Are you ready for one of the most thrilling and nerve-wracking experiences that, as a man, you will ever have in your life?
I’m talking about an engagement proposal in Mexico!
You want this to be special, and you want her to be surprised. Of course you do.
Even if you think your girlfriend is pretty easy going about this stuff, trust me, when it comes to getting engaged, EVERY girl wants you to blow her mind. She wants a great story to tell for the rest of her life!
With your vacation to the Riviera Maya on the calendar, this is your perfect opportunity, Amigo! A Tulum engagement will exceed her expectations.
Obviously, you will both be overwhelmed with emotion and adrenaline in the moment, so professional engagement photography will help you capture this special adventure.
We want your Mexico engagement to be smooth sailing, so you can move on to relaxing and celebrating.
Sound good?
Bueno.
Read on for our 8 words of advice for your Tulum engagement proposal –
1. How to Keep Your Tulum Engagement a SURPRISE
“Surprise”
First things first – you’ve got to keep this a surprise!
Don’t worry, this is actually much easier to pull off than you think…even if you think she is hard to surprise. The two best approaches are:
1. Tell her that you splurged on romantic vacation photos of the two of you in Tulum. (Girls find this a reasonable excuse for a photographer following them around.)
2. Have your photographer ‘approach’ you as someone who works for a local publication, and ask for a quick photo. (You will, of course, be all in!)
*Note: Plan for a signal from your photographer that tells you it is the right moment to propose. The last thing you want is to take your photographer by surprise! This way they are in the right position with the right light. Easy peasy.
2. Help her Look STYLISH for her Tulum Engagement
“Stylish”
The Catch-22 for keeping the proposal a surprise is that, in all fairness, she will want to look great in her engagement photos. This will require giving her a creative heads up on your part. You know her best, and what she will believe without getting tipped off, but here are a few little white lies to consider:
- You have hired a professional photographer (see above).
- She should get ready for a nice dinner out.
- There’s a popular breakfast joint you want to try.
- Get ready for the day/night so you don’t need to return to the hotel.
3. Where is the Best Tulum Proposal LOCATION?
“Location”
Tulum is stunning, so you don’t need to worry about setting the scene. Obviously, Tulum’s wide white beach gives you Mother Nature’s prettiest and most romantic backdrop for a proposal.
A beach club or beach stroll will offer the perfect proposal location. And Tulum also has plenty of cool perches set high above the beach that will give a whole new perspective of the rustic Caribbean sea below.
But don’t stop there!
In this unique bohemian town, the funky Instagram-worthy photo opportunities are endless! You can propose in a rustic jungle cafe or swanky cocktail bar, in front of the Tulum sign, or even just strolling down the street.
4. When is the Best TIME for Tulum Engagement Photos?
“Time”
There are two ‘best’ times of the day, called the Golden Hour, for your Tulum engagement photography session, when the light is soft and buttery. We want to avoid any harsh shadows, and especially, the heat of the day.
1. Mornings are great because the beaches are peaceful, serene and you will have more privacy. Plan to propose about an hour to 1.5 hours after sunrise for the ideal light.
2. However, if you plan to take advantage of Tulum’s trendy night scene, then it would be better to schedule your engagement photography session to start about one to 1.5 hours before the sunset.
5. What is the DURATION of a Tulum Engagement Photography Session
“Duration”
How long should an engagement photography session last?
1.5 hours is perfect because it takes most couples’ about ten minutes to relax and just to find their groove with a camera following them. We also like to give you a variety of fun backdrops in your package and take advantage of some of the wild scenes that Tulum has to offer.
However, it can often take less than an hour to capture the magic. So if you just want to propose, snap off a few photos of you two wildly in love, and move on to celebrating your engagement, that can be done.
6. What is the Right Tulum Engagement ATTIRE
“Attire”
What should a guy wear when proposing in Tulum?
Most importantly, wear something that makes you feel cool and comfortable. It’s HOT here in Mexico, even with the ocean breezes, and expect that your nerves will raise your body temperature even more. Stick to natural fibers like cotton, linen or silk.
Try to choose complementary colors to what your girlfriend wears, and also to the tropical Caribbean landscape. You can’t go wrong with white, blue, tan, or orange/coral.
What not to wear?
Just be sure to avoid stripes or busy patterns, and please don’t wear gray….it is a magnifying glass for sweat! No Bueno.
7. How to Make Your Tulum Proposal UNIQUE
“Unique”
Do you have something in mind that would make your proposal extra special? If you have proposal props you want to incorporate, try to coordinate with your engagement photographer ahead of time. We are always happy to hunt down or meet up ahead of time to bring extra goodies, rather than you, so you don’t raise any red flags and ruin the surprise.
Some fun ideas we’ve helped with:
- A bottle of champagne
- Message in a bottle for her to ‘find’ on the beach
- Big beach blanket and candles for a post-YES celebration
- “Will You Marry Me?” sign
- A guitar or ukelele
- Flowers, or flower petals (think “heart of red petals” on the beach!)
8. How to Look Handsome in Your Tulum Engagement Photos
“Handsome”
It’s true, most guys we work with HATE having their picture taken. This is super normal. To avoid the deer in headlights awkwardness in your engagement photos, here are two things to keep in mind:
- Completely ignore the camera. Pretend the photographer isn’t there. (Just listen for cues)
- Look at her or snuggle her as much as possible. You’re proposing so trust that there will be natural magic and emotion in your face and body language. We will do the rest!
Think you’re going to need more help than that? Check out our top ten tips for looking terrific in photos.
Okay, let’s review the 8 words of advice for those of you ‘to the point’ kind of guys:
- Make sure to keep this a Surprise
- Have a sneaky plan to get her looking Stylish
- Consider your best option for a proposal Location
- What is the ideal Time of day for your proposal?
- Plan your day around the Duration of the photo session
- Choose the right Attire to keep you feeling and looking cool
- Arrange for Unique props with your photographer
- Practice looking Handsome in your engagement photos!
That’s it! Hopefully, you are feeling confident now with some structure and a plan for your Tulum proposal. Tell me what word of advice you found most helpful in the comments below. And most importantly, remember to enjoy the adventure – it’s sure to be an awesome ride!
And if you’re looking for the best Tulum engagement photographer to capture your proposal in Tulum, then get in touch with us now to book! We are Fun In The Sun Weddings, the best Riviera Maya engagement photographers.
