Andrew & Shelbie’s Sutro Baths Sunset Surprise Proposal

If I had to shoot at only one place and time of day for the rest of my life, I’d choose the Sutro Baths sunset in a heartbeat. The light there is absolutely incredible, especially as we head into the fall season, and it’s actually quite different from day to day. But even after shooting here a hundred times before, I was still really nervous when Andrew wanted this spot for his proposal, as it’s such a crowded place with very limited maneuverability, and it’s very difficult to coordinate, especially with the surprise element of a proposal!

Andrew and Shelbie had just flown in for a week-long trip to San Francisco, giving them a perfect opportunity for an incredible and memorable engagement. As they made their way towards the Sutro Baths ruins, we started getting ready for their big moment. Luckily, we encountered a lot of very accommodating (and discreet!) bystanders, and they were more than willing to quietly shuffle away as our couple approached, with Shelbie of course not knowing that this was all carefully arranged.

The area cleared just in time for Andrew & Shelbie to have their magical moment together. As you can see in the photos below, while the water and skies are pretty, Shelbie’s beautiful reaction is really what we were there for — and their overflowing excitement was acutely infectious. We’re absolutely thrilled for the two of them!