Engagement & Proposal Photography
Lily Rose Photography is a Napa and Sonoma-based photography studio offering engagement and proposal photography services to couples in California.
 |
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 the greater Northern California region, and beyond.
 |  |
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
I loved her work so hiring her for our wedding was a no-brainer. Debbie and Larry made us feel so comfortable during our engagement shoot and our photos turned out so beautifully. -Reese Wong, September, 2019
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.
 |  |  |
After the proposal, we stick around for a short portrait session so you walk away with a complete set of portraits capturing both the nerves and the joy. That said, we would love to photograph your proposal!
As for pricing, we have a few options for proposal photography:
1) $800: Up to 60 minutes of photography with a $300 print credit towards products: files, prints, etc. If you were to purchase the digital files from the session, they are $600. With your credit, the cost would be $300. Alternatively, you can use the credit towards prints.
2) $2200: Up to three hours of photography, including the digital files.
If you need something more custom, please share your thoughts.
Proposal sessions include:
- Planning support and location ideas.
- Discreet coverage of the proposal.
- Portraits after the moment, with a same day sneak peek.
- Optional vendor recommendations (venue, coordinator/planner, floral, champagne, or picnic styling).
- Final edited gallery within the next few days, as we know everyone will be excited to see your images.
 |  |
See an entire surprise proposal session here.
Choosing Lily Rose Photography
We're experienced, we've photographed hundreds of couples in vineyards, on beaches, in wine caves, and on hilltops. We know how to guide without rushing, how to read light, and how to let moment unfold without interruption.
Engagement and proposal photos are an essential part of your wedding journey. They not only mark the beginning of your commitment to each other but also allow you to create memories of this special time. These images will become cherished keepsakes that you can look back on for years to come. Whether you want to share them with family and friends or use them in your wedding celebrations, they are a beautiful reminder of the love and joy you feel today.
We also shoot film, offer Polaroid keepsakes, and love tailoring each session to fit your story—not someone else's trend.
Favorite Locations
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 tied to Larry’s 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 permits, timing, and trail access to make sure the experience is smooth and the photos reflect the beauty of the park—and your relationship.
Just say the word. We'll meet you there.
 |
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:
- Coordinated colors without matching, stick to the same color family or complementary tones and bear in mind that darker colors are most slimming. Try NOT to wear opposite colors; if one is wearing light/soft colors, your fiance.
- 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.
- Avoiding 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
All set for your engagement session?
To recap, romance is in the air, wedding planning is in the works, and you are hand in hand with your fiancé! But are engagement sessions really necessary? We absolutely think so, yes!
Engagement sessions allow you to get comfortable in front of the camera, learning about each other and how you work best together before the main event is great practice! It also allows you to show your unique personalities in a more casual setting, while creating some fun, memorable images.
Most people do not have professional, relaxed images of themselves as a couple, and everyone should. We will have lots of suggestions and advice for the both of you before and during the session. Tips and tricks to get the real you in front of the camera. Ideas for session locations, as well as clothing choices are just a few helpful hints.
In the end, be true to yourself. If you are not comfortable, it will be obvious in your pictures. If our suggestions don’t feel like you, break all the rules and show up in something that is completely, and totally you. All said and done, the goal is to have an amazing time together.
 |  |  |
Booking Your Session
Whether you're planning a quiet proposal in a vineyard or want a laid-back engagement session that feels true to your relationship, we're here to help.
We offer engagement and proposal photography throughout Napa, Sonoma, San Francisco, and Sacramento, and we accept a limited number of destination sessions each year.
Capture the Moment You'll Always Cherish
At Lily Rose Photography, we understand that a proposal or engagement marks one of the most exciting times in your life. It's a moment filled with love, emotion, and new beginnings, and we specialize in capturing that magic through timeless photographs. Serving the Napa and Sonoma regions, we offer professional proposal and engagement photography sessions designed to document your love story in some of the most scenic locations in California.
Whether you're planning a romantic vineyard proposal in Napa Valley or an intimate engagement session at the Sonoma coast, we'll work with you to ensure that every detail is captured in a way that reflects your unique connection.
Lily Rose Photography was the absolute best! Debbie and Larry were phenomenal to work with. -Celina Espinoza, August 18, 2023
 |  |  |
"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." – Audrey Hepburn.
Lily Rose Photography © 2006-2025 - (707) 603-9062 Address: 1055 Broadway, STE. E1, Sonoma, CA 95476 debbie@lilyrosephotography.com Privacy Terms of Use