Enchanting New Orleans Twilight: A Unique 'Corpse Bride' Themed Proposal

Dennis conjures up a magical setting for his one-of-a-kind surprise marriage proposal

I am well overdue for a post about this unique surprise engagement proposal I orchestrated for Dennis and his girlfriend, Keren over the summer!

Dennis and Keren had relocated to the New Orleans, the French Quarter specifically, during the 2021 lockdown. Moving to a new place in the middle of a pandemic doesn’t exactly lend itself to exploring your new city much. So even though he’s a local, he needed a bit of assistance planning the perfect experience. That’s where I came in!

Dennis wanted to propose over a picnic in the park. But your typical romantic picnic was not going to cut it. Keren has a spooky vibe and a deep love for Tim Burton’s "The Corpse Bride". He wanted a picnic themed after the movie- a little goth, a little witchy, and a lot spooky.
Dennis was initially considering a local picnic setup company, but after a good look, he and I both felt that their style leaned more towards romantic glam and less the “romantic spooky” we were shooting for. I presented him with a mood board with a glimpse of the gothic magic I was conjuring. And you know what? It was like I read his mind (witchy much?)! He was all in. His job was to bring the champagne and charcuterie. And mine was to transform a spot in Audubon Park into a scene straight out of The Corpse Bride.

There were a few hurdles: 1. Corpse bride is a cool-toned movie and gothic decor tends to lean more warm. 2. July is hot as hell. And this July was even worse than normal.

But we all know that I’m always game for a challenge! I pulled some things from my decor collection- some silver lanterns, LED candles, lace fabric, a kerosene lantern, and some spooky accoutrement. I was going to need a little help fleshing it all out, though. So I enlisted the help of an old friend who just so happens to be an aficionado of all things goth. Her house is a literal gothic museum with some of the coolest decor pieces you can imagine. She literally has Lestat’s coffin from the AMC Interview reboot in his parlor. She was my guide as I thrifted additional pieces for the setup and whatever I couldn’t find she let me shop her house for.

But the pièce de résistance was a handmade touch I decided to add at the last minute. I didn’t tell Dennis about it which was a huge gamble. I felt the whole setup needed just a little more zhuzh to bring the theme together. It couldn’t just be a cool-toned gothnic (see what I did there?). It needed to be decidedly corpse bride.

Halloween bizarrely décor hit shelves in July this year. So I was able to easily find what I was after. I picked up a wooden coffin-shaped sign, painted it white, and used a dusty blue chalk marker hand lettered (in the Corpse Bride font I had to go digging for) the first line of Victor’s vows in the movie: “I will light your way in the darkness”. I crossed my fingers that it would be a hit and not a miss!

On the proposal day, my assistant and I braved the sweltering heat to set up. I was thoughtful enough to bring along a few battery-powered fans to help keep us cool while we setup and also have on hand for the couple. They were blue, conveniently! Other setup challenges included a bulky metal trash drum, inconveniently placed right behind where we wanted our proposal staged. With some effort and a lot of careful nudging (read: dragging while grunting), we managed to move it out of the frame. I brought along my trusty proposal push broom and swept away as much water from near the fountain as possible. I didn’t want puddles muddying up the moment.

Despite the sweat and hurdles, we managed to create a Gothic picnic scene, complete with a plush blue velvet blanket, crates draped in white and silver fabrics, candles, and black foliage. A coffin-shaped charcuterie board, a silver champagne bucket, and two wine glasses with skeleton hand bases completed the setup. Next to it, a coffin-shaped shelf held a blue-painted skull, bottles, dried roses, and candles. The hand-painted sign was placed on the other side, framing the scene.

Then the magic happened. Keren and Dennis approached, hand in hand, strolling down a grassy path lined with oak trees and classic New Orleans street lamps. My assistant and I hid behind a tree so the couple would feel like the only two people in the world. I peaked around the Oak’s wide base to get a few shots as the couple walked up. I wanted to capture Keren's surprised expression when she saw the setup. Just as Dennis hoped, she was breathless. And just as we had planned, Dennis guided her to the perfect spot for photos.

But what he did next was a complete surprise to not only Keren but to me as well. He began reciting the vows from the movie- the very same ones I quoted on my sign! How perfect is that??

With a stunning diamond solitaire on a pavé band, he popped the question, and she joyfully accepted. I emerged from hiding, offering congratulations and setting up their champagne toast. We captured their happiness in engagement photos until twilight turned into night and it was too dark for even a mirrorless camera to see.

We discreetly departed, leaving them to savor their engagement under the full moon. I arranged for another assistant to collect everything so the two of us could head home to cool off and they wouldn’t feel rushed with us waiting around.

The photos we captured were truly special- a lasting memory of their unforgettable moment. They both looked exactly as I envisioned and exceeded my expectations! Which is a bit of a challenge considering the unreasonably high set of standards I hold for myself.

Crafting highly customized, themed proposals like this one is my favorite part of my job. If you're ready to create your own unique love story, reach out. Let's craft your own fairy-tale proposal. Love knows no limits and neither should your proposal dreams. I am here to help you make those dreams a reality.

Let's do this