A beautiful fall afternoon, a waterfront setting and a surprise proposal at one of Burlington's lovely outdoor locations. On October 25, Matt planned a proposal for Aaditi at North Shore Landing, tucked along the trails of the Royal Botanical Gardens Arboretum. With a little help from Aaditi's best friend, we coordinated the photography and captured the proposal before spending the afternoon exploring the Arboretum for portraits.


A Surprise Proposal at the Royal Botanical Gardens


Matt got in touch with me about a week before the proposal. He had a general idea of how he wanted things to unfold, and with a little help from Aaditi's best friend, we worked out the details.


The plan was to take a walk through the Arboretum before eventually making their way down to the waterfront. Matt would have Aaditi come to him at North Shore Landing, where he had planned to propose.


As with most plans, things didn't unfold exactly as expected, but eventually they made their way to the waterfront and Matt popped the question. Of course, Aaditi said yes!


And the proposal wasn't the only surprise of the afternoon. What followed was an opportunity to explore the Arboretum together and capture some photographs to celebrate the occasion.

A man kisses the hand of a woman in a dress lakeside, with fall trees and a city skyline behind them at surprise proposal at RGB Arboretum
Couple share an affectionate moment on a lakeside shore beneath fall trees at surprise proposal at RGB Arboretum in burlington
A man kneels on one knee proposing to a woman in a long blue dress lakeside at RGB Arboretum in burlington
Man kneeling on one knee proposes to a woman in a flowing light blue dress lakeside surrounded by colorful fall leaves at RGB Arboretum
Man kneels on one knee proposing to a woman lakefront with fall foliage during surprise proposal at RGB Arboretum in burlington
Man kneels on one knee before a woman in a blue dress, a lakeside proposal framed by autumn foliage at RGB Arboretum in burlington
Man kneels lakefront proposing to woman in a blue dress surrounded by autumn foliage at RGB Arboretum in burlington
Man kneels on one knee holding a ring box as he proposes to a woman in a blue dress lakeside in autumn at RGB Arboretum in burlington
Man kneels on one knee proposing to a woman in a long blue dress during a lakeside proposal at RGB Arboretum in burlington
Couple in a warm embrace lakeside surrounded by colorful fall foliage during surprise proposal at RGB Arboretum in burlington

North Shore Landing: A Waterfront Proposal Location in Burlington


One of the things I loved about this location was how much variety there was within a relatively small area.


North Shore Landing sits just off the forested trails of the Royal Botanical Gardens Arboretum, opening up to a beautiful waterfront setting. There's a slope down towards the water, a dock nearby and plenty of space to take in the view.


And the swans! There were so many of them throughout the water.


Looking out across the water towards Hamilton, it made for a beautiful setting for the proposal itself, especially with the late afternoon light.


The Arboretum also offers plenty of variety beyond the waterfront. Forested trails, large trees, open fields and rolling hills make it a lovely location for portraits, particularly during the fall when the leaves are changing.

Couplestanding on a wooden dock overlooking a calm lake framed by colorful autumn trees under a blue sky during a fall engagement at the RBG
Couple embracing at the end of a wooden dock overlooking a calm blue lake with autumn trees during the fall at RGB Arboretum in burlington.
Couple stand together near a wooded lakeside path surrounded by golden autumn foliage and fallen logs at RGB Arboretum in burlington

Planning a Surprise Proposal in Burlington


If you're thinking about proposing, one of the first things to consider is where you'd like it to happen.


A waterfront setting, a favourite walking trail, a place you've visited together or somewhere with a little room to wander afterwards can all make for a great proposal location.


You don't necessarily need an elaborate setup or a perfectly choreographed plan, either. Sometimes keeping things simple makes the whole experience feel much more natural.


A few things worth thinking about when planning a surprise proposal:

Choose your location: Consider somewhere that feels meaningful, or simply somewhere you both enjoy spending time.

Have a plan for your photographer: We'll work out where I'll be positioned, how I'll blend into the surroundings and what cues to look for.

Consider bringing in a friend: Having someone you trust help coordinate the details can make things much easier, especially when keeping the proposal a surprise.

Think beyond the proposal: Allow a little extra time afterwards for portraits. Once the question has been asked, we can explore the location and capture a variety of photographs together.


And don't worry if you aren't entirely sure how everything should work. That's something we can figure out together beforehand.

Couple stand close together on a sunlit wooden boardwalk surrounded by tall golden marsh grasses in the fall at RGB Arboretum in burlington.
Couple embrace on a sandy lakeside shore on a sunny day, framed by autumn trees and water in the fall at RGB Arboretum in burlington.
Couple holding hands walking on grassy path covered in fallen leaves during a fall engagement sessions at RGB Arboretum in burlington.

Proposal Photography at the Royal Botanical Gardens Arboretum


After the proposal, we spent the next hour exploring different areas of the Arboretum and making the most of the beautiful fall afternoon.


The weather was almost unbelievably warm for late October, with plenty of sunshine and temperatures above 20 degrees. It was the kind of afternoon that makes you want to stay outside a little longer.


We started along the waterfront, taking advantage of the open views and creating some silhouettes against the water. From there, we wandered through the surrounding fields, found a few beautiful trees with sprawling branches and made our way through the changing fall colours.


There was plenty of room to switch things up throughout the session, from the open waterfront views to the more wooded areas of the Arboretum. The variety made it easy to create a gallery that felt different from one location to the next.


It's one of the things I love about outdoor engagement and proposal sessions. You don't have to stay in one spot or stick to one style of photograph. A little exploring can go a long way.


If you're looking for a little inspiration, you can take a look at some of my engagement sessions to see more of what a session can look like.

A couple walks hand in hand down a sunlit dirt path surrounded by colorful autumn trees during the fall at RGB Arboretum in burlington.
Couple hold hands on a sunlit lakeside path surrounded by autumn trees during the fall at RGB Arboretum in burlington.
Smiling couple embracing by a calm lake on a sunny day, during a fall surprise proposal at RGB Arboretum in burlington.
Man smiling at his fiance at the north shore landing during a surprise proposal in the fall at RGB Arboretum in burlington.
Couple embracing on a wooden dock over a calm lake, with colorful autumn trees during a surprise proposal at RGB Arboretum in burlington
Couple embracing lakefront on a sunny fall day, with colorful trees and a blue sky during surprise proposal at RGB Arboretum in burlington
Couple holding hands while walking along a wooden boardwalk through tall golden grass on a sunny fall day at RGB Arboretum in burlington
Couple in a romantic embrace lakefront, surrounded by colorful fall foliage, on the trails at RGB Arboretum in burlington
Couple embracing and about to kiss beneath a large tree with golden fall leaves, during engagement session at RGB Arboretum in burlington
Couple embracing in a sunlit park beneath golden fall leaves during fall engagement session at RGB Arboretum in burlington

Planning Your Own Surprise Proposal?


Whether you're considering a waterfront proposal, a quiet spot along a favourite trail or something a little more elaborate, I'd love to help capture it.


As a proposal photographer serving Burlington, Hamilton and the surrounding areas, I can help coordinate the photography beforehand so you can focus on the moment itself.


We'll figure out the location, timing and where I'll need to be, then leave some time afterwards to capture a few photographs together.


You don't need to have every detail figured out before getting in touch. We can work through the plan together.


Thinking about popping the question? Get in touch and let's start planning →

Black and white image of close up of hands showcasing an engagement ring in the sun at RGB Arboretum in burlington.