Surprise Proposal Photography St Andrews

Thinking of popping the question in St Andrews?

As a surprise proposal photographer based in St Andrews, my goal is to use my years of experience to take the stress out of the planning: so you can stay present, and enjoy one of the most unforgettable experiences of your life. My packages are designed specifically with couples in mind, to preserve every genuine reaction, every happy tear, and every detail of the big moment.

Whether you’re planning an intimate proposal in a private garden, or a grand gesture on the iconic Swilcan Bridge on the Old Course – I’ll help you document it so you can look back at the moment both of your lives changed forever. From choosing the perfect location to planning the exact moment, I provide personalized guidance on timing, lighting, and angles, to ensure your big moment is photographed with both authenticity and artistry.

Man proposing to woman outdoors, holding ring box.

The Moment: Essential

£220

Photography of the surprise moment!
Pre-session consultation call
Up to 20 minutes of photography post-proposal
Session planning and location discussion
Approximately 100 photos, edited in my signature true-to-colour, light style
Private, online, digital gallery with free unlimited downloads
Copies of your photos provided in both colour and monochrome

Couple hugging happily outside with thumbs up.

The Moment: Classic

£295

Photography of the surprise moment!
Pre-session consultation call
Up to 1 hour of photography post-proposal
Session planning and location discussion
Approximately 200 photos, edited in my signature true-to-colour, light style
Private, online, digital gallery with free unlimited downloads
Copies of your photos provided in both colour and monochrome
Multiple outfit changes welcome
Choice of 1-2 locations
Unlimited planning consultations
All your photos in high resolution, ideal for printing and photo gifts
Location scouting assistance and planning support

Man proposing on golf course bridge, photographed.

The Moment: Bespoke

£450+

Photography of the surprise moment!
Pre-session consultation call
20 minutes of photography post-proposal plus an Engagement Shoot at a later date
Session planning and location discussion
Approximately 300+ photos, edited in my signature true-to-colour, light style
Private, online, digital gallery with free unlimited downloads
Copies of your photos provided in both colour and monochrome
Multiple outfit changes welcome
Choice of 2-4 locations
Unlimited planning consultations
All your photos in full resolution, ideal for printing and photo gifts
Location scouting assistance and planning support
Receive sneak peek images within 48 hours
Extended session time for relaxed shooting and multiple locations

Videography
£350

Full Recording of your Proposal (available in any package).
2x professional camera angles (a wide shot for your beautiful location’s backdrop, and zoom for your partner’s reaction).

BOOK YOUR SURPRISE PROPOSAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Where to propose in st andrews

Want to see what your proposal might look like through my lens? Have a read of the blogs below from past clients who proposed at iconic St Andrews locations:

EAst sands PROPOSAL, st andrews

MICHAEL & SHANNON

CASTLE sands PROPOSAL, st andrews

Charlotte Davies Photography - St. Andrews Wedding Photographer. A couple stands near beach rocks, embracing and kissing. The man wears a blue shirt and gray pants, while the woman wears a floral dress. The ocean is visible in the background.

BENEDIKT & BRITTANY

WEST sands PROPOSAL, st andrews

KYLE & LIV

Frequently Asked Questions

Planning a proposal is a huge amount of work – and when you’re going to surprise your partner, you can’t even discuss it with them, the person you’re probably closest to! Here are some of the most frequently asked questions I hear from the proposing partners, but we will always chat everything through on your pre-booking consultation call.

As a rule of thumb, a month’s notice (at least) is ideal – but in reality, every proposal is different. The shortest turnaround I’ve worked with was three days, and we made it work (and while I won’t point them out, their photos are visible on this page!). That said, if you have a date in mind, the sooner you get in touch the better. As a St Andrews wedding photographer, summer is busy – wedding season means key dates fill up quickly, and if you’re planning around a specific trip or anniversary, you don’t want to find your date is already gone. As soon as you confirm your travel plans or decide the day on which you want to ask the question, that’s the time to reach out. The date gets you in the diary, everything else we work out together!

Honestly, it depends on the location – but if I’m noticed, I’ll often just engage. On a busy street or an open public space, the best cover for a lingering photographer is another booking. I’ll approach the couple, ask if they’ve seen a tour group I’m supposed to be meeting, make friendly conversation, and move on. The worst thing to do is hover quietly at the edge of someone’s line of sight – that’s what actually looks suspicious. A confident, chatty stranger is forgotten in seconds.

At West Sands or the Botanic Gardens it’s rarely an issue. I shoot from a distance, there’s natural cover, and a photographer on a St Andrews beach isn’t exactly an unusual sight.
The trickiest situation I’ve found myself in was on the New Course, where I ended up having to follow a couple to the far end of the driving range – just the three of us, nowhere to hide, and no passing strangers to blend in with or other groups to talk to. I had to face them head-on and stick to my story about the group I was waiting for. It worked. I’m no drama school graduate by any means, but I get by just fine!

Discretion starts from the very first message. Emails from me will always have a subject line that gives nothing away, and wherever possible I prefer to move conversations across to WhatsApp – with a quick reminder to keep the chat muted so nothing pops up on your screen at the wrong moment. Further to this – I tend to keep text communication to a minimum, so most of our planning work will be done over a phone call. When you first get in touch, let me know the best time for a call – ideally when your partner is at work, or you’re away on a trip or seeing family. That first conversation is where we do most of the planning, so a window where you can talk freely makes a real difference. The secret is always safe, that’s part of the job and part of paying a professional proposal photographer like myself who has seen it all!

Every proposal is different, but the planning process follows the same general shape.
Once your date is secured, we’ll have an initial call to talk through the location, the timing, and what you’re hoping for from the day. This is where we’ll look at tide times if we’re heading to West Sands, the forecast, the seasonal light, and any location-specific factors that might influence the plan. We’ll also talk through a Plan B – which I always have in place just to cover us in the event of unforeseen circumstances. For example, sometimes the St Andrews Botanic Gardens closes for high winds, and the last thing you need on proposal day is a decision to make under pressure. It’s also a good idea to double check the date for any events that might draw a larger crowd to locations like the Swilcan Bridge.
Beyond that initial, in-depth planning consultation, we’ll check in again closer to the date to make sure everything still holds. The Scottish weather has a habit of changing its mind, and a plan that made sense six weeks out might need a small adjustment the week – or even a few days – before.
On the call we’ll also agree on the cover story, how I’ll position myself, and how you’ll signal to me that the moment is coming. The less we leave to chance on the day, the more you can focus on the only thing that actually matters.

St Andrews has no shortage of beautiful settings, and the honest answer is that the best location is the one that suits you as a couple – and the one we can make work logistically for a surprise. Those two things don’t always point in the same direction, which is why we talk it through properly before the day.
A few things I’ll always consider with you: how busy the location is likely to be at your chosen time, whether there’s natural cover for me to shoot from without being obvious, and what the light will be doing. Tide times matter at West Sands. Sunday mornings are far better than afternoons at the Swilcan Bridge. The Botanic Gardens can close at short notice in high winds, so we always have a Plan B – Craigtoun Country Park being a favourite backup.
If you have a location in mind already, bring it to our planning call and we’ll work out whether it’s the right fit – and if it is, exactly how to make it work. If you’re open to suggestions, I know this town well enough to match the setting to the moment.
Want to see how different St Andrews locations have worked for real proposals? The blogs above are a good place to start.

Yes, and it’s something worth thinking about before the day, even if you’re not sure yet. All three proposal packages include time after the moment itself, from a short twenty minute couples session straight after the proposal, through to a longer shoot while the joy of the day is still completely fresh. There’s flexibility on the day too, if you’re in the moment and want to keep going, I always have budgeted time in the diary to extend sessions, as I appreciate there’s an element of unknown in the whole occasion! For a full engagement shoot, that’s always a separate session booked for another day. Partly because it gives your partner the chance to come prepared – the right outfit, the right headspace – rather than being photographed in whatever they happened to be wearing when you popped the question, even if you’ve done the legwork as proposing partner to make sure the outfit is something they’re happy with.
The Bespoke proposal package combines both – a couples shoot on the proposal day, plus a full engagement session later at a special rate, so you have both moments covered.
Full explanations of what’s included at each level can be found above in the package details, and you can read more about the separate St Andrews engagement shoot packages I offer here.