If you are planning to propose in Seattle or somewhere out in the Washington mountains, one of the first questions is usually pretty straightforward:
How much does proposal photography cost?
For 2027, I have two proposal photography options depending on where you are planning to propose and how much travel and logistics are involved.
Standard Proposal Coverage — $750
For proposals in Seattle and the surrounding area.
Adventure Proposal Coverage — $1,250
For proposals at Washington’s state and national parks, mountain locations, hiking destinations, and other locations involving extended travel. Travel is included.
Both options include the actual proposal, portraits afterward, and my help putting the plan together beforehand.
You can see the current details anytime on my Seattle and Washington proposal photography packages page.
But if you are trying to figure out which option actually makes sense for your proposal, this guide goes into a little more detail.
My 2027 Seattle Proposal Photography Pricing
I wanted to keep my proposal pricing fairly simple.
Not every proposal requires the same amount of work behind the scenes, but I also do not think you should need a spreadsheet to figure out roughly what your proposal photography is going to cost.
Standard Proposal Coverage — $750
My $750 Standard Proposal Coverage is intended for proposals in Seattle and the surrounding area.
This is usually the right fit if you are planning something at a relatively easy-to-access location and we are not dealing with substantial hiking or long-distance travel.
That could mean somewhere like:
Gas Works Park
Discovery Park
Kerry Park
Seattle waterfront
Volunteer Park
Washington Park Arboretum
A local garden
A meaningful neighborhood location
Another accessible spot in or around Seattle
For example, you can see how a city proposal came together in Jake and Sarah’s Gas Works Park proposal.
The location was easy to access, but the planning still mattered. Jake was traveling to Seattle from Texas during a pretty unpredictable stretch of December weather, so we planned multiple spots within Gas Works Park and had backup ideas ready if conditions changed.
That is generally what the Standard package is built around: a proposal where the logistics are manageable but you still want somebody helping you make sure the moment actually comes together.
Adventure Proposal Coverage — $1,250
The $1,250 Adventure Proposal Coverage is for proposals that take us farther into Washington.
Think:
Mount Rainier
North Cascades
Olympic National Park
Mountain overlooks
Alpine lakes
Longer hikes
Washington state parks
National parks
Remote beaches
Destinations requiring substantial driving or more complicated logistics
Travel is included in the $1,250 price.
I introduced a separate Adventure option because these proposals are fundamentally different from meeting someone at a park in Seattle.
The proposal itself might still happen in thirty seconds.
Getting all of us into exactly the right place at exactly the right time can take considerably more work.
Weather can change quickly. Mountain roads can close. Snow can affect accessibility. Trail conditions matter. Cell service can disappear. Some locations require permits or have seasonal restrictions. Sunset can disappear behind a mountain well before the published sunset time.
Those are the kinds of things we work through beforehand.
Sheldon and Skyler’s Mount Rainier proposal is a good example of the type of proposal that falls into this category.
You can also look through my Washington proposal photography portfolio to see everything from Seattle proposals to snow, mountains, forests, beaches, and more remote locations throughout the state.
What Is Included in Both Proposal Packages?
The location may change the package, but the actual photography experience stays pretty consistent.
Every proposal includes:
Discreet photography of the proposal itself
50–100+ hand-edited, high-resolution images
Portraits immediately after the proposal
Help choosing the location and timing
Planning the exact proposal spot and logistics
Online gallery delivery within 2–4 weeks
Full print release
The planning portion is a much bigger part of this than people sometimes expect.
When everything works correctly, your partner should have absolutely no idea that there is a photographer waiting nearby.
Getting to that point takes a little preparation.
I Help You Actually Plan the Proposal
You do not need to contact me with an elaborate proposal already mapped out.
In fact, plenty of people reach out with something closer to:
“I want mountains.”
Or:
“She loves nature, but I have absolutely no idea where to go.”
That is enough to start.
We'll narrow things down based on what actually matters to you.
Maybe you want a huge mountain view.
Maybe you would rather have something private.
Maybe your partner would immediately become suspicious if you suddenly told them they needed hiking boots and a headlamp.
That matters too.
Once we have a location, I help work through the actual logistics:
Where exactly should you propose?
Not just the park or trail. We need an actual spot where I know where you are going to stand and where I can position myself.
What time should you arrive?
Light matters, but so do crowds, parking and whatever excuse you have given your partner for why you need to be somewhere at a strangely specific time.
How will I know it is you?
Yes, this matters.
We establish what you are wearing and usually have some way for me to identify you without staring suspiciously at every couple walking toward me.
What happens if the location is occupied?
For popular Seattle locations, I frequently like having a second nearby proposal spot ready.
What if the weather falls apart?
This is Washington.
We talk about it.
Sometimes the answer is changing locations. Sometimes it is adjusting the time. Sometimes we embrace the rain and end up with something even better than what we originally planned.
A good proposal usually looks simple in the photographs because most of the complicated part happened beforehand.
What Happens After You Propose?
Once they say yes, my job changes pretty quickly.
Up until that moment, I am basically trying to avoid being noticed.
Afterward, we turn the proposal into a portrait session.
I normally give you a little time to actually process what just happened first. You do not need to immediately look at me and start posing while your fiancée is still trying to figure out why some random person has been photographing the two of you.
Once things settle down, I'll start giving you direction.
You do not need to know how to pose.
You do not need to practice anything.
And you definitely do not need to spend the entire session staring at the camera and smiling.
I will give you enough direction to make the photographs look intentional while also leaving space for the two of you to enjoy what just happened.
This is why I consider the portraits afterward part of the proposal rather than an entirely separate engagement session.
You are already dressed up. You picked a great location. The adrenaline is gone. You are newly engaged.
We might as well make use of it.
Standard or Adventure: Which Proposal Package Do You Need?
The easiest distinction is the location and the amount of logistics involved.
Choose Standard Proposal Coverage if:
You are proposing in Seattle or the surrounding area.
The location is relatively straightforward to access.
There is no significant hiking or extended travel involved.
You want the proposal documented and portraits afterward without turning the day into a full outdoor adventure.
For many Seattle proposals, $750 is the entire photography investment (before applicable sales tax).
Choose Adventure Proposal Coverage if:
You want Mount Rainier, the North Cascades, Olympic National Park, an alpine lake, a remote beach, or another destination farther into Washington.
Your plan requires extended driving.
There is meaningful hiking involved.
Trail conditions, mountain weather, seasonal road access, or other logistics need to be considered.
You want the landscape itself to be a major part of the photographs.
The Adventure package is $1,250 and includes travel, so you do not need to start adding mileage fees on top just because your ideal location happens to be a few hours outside Seattle.
If you are unsure where your location falls, just send me the location you're considering.
I would rather tell you which package applies than make you guess.
Is an Adventure Proposal Worth It?
That depends entirely on the two of you.
There is no rule saying a proposal needs a giant mountain behind it to be meaningful.
I have photographed incredible proposals right in Seattle.
If the city is part of your relationship, you are visiting Washington for the first time, or your partner would much rather dress up and go to dinner afterward than hike six miles, forcing an “adventure proposal” because it photographs well does not make much sense.
On the other hand, if the two of you spend your weekends hiking, skiing, climbing, camping, or exploring Washington, proposing somewhere in the mountains might feel considerably more like you.
That is what I care about more than making every proposal as dramatic as possible.
Pick a place that actually makes sense for your relationship.
I'll worry about how to photograph it.
What About Surprise Proposals Outside Washington?
I am based in the Seattle area, but I am not limited to Washington.
If you are planning something farther away, reach out with the location and date and I can put together the logistics with you.
For Washington adventure proposals, travel is already included in the Adventure Proposal Coverage.
For destinations beyond Washington, I will give you a clear quote based on the specific plan rather than trying to fit every destination into one generic travel fee.
Do I Need a Photography Permit?
Sometimes.
It depends on where you are proposing.
Some parks, gardens, private properties, and managed public spaces have photography rules or permit requirements. National parks and state-managed locations can also have regulations that differ depending on what we are doing.
This is one of the reasons I recommend choosing the location early enough that we can check the requirements instead of discovering something the morning of the proposal.
If a location requires a permit or reservation, we'll talk through it while planning.
What If It Rains?
Unless the weather is unsafe or completely ruins the location, rain does not automatically mean we cancel.
Some of my favorite proposal photographs have happened in bad weather.
Clouds can give us incredibly soft light. Rain can empty out otherwise crowded locations. Mist around forests and mountains can look amazing.
The bigger issue is usually whether conditions affect access or safety.
A little rain at Discovery Park is very different from dangerous winter conditions on a mountain road.
For Adventure proposals especially, I pay attention to the forecast and conditions leading into the session so we have time to pivot if we need to.
That flexibility is part of the process.
How Far in Advance Should I Book a Proposal Photographer?
Earlier is always easier, particularly if you have a specific date.
A few weeks gives us more room to plan the location, timing, permits if necessary, and whatever cover story you are using.
That said, proposals are not always planned six months in advance.
I have worked with much shorter timelines too.
If your proposal is coming up soon, reach out anyway.
If I am available and the plan is realistic, we can move pretty quickly.
How Many Proposal Photos Will I Receive?
My proposal packages include 50–100+ hand-edited, high-resolution images.
I do not limit myself to delivering an arbitrary number if there are additional photographs worth including.
Your gallery will generally include the proposal sequence itself, reactions immediately afterward, details like the ring, and the portrait session that follows.
Final galleries are delivered online within 2–4 weeks and include a full print release.
You can see the type of complete galleries I create in my Seattle and Washington proposal photography portfolio.
How Much Does a Proposal Photographer Cost in Seattle in 2027?
For my own proposal photography, the answer is:
Standard Proposal Coverage: $750
For proposals in Seattle and the surrounding area, including planning assistance, discreet coverage of the proposal, portraits afterward, 50–100+ edited images, online gallery delivery, and a full print release.
Adventure Proposal Coverage: $1,250
For Washington state and national parks, mountain locations, hiking destinations, and other proposals requiring extended travel. The same core photography experience is included, along with travel.
You can always check my current proposal photography pricing in case anything has changed since this guide was published.
Seattle Proposal Photography FAQ
Do you help me choose where to propose?
Absolutely.
You can come to me with an exact location, a few ideas, or virtually nothing. I can help narrow things down based on the kind of scenery you want, privacy, season, accessibility and how adventurous you want the day to be.
Will my partner know you are there?
That is the goal: no.
We plan where you are going to stand and where I will be positioned beforehand. I stay out of the way until you propose and only introduce myself afterward.
Do you take engagement photos after the proposal?
Yes.
Portraits immediately afterward are included in every proposal package.
What if my proposal location changes?
It happens more often than you might think.
Weather, road closures, crowds and changing plans can all force us to adjust. If something changes, we work through the best alternative rather than treating the original plan as untouchable.
Is travel included?
Travel is included with my $1,250 Adventure Proposal Coverage for Washington adventure locations.
How quickly will we receive the photos?
Your complete proposal gallery is delivered online within 2–4 weeks.
How many images are included?
You can expect 50–100+ hand-edited, high-resolution photographs.
Do you photograph LGBTQ+ proposals?
Yes. I welcome all love wholeheartedly here.
What if I have no idea how to pose?
Most people don't.
I'll guide both of you once we move into portraits after the proposal. You do not need any photography experience.
Ready to Start Planning?
If you already have a proposal date, send it over.
If all you know is that you want to propose somewhere around Seattle, Mount Rainier, Olympic National Park, the North Cascades, or another part of Washington, that is completely fine too.
You can look through my proposal portfolio, review my 2027 proposal photography packages, and then reach out through my contact form.
Tell me what you are thinking.
We'll figure out the rest.
