Kelly + Nikita – Proposal – Daniel Island Yacht Club – Charleston, South Carolina

One of the reasons I fell in love with Charleston years ago was the water. I love being on and around water of any sort (ironic for someone who can’t really swim, right?), and the abundance of it in the low country was a major driving force in my decision to pack up life and move to the east coast. So, when I get to combine that love with my other love of photography, AMAZING things happen.

Cue one of my favorite sessions to date and the beginning of a new friendship with two of THE sweetest people!

Nikita reached out to me with plans to propose to Kelly under the guise of a quick pre-dinner cruise from the Daniel Island Yacht Club. Little did Kelly know, this would be the most exciting pre-dinner cruise she’d ever take!

I met up with Nikita and Kelly’s friends at the dock and boarded the Blue Goose on an unseasonably warm afternoon in December just days before Christmas. (Another great thing about Charleston? Boating weather on Christmas Eve Eve!) I chatted with the captain and was quickly stowed away below deck.

Now, let me take this moment to tell y’all a little back story- People ask me all the time if I get nervous photographing weddings, and this answer is usually no. After photographing hundreds of weddings, there’s a general order and timing to things that we as photographers have some portion of control over. Proposals, however? Slightly different story. There is ONE moment that generally only last mere seconds, intense emotion, and varying angles that need to be captured. Oh, and I can’t be noticed while any of it is happening. Piece of cake, right?

Now, add a rocking boat to that mix. Dabble in the challenge of coming from beneath deck, navigating mere inches of room on the side of said boat… all while carrying thousands of dollars worth of gear. I will not lie to you guys- the nerves… they start to pop up a little during that time. Haha!

But can I also tell you this? IT’S MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE! Seriously, all of that creates one of my favorite challenges – portraits on the water. An adrenaline rush likely equivalent to someone who would jump out of a plane. (Something I don’t ever plan on doing, so I’ll take this version of adrenaline all day, every day. haha!)

Hidden in the head (that’s the restroom, by the way), I was to listen for my cue of “You guys want to take a picture?” from the captain. And as Nikita and Kelly made their way to the front of the bow, I also made my grand escape. In a matter of seconds, Nikita dropped to one knee to Kelly’s complete surprise and her answer was a resounding, “YES!!!”

With the Ravenel Bridge over the Cooper River as our background, we began immediately capturing this joyous moment. And oh, what joy it was! Kelly’s grin was near permanent and most definitely infectious. As we made our way back to the yacht club, the crew was generous to call for a chase boat, so that I could grab shots of them from afar, and it was INCREDIBLE.

Nikita and Kelly’s families were waiting for us back at the dock where they, too, jumped on board to enjoy a bit of cruise time and celebration of the newly engaged couple. Just like most all of my sessions, it was hard to say goodbye to such incredible people, but the goodbyes won’t last long, because we’ll soon be celebrating their wedding season together!

Nikita and Kelly will be married next March at the Daniel Island Golf Club, and it is such an honor for me to be a part of this special time in their lives. Having seen the joy and love between them for the proposal, I can’t wait to see that grow over this next year!

See you soon, friends!