m kind of cold so I’m going to ‘put on a sweatshirt.’” What’s hilarious to me is that he had told Kayla he was packing a backpack with a sweatshirt in case it got cold and all she had was question marks as to why he would need it but ultimately, the decoy of needing a sweatshirt worked out!!
Me asking Kayla to take a few solo portraits was the cue that he needed to “grab his sweatshirt,” AKA the ring. What Kayla didn’t know was that in my viewfinder I could see her absolutely working it, and then right behind her was Blayne getting down on one knee. Internally I was freaking out!!! THIS WAS IT!!! A bajillion things were running through my mind and I wanted to make sure I got this right.
So I told her, “okay stay right there, I’M going to move my position! Don’t move, yes just like that!!” Thinking back and typing this out it sounds so weird lol!! But I moved to the side and said “okay now look over your shoulder a little bit. Keep turning. Keep turning. Look over your shoulder at the ground for me.”
And that’s when it happened. She saw the love of her life on one knee holding one of the most gorgeous rings I have ever seen. She was completely surprised and Blayne my man…. you did it!!!!
The entire time I was a ball of nerves…. Even though I wasn’t the one asking someone to marry me!! So I can only image the energy running through them in that moment!!
It was the perfect scenario, and I could not have thought of a better way for them to have that incredible moment. She said YES, and after it was so fun sharing all the plans leading up to that day!! Come to find out Blayne and I are very similar in the sense we don’t like to keep a surprise. I’m very much the kind of person who, once I have something to give to someone, I HAVE TO!! It kills me to wait!! And Kayla maaaay or may not have known there was a ring of some sorts, but she had no idea when she would ever get it.
Blayne threw her off the trail a little bit when he would tell her “oh not for another few years,” but in reality, I’m sure he would have proposed to her the second he had the ring in his hand if he could have.
Kayla and Blayne, you two are incredibly perfect for one another, and I can’t wait to watch your love grow from here. Thank you for letting me be free in my creative side that day, and for getting spooky in downtown Salem with me!!! I appreciate you letting me be part of this milestone, and hope you enjoy some of what I captured that day ❤
The wind was wild but I am all about this loooookkkk!! 
Okay so this is where I had her modeling solo and she had NO idea Blayne was getting down on one knee!! 
A halloween vibe couples session with a surprise proposal at Salem Willows in Salem, Massachusetts. The obligatory SEO. SEO is how the internet returns Coral Compass Photo Co. as a result when you search on google! Wedding and all other portrait session photographer Jess with Coral Compass photographs good people. This NH based photographer provides a relaxed, personable, outside the box approach where the value is put on fun and efficiency. Wonderful, loving, quirky, sassy, laughing, fantastic, and often cheeky people like you. Lifestyle NH, MA, VT, ME, RI, CT, NY and NC Wedding photography. Genuine, bright, warm, airy imagery. We love the LGBTQ+ community, people of color, ALL humans! There are adventures to have and memories to keep so let’s get to it! Based in Southern NH, Coral Compass Photo Co. works in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, North Carolina, Arizona and anywhere you’ll have me! You can see more of my work online here by scrolling around my website, or on facebook at facebook.com/coralcompassphotoco. If you’d rather contact me directly, please email me at coralcompassphotoco@gmail.com. I hate having to do this lame SEO stuff, it’s helpful, but so not natural! In conclusion, I hope you enjoyed these halloween vibe couples portraits with a surprise proposal at Salem Willows in Salem, Massachusetts.
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