Should I Hire a Photographer for my Boston Proposal?

Couples who’ve recently gotten engaged will know that the most common questions are:
- How did it happen?
- Was it a surprise?
and
- Did you get any pictures?!?!

Everyone wants to see the moment, the reaction, the happiness and joy. Without a photographer, you maybe remembered to take a blurry selfie. Don’t get us wrong, we love a blurry selfie! A proposal is a commitment to each other, an agreement to marry and spend the rest of your lives trying to make each other happy, you could almost consider it the first page of the first chapter of your life together. So let’s document it!

Boston Proposal Concierge works with the best proposal photographers in Boston. We’ll match you with a talented professional photographer who will be in place at your proposal location, usually hiding out of sight. You’ll get stunning pictures of the moment you asked and they said yes. We can also arrange extra time for pictures of the two of you afterwards, not to mention our talented filmmakers who can put together an emotional highlight film with optional drone content depending on location.

Proposal photography is a specialized skill! You need a photographer who can work in high-stress situations/unpredictable situations, be as unobtrusive and quiet as possible, and who knows exactly when to hit the shutter to capture the surprise, the joy and the YES!

Historically, if you’ve been planning a Boston proposal, you have to come up with a plan, figure out permits, hope there aren’t too many people around, want to bring champagne? Sure, oh no, now you need an ice bucket and ice. You have to reach out to a bunch of photographers and try to figure out who to hire. Who has time for all of that? With just one discovery call to Boston Proposal Concierge, we’ll hook you up with some sweet proposal concepts, you pick one, and then we make it happen. All you have to do is show up and ask the question…

Who are the best jewelers in Boston for engagement rings?

How to Shop for an Engagement Ring in Boston…

While it may be true that the decision to spend the rest of your life with your partner feels like a no-brainer, for many it’s figuring out how to buy the ring that is the hardest piece of the engagement puzzle.  Where should I shop for an engagement ring? Should I go to a national chain or a local Boston jeweler? How do I buy a diamond?  What questions should I ask? All fair questions considering this is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. If you are all about putting a ring on it, but just don’t know where to begin, we are here to help.  Consider this blog your CliffsNotes for buying the bling.

Find a Jeweler in Boston who specializes in engagement rings

Finding a jeweler you trust is a big part of the process.  You of course want to make sure the shop carries styles that fit your vision (and specific designers if you have any in mind) but it is also important that you read reviews and make sure you are entering into this purchase with a seller with a stellar reputation.  You want someone who can demonstrate that they are educated about stones and ideally have an insurance program they can offer.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions- they assume you haven’t done this before and can help hold your hand through this important process.

How Much to Spend

Ever since DeBeers launched their diamond marketing campaign 40 years ago with the tagline “How to Make Two-Months’ Salary Last Forever,” the 2 month salary has become the rule of thumb as the appropriate amount to spend.  It’s a good place to start, but obviously the final budget needs to be tailored to the buyer’s specific situation, either by spending more when possible for someone who places great importance on the bling, or less when spending 2-months’ salary is simply not reasonable. 

Choosing a Style & Cut

Vintage or Modern?  Understated or extravagant?  You can usually gather clues as to the kind of jewelry your partner will like from their style when it comes to clothing and personality. Use these descriptors when speaking to your jeweler and they will definitely be able to point you in the right direction.  To put size in perspective, the average engagement ring stone is 1 carat. If you know your partner is a “More is More” kind of person and wants more sparkle than your budget allows, you may want to consider Halo Styling where the center diamond is surrounded by a frame of other small diamonds and gives the ring a larger look.  Elongated cuts like an oval cut also create the illusion of a larger stone.  And don’t be shy to enlist a friend of your partner for help.  We hate to stereotype but if they are close friends and you are shopping for a female, chances are they’ve talked rings. 

Choosing a Diamond for your Boston Engagement

When it comes to choosing the actual stone, it is a very personal process.  Diamonds have (4) rating criteria known as the Four C’s- Color, Cut, Clarity & Carat.  You can work with your jeweler to find a stone that hits the right spot on the scale for each of these buckets depending on budget and priorities.  For a quick brush-up on your Four C’s prior to ring shopping, we love this guide from Brides.Com: https://www.brides.com/story/choosing-engagement-ring-four-cs You may also want to ask about the sourcing of your diamond. For example, Tiffany & Co. is committed to sourcing natural and precious materials in an ethical and sustainable manner with a zero-tolerance policy toward conflict diamonds, and source diamonds only from known sources and countries that are participants in the Kimberley process.

You may also forgo a classic white diamond for a stunning yellow diamond or maybe another gemstone altogether like emerald, ruby or sapphire.

Choosing a Metal

The choice in metals comes down to style, budget and durability.  Platinum rings have a natural white color that will never fade over time, along with a warmer glow or “patina” than white gold which has a higher shine.  It is a denser metal so it is known for having the greatest durability over time.  These characteristics also come with a higher price tag.  Equally popular but slightly less durable and certainly less expensive are yellow, white or rose gold bands.  Again- these color options are all about style.  Take a look at the jewelry tones your partner typically wears if you need a hint (i.e. someone who wears all silver most likely would not want a yellow gold band). There are also less traditional materials such as palladium, tungsten and titanium and silver, these can be more popular for those with very active lifestyles (tungsten is 4 times harder than titanium and more scratch-resistant for example).

Other considerations

Whilst the proposal can still be a surprise, it’s also completely normal for couples to talk about marriage before such an event, this may include a conversation about ring styles and you may even want to visit a jewelers together to make sure you get the perfect ring! We’ve also worked with couples who’ve chosen to forgo engagement rings for heirloom timepieces from Omega or Patek Phillipe for example.

Now what? How do I plan my Boston proposal?

So you’ve bought the ring but need some help with the presentation?  We’ve got your back! Reach out to Boston Proposal Concierge for a consultation on creating a custom proposal experience that is completely unique and will be an utterly memorable start to this new chapter of your lives!

xoxo

The Boston Sports Venue Proposal

Home run or foul ball?

“What were you planning on doing? Asking her to marry you at a Yankee game?” Jack Nicholson condescendingly asks Adam Sandler in the movie Anger Management. Sandler responds, “Yes, how did you know?”. “I didn’t. I just thought of the corniest thing I could think of.” 

OK, we get it, the pro-sports game proposal has grown a bit tired and cliché.  And while we aren’t suggesting holding up a “Will You Marry Me?” sign for the kiss-cam, we do think there is still some excitement that comes along with the sporting venue proposal when done the right way. So if you’re wondering “Can I get engaged at Fenway? or How can I propose at Gillette?” we have all the answers for you!

For Boston sports fans, Fenway Park, the Garden and Gillette Stadium are all iconic spaces, and for many couples these locations are part of their love story.  To these couples, we say go for it. There are ways of using the excitement of these spaces to make a BIG PLAY when it comes to proposing and bringing in the all-star pros from Boston Proposal Concierge can help keep it memorable and unique without the side of cheese.

So how does one get to the “I DO” without the EYE-ROLL?   It’s all about keeping things fresh and keeping them exclusive.  Whether it’s tickets to watch the game from the owner’s box filled with flowers and candlelight, private on-field access, a private scoreboard montage of your love story, or one of the million other ideas we have up our sleeve, making the proposal moment as spectacular as your relationship is all about ACCESS. 

“We adore hearing about a couple’s story and then creating a moment that is an extension of that story,” says BPC planner Erin Davies.  “We want the proposal to be the thrilling next chapter, but still part of the same book.  Sometimes the sporting venue is a big part of their story, and its our job to give them a proposal idea that has never been done before, even if the request is to make it happen in a place where thousands of proposals have already happened.  Lucky for us, with our combined decades of event experience, we know how to gain exclusive access to these spaces to create really unique moments.”

So if you’re looking for the proposal to be a home run, slam dunk, or whatever other sports analogy you can think of, we say give us a call and GO FOR IT.  Even a G.O.A.T. needs a little assist from time to time.  See what we did there?

Best Winter Proposal Spots in Boston

New England. I think we can all agree on the fact our winter weather is unpredictable at best. Some winters we get a smattering of snow, other winters, we start designating every other street as a spot to dump snow. And what if you’re planning a winter proposal? We’ll talk about some great outdoor winter proposal locations in Boston if your date is flexible and give you ideas for indoor locations in case of an unexpected snowstorm!

For years, Top of the Hub was THE proposal site for Bostonians, however with it’s 2020 closing (not to mention the tight space of being packed in with other people on tables so close to you!), we have some other options!
1. Commonwealth Ave with twinkle lights
2. Christopher Columbus Park with the winter trellis lighting
3. Post Office Square (you need a permit!)
4. Boston Public Garden
5. Seaport District/Fan Pier

If you’re looking for something more private, we can help…

Check out the deep twilight blue lights of the arches at Christopher Columbus Park in Boston, MA. The perfect spot for a proposal!

Credit: Lindsay Cadigan