Love under the sea: Andrew and Madeline’s Audubon Aquarium New Orleans Proposal
Love Under the Sea: Andrew & Madeline's Audubon Aquarium Proposal
When Andrew contacted me about proposing to his girlfriend, Madeline, I knew instantly that I wanted to work with him. What really caught my attention in his inquiry was his desire to incorporate personal touches. He had been saving photos and mementos from their entire seven-year relationship and created a scrapbook for Madeline. This is the exact kind of sentimentality and thoughtfulness I love to incorporate into proposal designs. Sure, romantic decor and a scenic location are important players in any proposal; but it’s the personal touches that really steal the show, in my opinion!
He also mentioned her love for marine life-sea turtles in general- and I knew before we ever spoke that he simply had to propose at the Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans. And it turns out, he completely agreed.
Diving into the Planning
During our initial consultation call, I suggested the aquarium as a potential location, and Andrew was immediately enthusiastic. He explained that they were planning a trip to several US cities and Atlanta was the next stop after New Orleans. He figured that she would suspect a proposal at the Atlanta Aquarium so she wouldn’t see it coming in New Orleans. Pretty clever, right?
The Aquarium has a warm place in my heart since I frequented it as a kid. Now when I have visited with my niblets, I’ve dreamed of orchestrating an proposal there. But I didn't want to do one like everyone else. No divers holding signs or butterfly releases for this gal! I wanted something unique, something bigger, something truly magical.
So, I reached out to Daniel, the Aquarium's Premium Experiences Manager, and we toured the facility together, exploring all the possibilities. I snapped photos of potential proposal spots and envisioned how we could transform the space into an underwater wonderland.
A Turtle-y Awesome Plan
After reviewing the options with Andrew, we decided on the Gulf Room, with its massive tank and resident sea turtle, Midas, as the perfect backdrop for the proposal. The ruse? A private tour of the aquarium, culminating in a surprise "cocktail reception" in the Gulf Room. They had gone on a similar tour on a visit to New York so it was completely on brand for them.
After the proposal, while we were off taking portraits in the aquarium, my team would whisk away to the tunnel and set up a table with Andrew's handmade scrapbook along with a bottle of champagne and charcuterie spread.
And because no proposal is complete without a touch of Lady magic, Andrew wanted a handmade element for Madeline to take home. We decided on a beautiful layered wood wall hanging featuring hydrangeas (her favorite flower) and, of course, a sea turtle.
Navigating the Challenges
As with any grand plan, we encountered a few bumps along the way. My initial vision involved renting out the aquarium after hours, which proved to be a bit pricey. But Daniel, ever the resourceful collaborator, helped us devise a plan to keep the proposal within his department's scope and budget.
We had to make a few concessions with our plan to fit into what Daniel could do for us. One of those being a tight timeline for setting up the décor. The tour would begin just as the aquarium closed for the day, leaving us with roughly 45 minutes to transform the Gulf Room. Thankfully, Daniel provided us with a conference room for the hour before to stage our décor so when the doors closed and all the kids had gone, we could spring into action.
Creating the turtle wall hanging was another labor of love. I had originally wanted to one to hang on each of the three gold plinths that would hold hydrangea arrangements. But each layer was so intricate it took nearly an hour to laser cut! Then there was the sanding and hand-painting each layer to include Madeline's favorite color- lavender. (It was worth every minute, though. That turtle was a masterpiece!)
The Day of the Proposal
As the day of the proposal approached, everything was falling into place. I hired a few extras to join the tour, so it wouldn't seem too obvious that it was just for Andrew and Madeline. Daniel handled the behind-the-scenes logistics, emailing Andrew from an official aquarium address to make the ruse seem even more legitimate.
And because white hydrangeas are far easier (and more affordable!) to get my hands on that purple ones, I spray-painted white hydrangeas lavender for Madeline. (Don't worry, they looked amazing! Nobody believed I had actually painted them.)
The team and I loaded all of our candles, vases, hydrangeas, roses, and other decor accoutrement into the conference room and got to work. I had been in the conference room once before, years prior when photographing a wedding there. The couple signed their marriage license in this room with it’s sprawling wood table and large, circular viewing window right into the main tank of the aquarium! We got to enjoy the fish cruising by while we arranged hydrangeas, got candles turned on and into their vases, and floated roses.
The idea was to have everything set up and into tubs that we could quickly move from the conference room, through the gift shop, and into the Gulf Room for setup as soon as the coast was clear. This bit of prep made ALL the difference. What could have been a stressful mad dash ended up being one of the quickest, easiest setups the team has ever done!
We hurried into the Gulf Room to set up as soon as the aquarium closed. After clearing all the furniture the team got to work arranging everything while I set up some tube lights to illuminate the couple against the backdrop of the massive tank. And for a surprise for the couple, a friend arrived to take photos and print them out as polaroids so the couple could have fresh photos for their scrapbook.
A Magical Moment Unfolds
As Andrew and Madeline approached the end of their tour, one of my assistants ushered them towards the “cocktail reception” in the Gulf Room. The rest of the tour hung back and as soon as I could hear my assistant nearing the Gulf Room, I hit play on "How Deep Is Your Love" by the Bee Gees. (Their song! So romantic!)
And then, as if on cue, Midas the sea turtle swam by, providing the perfect backdrop for the proposal. Andrew, looking a bit nervous but deternined, took Madeline's hand and led her to the spot. Surrounded by candles, purple hydrangeas, and a mesmerizing underwater world, he got down on one knee and asked Madeline to be his wife.
Tears flowed freely (mine included!), and Madeline, of course, said yes! After a few portraits in the Gulf Room, we headed off to explore the rest of the aquarium.
While we were taking photos, my team swiftly transformed the tunnel into a romantic haven, complete with Andrew's scrapbook and a bottle of champagne. (I had picked up the scrapbook from Andrew's hotel earlier – it was adorably wrapped in brown paper and twine.)
We had a slight hiccup when we realized we needed to walk through the tunnel to get to the aviary, where we planned to take more photos. My team quickly hid the surprise, and we continued our tour. (They had to jump out of sight behind a fake plant when we rounded the corner. It was rather amusing!)
Once we were done in the aviary, I led Andrew and Madeline back to the tunnel, where a table waited holding the scrapbook, their champagne, and the new polaroids which came as a surprise to both of them! More tears were shed as they looked through the memories they had created together- all lovingly handmade into a keepsake by Andrew. (It was a truly touching moment. I struggled not to cry while editing those photos!)
They toasted with a small bottle of champagne (one thing we had to compromise on was the tunnel surprise. Instead of a full-sized bottle and a cheeseboard, we went with just a small bottle to save time). To make it even more special with one final surprise, I created a custom label for the champagne bottle with their names, the date, and "Engaged in New Orleans." (I love adding those personal touches!)
After a final farewell, I sent the happy couple off into the night and helped my team load out, enjoying the breeze coming off of the river on that muggy July evening. I was filled with the satisfaction of pulling off such a huge surprise without a hitch, pride in my team for all their hard work.… and also an overwhelming desire for Raisin’ Cane’s Chicken. 🤣
Another Proposal Success
When Andrew wrote a review later, he said "If you're looking to plan a proposal in New Orleans, Lady must be your first choice. She is the best at what she does!" I have to admit- reading that felt really good. It feels amazing to know that we created something truly spectacular and brought a couple joy that they won’t soon forget. Madeline was completely blown away, and Andrew was thrilled that he had managed to surprise her (he had been right, by the way- she fully expected him to propose at the Atlanta Aquarium!).
So, what do you say? Ready to dive into your own custom proposal experience?
