Surprise Proposal at Wales Alley in Old Town Alexandria

Nicole and Abheek’s surprise proposal at Wales Alley in Old Town Alexandria on April 25, 2026 was such a special one to capture. It all began when Abheek reached out asking if I photograph surprise proposals — and of course, the answer was yes. I love helping plan these moments and working alongside couples to make everything come together seamlessly.

We quickly began scouting the perfect location and landed on Wales Alley, which offered beautiful light earlier in the evening before their dinner reservations at The Chart House. Joey and I tucked ourselves nearby (hiding in our car just steps from the alley!) so we could watch everything unfold. As soon as they walked in, we stayed close and ready — and the moment Abheek got down on one knee, I moved into position to capture that perfect view down the alley.

Nicole and Abheek are the sweetest couple — so genuine and kind. I had actually met Nicole at a wedding expo, and she later shared our information with Abheek, hoping we would be the ones to capture their wedding. Moments like that truly mean so much, and it made this surprise proposal even more special to be part of.

The day turned out to be beautifully overcast, giving us soft, even light as we continued their engagement session along the Old Town waterfront after the proposal. Before heading to dinner, we explored a few more locations and captured additional portraits. To make the evening even more memorable, family and friends arrived to surprise Nicole, and Abheek had planned a full night of celebration.