Kelsey Bigelow Photography: Whitney & Sage Proposal Story

I met Whitney while I was in school at UNC. I met her boyfriend Sage when we all worked on Help-Portrait together last year. Through some internet snooping, Sage found my phone number last week and gave me a call. The message went a little something like this:

"Hi Kelsey, this is Whitney's boyfriend Sage. I've been wanting to propose to Whitney for a while and I'm wondering if you could help me out..."

And that was all I heard. Because I had hung up the voicemail and quickly called him back. Whitney? Proposal? Oh I am all in! What do you need from me?

We stealthily set up a plan for yesterday afternoon that hinged on one very important scenario- Whitney would need to be my assistant for a shoot I had planned yesterday morning.

I have never encountered more resistance from someone before. She was really dragging her feet- not lunch, not gas money, not pleas of desperation could get her to agree. Until finally, at almost the last second she agreed.

We made our way up to the Stanley Hotel while Whitney excitedly told me about how her boyfriend Sage had flown in to her surprise her. Really Whitney?! What a surprise to me! Ha! It was so hard to keep a straight face and pretend like I had no idea what was happening.

On our way back down to from Estes Park, I told Whitney I had to make a quick stop somewhere. She went along with it, all the way up to the point where we'd turned down the driveway of the stables I was dropping her off at.

"Wait wait! What are we doing here?!" she kept asking me.

"UM I have to pick something up!" Slash drop you off so you can go on a magical carriage ride!

Her face when I dropped her off by the barn and she saw Sage in a horse drawn carriage- it was so great. I think she was so stunned- she just kept looking back and forth between me and him and shouting "YOU KNEW?! YOU KNEW TOO?!"

Oh Whitney. I knew so much. You had no idea.

After dropping Whitney off, I quickly moved my car behind a fence and jumped out to hide behind a tree, the designated proposal spot. I couldn't hear or see what was going on and my feet were quickly falling asleep.

Finally! I heard the bells from the horses and I poked my head out. I hid in the grass in front of them while I watched Sage's proposal. I'm not sure how Whitney didn't see me- I'm about as stealthy as an elephant and the grass did nothing to hide my bright purple coat.

I heard her scream "YES YES YES!" and poked my head out to take some photos of the two of them. It was such a beautiful moment to be a part of and I'm so thankful to Sage for letting me be involved.

Congratulations again Whitney and Sage!!!!!! I'm so happy for both of you!