Most surprise proposals land on my calendar a month or two out. Anthony gave me less than a week. He reached out, told me he wanted to propose to Juliette, his girlfriend of about two years, on the beach in Point Pleasant, and asked if there was any chance I was free. I had the date open, so my answer was easy. Let’s go.
Juliette is from Staten Island, Anthony is from North Jersey, and they are one of those couples you root for the second you meet them. The plan was simple on paper. Walk her out to the beach by the jetty at the Manasquan Inlet, get her facing the light, and let him do the rest. What actually happened on that beach before they arrived is a story I will be telling for a long time.
Point Pleasant Beach sits at the northern tip of the Jersey Shore, right where the Manasquan Inlet opens the Atlantic into the bay. The jetty on the Point Pleasant side is a wall of stone that runs out into the water, and at golden hour it gives you clean ocean light with the boardwalk and Jenkinson’s just up the sand. It is a stretch most people walk right past, which is exactly why it makes such a good spot to hide a photographer and pull off a surprise.
Setting the Scene, and a Baby Shark
I met Juliette’s friend Ariana on the beach to set up the flowers and the hurricane lanterns, the tall glass holders that keep a candle lit when the wind comes off the water. Ariana was a huge help, and we got the whole setup looking just right. While my second photographer tucked into the jetty rocks to stay out of sight, Ariana noticed a group of guys who had walked down to fish off the jetty. She went right over and politely asked if they could slide a little to the right, since a proposal was about to happen. She had no idea those fishermen were about to become part of the story.
About ten minutes before the couple arrived, the fishermen caught a baby shark. I have been photographing surprise proposals for two decades, and you learn to use whatever the day hands you. So I asked the guys if one of them would walk the shark over to my setup and pretend to propose with it, just so I could check my light and angles before the real thing. They were all in. It is one of my favorite frames from the entire shoot.
The Walk Down the Beach
Before anyone arrived, I marked off the exact spot where I wanted Juliette to stand, and the exact direction I wanted her facing. I do this for every beach proposal. Get her turned the right way and the offshore wind pulls her hair back while the golden light falls across her face. The weather could not have cooperated more. Offshore winds, around 80 degrees, and that soft late light the shore does so well.
Anthony walked her down the sand, and the moment Juliette saw the flowers and the lanterns, she stopped in her tracks. She knew. He waved her over to the spot, and from my position down the beach I could already see it written all over her face.
He Got Down on One Knee
Anthony dropped to a knee, and Juliette was completely taken back. The kind of emotional where you forget anyone else is there. He asked, she said yes, and then came the hug that knocks the wind out of both of them. My second photographer popped out of the jetty rocks to catch the angles I could not, and between the two of us we had it covered from every side.
Golden Hour on the Jetty
Once the shaking and the laughing settled, we took a short walk out along the jetty rocks for a few portraits. This is the payoff for facing her into that offshore wind. The light was doing everything I wanted, the water was right behind them, and they were too happy to be nervous in front of the camera. We kept it to about ten minutes. After a surprise like that, the two of them just want to look at each other and let it sink in.
A Few Frames Under the Jenkinson’s Palms
Right by Jenkinson’s outdoor bar there are these palm trees that feel a little out of place on the Jersey Shore, in the best way. We grabbed a couple of quick frames there before heading off the beach. Juliette could not stop looking at her hand.
Then We Walked Over to Harbor Point
The celebration was waiting just a short walk away at Harbor Point, a beautiful new waterfront venue right on the bay. It is the kind of spot that works for weddings, showers, and any party you want to remember, with the wharf right next door under the same ownership. Anthony and Juliette had it set up perfectly. The lobby, the details, the food, all of it ready before the couple even arrived.
Then came the part I never get tired of. All her family and friends were waiting inside, and the couple made their entrance to a room full of people who love them. I do not know how anyone breathes through it. The hugs you get from your parents and your people after a moment like this carry so much energy and love that it spills out everywhere. Everyone is just squeezing all of it into each other at once.
Sunset on the Balcony
Harbor Point has an outdoor balcony that looks straight out over the bay and the inlet, with a sandbar across the water where boats pull up and tie off. We slipped out there right as the sun was going down and made a few last portraits. After a day like this one, that quiet balcony at sunset was the perfect place to end it. Anthony and Juliette, thank you for letting me be there for it. I could not be happier for the two of you.
Venue: Harbor Point, Point Pleasant Beach NJ
Photography: Jordan Brian Studios
Location: Manasquan Inlet jetty, Point Pleasant Beach NJ
Ready to Plan Your Own Surprise Proposal?
Whether you have a month to plan or just a few days like Anthony, tell me what you are thinking and I will help you figure out the rest. Take a look at how I photograph surprise proposals around NJ and the Jersey Shore, then fill out my proposal inquiry form here and let’s find your spot.