Spring Marriage Proposal In A Beautiful Dayton Park
July 3, 2025
Photographing At A Busy Park On Mother’s Day
Normally I don’t photograph on holidays, but my wife insisted that I photograph this Cox Arboretum marriage proposal on Mother’s Day 2025. This was an awesome Spring marriage proposal at a flower filled park south of Dayton. There were people everywhere due to the holiday and the beautiful spring weeather.
Keeping Your Distance To Not Be Noticed During A Spring Marriage Proposal
While I had the groom-to-be share his location via iPhone with me, I still had to be inconspicuous. Thankfully, there were dozens of other people enjoying the park, so I blended in. I remained 50 feet behind them and stayed behind bushes and trees. She never saw me! For about 10 minutes, they wandered around the park while he determined the best place to propose. When was this spring marriage proposal going to happen? Ever? LOL
It is a good plan to have an idea of where to propose, but be prepared for that to change. Had he decided on the Monet Bridge, he would have been disappointed due to all the people congregating on it. So we did have a plan for me to follow then and to be ready when he proposed. Finally he settled on a gravel path along the north side of the large pond. I popped out from behind an evergreen tree and photographed the proposal.
A side note to this story: While he was proposing, three kids under 7 walked between the couple and me. Thankfully, the kids walked quickly, and I was able to get the shots! What else can you do when fun things happen at a Spring marriage proposal in Dayton?
Dealing With The Unexpected
Always be prepared for the unexpected when photographing. A perfect example would be photography permits. I don’t want anyone to be put in an awkward position by being approached by staff. MetroParks requires a photography permit each time a professional photographer is shooting in a park. A daily pass for $25 or a yearly pass for $100 can be obtained. I would be mortified if I didn’t have my permit while I was on a shoot. How embarrassing!
