Surprise Proposal in Wengen near Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland
Why Switzerland is the Dreamiest Place for a Proposal
What makes Switzerland amazing for your surprise proposal, is that lots of mountain locations are reachable by train or gondola, and sometimes even with a car. This means that you don’t have to hike for 2 hours to have an amazing backdrop for your proposal, and to be wearing sports clothes on your proposal pictures. Lots of mountain locations also have a restaurant nearby, which makes it the perfect way to celebrate your engagement.
The Best Spots in Switzerland for a Surprise Proposal
The Bernese Oberland is the most touristic region of all Switzerland, and it’s full of beautiful locations that are perfect for a proposal. This one took place in Wengen, a small town you can access directly from Lauterbrunnen, in the Jungfrau region.
That being said, as a local, I really think there are so many underrated places for your surprise proposal, for example in the Valais region. This region is much less touristic, which means you’ll have a more private experience, and higher chances of being on your own for the big moment.
How to Plan Your Own Surprise Proposal in Switzerland
When you don’t know the exact locations in Switzerland, it can be hard to plan your surprise proposal. Working with a local photographer will ensure you’ll get advice from someone that knows the area, or that can location scout them before the proposal.
Depending on what you envision, you could also add a little set up, with flowers and a few decorations. If needed, I can definitely work hand in hand with planners, decorators.
The Story Behind Jed & Jillian’s Proposal
Jed reached out to me back in February last year, to plan a surprise proposal for his girlfriend Jillian. They had a swiss trip plan, that would lead them to the famous Bernese Oberland region, at the heart of Switzerland.
Right before catching their plane, Jillian broke her foot, which delayed their trip from a few days. She still handled the day like a champion though!
We were originally planning on meeting on top of a mountain near Lauterbrunnen, but the day of, upon arriving at the gondola, I realized it was closed due to strong winds. We had to pivot super quickly, exchanging texts with Jed, while he was with Jillian. Talk about a stressful situation! I quickly found another spot with beautiful views over the Lauterbrunnen valley, that only required a short walk from Wengen’s town center. I « hung out » at the location, casually taking pictures while waiting for them to arrive. Jed started setting up a small tripod for them to have a picture together, which was our signal for me to offer to take a picture of them, since I happened to have a camera on me… And that’s when the proposal happened! Jillian had no idea I was here on purpose, and it made for a really candid moment.
After all these emotions, we set off for a nearby spot with beautiful views of the Eiger peak, for a couple session.
Capturing the Moment – A Photographer’s Perspective
Capturing proposals is one of the things I love the most! I LOVE a surprise, and working together to create one is right up my alley. There is always of course an element of stress, since everything needs to align, but as an elopement photographer, I’m used to the unexepected, and having to pivot quickly is one of the skills I have to have!
If you’re contemplating proposing while you’re travelling Switzerland with your partner, know that I’ll be all giddy and excited when I’ll get your inquiry in my inbox!
