Napa and Sonoma Engagement & Proposal Photography
Lily Rose Photography offers engagement sessions and surprise proposal photography across Napa Valley, Sonoma County, San Francisco, and Northern California. We create images that feel natural, polished, and personal, balancing thoughtful direction with real, in-the-moment connection.
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Timber Cove Resort, Jenner, CA
This season in your life is full of energy, emotion, and big decisions. Whether you're planning a surprise proposal or you're newly engaged and soaking it all in, we're here to help you document it with intention and ease.
At Lily Rose Photography, we create engagement and proposal sessions that reflect your connection—no stiff poses, no pressure, just natural moments captured in beautiful light. We photograph couples throughout Napa, Sonoma, San Francisco, and greater Northern California, and we are always happy to travel beyond the region.
Table of Contents
- Engagement Sessions
- Proposal Photography and Surprise Proposals
- Choosing Lily Rose Photography
- Favorite Locations
- Destination Engagement Sessions
- What to Wear
- Frequently Asked Questions
- All set for your engagement session?
- Booking Your Session
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Engagement Sessions
Engagement sessions are one of our favorite ways to get to know couples. It's a chance to slow down, breathe a little, and focus on each other without the timeline of a wedding day. Your wedding photos will reflect one day. Your engagement photos reflect your relationship as it lives every day.
You'll wear what feels comfortable, choose a favorite location, and spend some time together while we guide you through the session. We'll help with posing and direction when needed, and we'll give you plenty of space to be yourselves. Most couples start a little nervous and end up saying it felt more like a walk with a friend.
Engagement sessions are great for:
- Save-the-dates and wedding websites
- Wall art, signature books and albums
- Personal gifts for family
- Just having something that captures who you are right now
Just got an engagement photo shoot done with Lily Rose around the Napa area. Debbie and Larry were extremely professional, personable and a joy to work with. They guided us in getting the perfect backdrop and poses for each of our photos. Would highly recommend Lily Rose to anyone! –SungWon
Proposal Photography including Surprise Proposals 💍
Planning a surprise proposal takes a little coordination, but the payoff is worth it. We help with timing, lighting, location, and subtle cues so everything flows naturally and stays under wraps. Whether you're proposing at a winery in Napa, a cliffside in Big Sur, or during a weekend trip to New York, we'll be there in the background, ready to catch the moment without interrupting it.
If you want to include champagne, florals, or anything extra, we can help connect you with vendors and make the experience feel thoughtful and easy. We've done this enough times to know when to hang back and when to step in. You focus on the question. We'll handle the rest. Our goal is to document this next step of your journey in your own words.
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After the proposal, we stay for a short portrait session so you leave with images that capture both the surprise and the joy of the moment.
Proposal Photography Options
Option One — $800
Up to 60 minutes of photography, including coverage of the proposal and a short portrait session afterward. This option includes a $300 credit toward digital files, prints, or products.
Option Two — $2200
Up to three hours of photography, including the digital files. This is a great fit for more elaborate plans, multiple locations, or couples who want more time to document the full experience.
If you are planning something unique, we are happy to create a custom option that fits your vision.
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See an entire surprise proposal session here.
Choosing Lily Rose Photography
Engagement and proposal sessions should feel personal, relaxed, and true to your relationship. That is why many couples choose Lily Rose Photography. We know when to give direction and when to step back. This creates images that feel natural, not overly posed. Our aim is never to force a version of you that just looks good on camera. We want to photograph the connection that already exists in a way that feels polished, honest, and lasting.
We have photographed couples in vineyards, on beaches, along the coast, in gardens, in city settings, and at private estates throughout Napa, Sonoma, San Francisco, and Northern California. That experience helps us guide you toward the right light, the right pace, and the kind of location that fits your personality and story.
For proposals, we help with timing, planning, and location ideas, and we coordinate discreetly so the moment unfolds naturally. For engagement sessions, we help couples feel comfortable in front of our cameras for images that feel easy, connected, and full of life. We offer film photography and Polaroid keepsakes for couples who want an added layer of texture and nostalgia.
What matters most to us is that your images still feel like you years from now. They should be beautiful, real, personal, and emotional. We want them to remind you not just of how this season of life looked, but also of how it felt.
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| Even with a Ring Pop 💍 | |
Favorite Locations
We photograph engagement sessions and proposals throughout Napa Valley, Sonoma County, San Francisco, and across Northern California, and one of our favorite parts of the process is helping couples choose a setting that feels right for them. Some people are drawn to vineyards and wine country views, while others love the coast, the forest, a quiet garden, or a city location with a little edge. The best location is not just beautiful. It should feel personal, comfortable, and connected to your story. Whether you already have a place in mind or want guidance finding one, we’re happy to help choose a location with great light, strong atmosphere, and the kind of backdrop that fits your relationship.
Have a location in mind? Let us know. We love trying something new.
They are incredible photographers! We started with an engagement shoot with Debbie and immediately clicked, she was great at directing us to be natural and captured every moment beautifully. -Amy Asciutto, May 20, 2023
Destination Engagement Sessions
Planning something a little further from home? We love photographing couples in new places. Whether you're heading out of town to propose or want your engagement photos to reflect a location that's meaningful to you, we're happy to travel and help plan a session that feels personal and memorable.
Some of our favorite destinations include:
Colorado
Whether you’re drawn to the red rocks of Garden of the Gods, the alpine lakes near Estes Park, or the golden aspens in fall, Colorado offers a mix of dramatic landscapes and quiet beauty. The light is clean, the air is crisp, and the views stretch for miles. Hiking into the hills or strolling through a small downtown, we’ll help you plan a session that feels grounded, personal, and connected to the landscape.
Colorado has a special place in our hearts. Larry was born in Boulder, and The Labrot House, a designated historic landmark in Boulder, is part of his family history.
New York & the East Coast
The East Coast has a rhythm all its own. There's the energy of the city, the quiet of coastal towns, and everything in between. New York is one of our favorite places to photograph. Walking through Central Park at sunrise, exploring the West Village, or proposing on a rooftop with skyline views, there's something iconic and cinematic about it all. But the East Coast isn't just about the city. We've also photographed in the historic neighborhoods of Boston, on the beaches of Cape Cod, and in the tree-lined streets of small towns that feel like something out of a novel. The architecture, the textures, the seasons—they each bring their mood to a session. Fall on the East Coast, in particular, is stunning. If you're drawn to ivy-covered buildings, golden leaves, brick sidewalks, and that blend of modern and timeless, we'll help you find the right spot and the right light to tell your story. Whether it's a secret proposal or an afternoon wandering with your partner, we make sure it feels personal, relaxed, and quietly romantic.
Pacific Coast: Oregon and Washington
Lush greenery, waterfalls, forests, and moody coastlines. Oregon offers a soft, earthy feel that works beautifully in both natural light and overcast skies.
From the mountain views near Mount Rainier to the modern edge of downtown Seattle, Washington, offers you options for both nature and city settings.
Southern California
Southern California offers a variety that's hard to match. If you want a warm coastal shoot, spots like Malibu, Laguna Beach (requires a permit), or La Jolla are ideal. For something with a modern edge, The Disney Concert Hall is stunning. If you're leaning into a desert vibe, Joshua Tree is quiet, golden, and wide open, and Palm Springs has a unique desert look and interesting textures. We help you choose the setting that fits your style, pace the session to take advantage of the light, and keep the whole experience low-stress and easy.
South Dakota
If you're looking for wide-open space, prairie sunsets, and a sky that goes on forever, South Dakota delivers. It's peaceful, spacious, and perfect for couples who want something a little quieter and grounded.
Wherever you're going, we'll help with planning, timing, and location scouting. If it's a proposal, we'll keep it private and well-timed. If it's an engagement session, we'll create something that feels relaxed, fun, and true to you.
Yosemite
There's something about Yosemite that makes you slow down. The granite cliffs, quiet meadows, and open trails feel both dramatic and still. Whether you're proposing under the trees or hiking out for a sunrise session, Yosemite gives you space to breathe and connect. We help you navigate timing and trail access to make sure the experience is smooth and the photos reflect the beauty of the park—and your relationship.
If you have a destination in mind, we would love to help you plan something beautiful there.
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New York, NY
What to Wear
You don't have to dress up unless you want to. Choose outfits that feel like you and work well with the setting. We recommend:
- Coordinate without matching exactly. Stick to the same color family or complementary tones. If one of you is wearing light or soft colors, the other should stay in a similar range so the overall look feels cohesive.
- Comfortable shoes. Give your shoes as much attention as your shirt. They will be in the pictures and may even be highlighted in a few. For those inclined, heels are great with jeans, pants, or skirts, if you're comfortable in them, and they make the legs look longer.
- Avoid loud prints or neon.
- Bringing a second outfit if you want variety, we absolutely encourage outfit changes. Consider wearing something dressy to start, and changing into something more casual/everyday.
- Wear something that you feel defines your personal style, ...something you can sit, walk, run, lay down, jump, kick, and spin in.
- Beware words, logos, loud colors and patterns that might distract from the truly important aspect of the pictures: you! The human eye will locate familiar words in pictures and put them together, taking away from the true subject, you.
- Check the weather and dress appropriately. No matter how cute you look in that flirty tank top, you'll be completely miserable when you wear it in thick fog. Wool sweaters and wellies can be just as awesome. When in doubt: LAYERS!
- Accessorize with your favorite jewelry, scarves, hats, belts, shoes, and even pets (well-behaved, of course).
Tips: Unless you want it in the pictures, leave your purse at home; you'll just be putting it down every few seconds, and we can't watch it closely enough.
*If you're particularly concerned about something, mention it to us so that I can keep an extra sharp eye out for it. (examples: that cowlick you've had since you were 5, the necklace that is constantly flipping around, more cleavage than grandma would appreciate, etc.)
Need help? We're happy to walk you through options. We also have great local referrals for hair and makeup if you'd like to build in a little extra prep.
Optional Add-Ons
- Film photography (35mm and 120mm)
- Polaroid prints
- Custom-designed engagement albums
- Rush delivery of edited images
- Extra time for wardrobe changes or multiple locations
Frequently Asked Questions
All set for your engagement session?
Engagement sessions are one of the best ways to get comfortable in front of the camera before the wedding day. They give us time to learn how you naturally connect, what feels like you, and how to create images that feel relaxed rather than forced.
They are also a chance to document this part of your story in a more casual and personal way. Most couples do not already have professional images of themselves that feel natural, connected, and true to who they are together.
We will guide you through the process with location ideas, outfit suggestions, and direction during the session so you never feel left wondering what to do. In the end, the goal is simple: to create photographs that feel like you and make the experience enjoyable from start to finish.
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Booking Your Session
Whether you're planning a quiet proposal in a vineyard, a coastal surprise, or an engagement session that feels relaxed and true to your relationship, we would love to help you create something beautiful.
We photograph engagement sessions and proposals throughout Napa, Sonoma, San Francisco, and Northern California, and we accept a limited number of destination sessions each year. From location ideas and timing to outfit guidance and planning support, we’re here to make the process feel easy, personal, and well cared for.
If you are ready to start planning, contact us here. Tell us what you have in mind, and we’ll help you create a session that feels natural, meaningful, and true to the two of you.
Lily Rose Photography was the absolute best! Debbie and Larry were phenomenal to work with. -Celina Espinoza, August 18, 2023
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"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." – Audrey Hepburn.
Lily Rose Photography © 2006-2026 - (707) 603-9062 Address: 1055 Broadway, STE. E1, Sonoma, CA 95476 debbie@lilyrosephotography.com Privacy Terms of Use