Planting the Seeds of Love: Ben and Elyce's Plant Sale Proposal in New Orleans
How a Fake Plant Sale Turned into a Real Proposal in New Orleans
For a woman as Unique as Elyce, an every day, ordinary surprise proposal just wasn’t going to cut it.
We are not even three whole months into 2024 and I have already had the honor of working with more than a dozen people planning on proposing in New Orleans this year! I’ve been so deep in helping create proposal stories that I haven’t had much time to show them to y'‘all! But I just got all caught up on image editing and the glue is drying on a handmade touch for a unique proposal this Friday. So I figured I would take a moment to share with you this delightful house plant surprise proposal from earlier this month.
The Stars of the Show
Ben was nearly five years into his relationship with his college sweetheart, Elyce, when he contacted me about his plan to propose to her. He was more than sure she was the woman he wanted to marry- in fact, he’d known he wanted to marry her ever since their very first date. Elyce isn't just anyone; a third year dental student, she's as kind and giving as she is brilliant and beautiful. She knows how to be have a good time and not take herself too seriously. She also has a profound love for houseplants, turning her and Ben’s shared home into a thriving indoor garden. Ben's idea was simple—ask Elyce to marry him in a setting that wasn’t too crowded and resonates with her passions, such as the New Orleans Botanical Gardens. But, he wanted to include a unique twist that would require a bit more creativity.
A Surprise Unlike Any Other
Ben wanted to include a very special element in his proposal- a recording of Elyce’s father giving him his blessing. This wasn't just about asking for her hand in marriage; it was about honoring family and creating a moment that he knew would throw Elyce for a loop. But me being me, I figured we could do better than just a recording inside the gardens. I pitched him a video at a plant sale instead. Yes, you heard that correctly—a plant sale that was more than meets the eye, designed to lead Elyce to a moment she'd never forget. Ben was all in.
We got to work planning out all of the details to bring this vision to life. Ben and Elyce would visit the botanical gardens before heading to a plant sale they’d heard was happening after the Gardens closed. This wasn't just any sale, though. The vendor, a key ally in our elaborate plan, had an important part to play. She'd start talking up this exotic, new hybrid plant that her company had recently acquired, boasting of its rarity and the special video they had just put together to showcase its unique qualities. Elyce, with her well-known affection for all things green and growing, would naturally be drawn in, eager to learn more about this exclusive plant. And just as the video gets going, it would cut to a recording of her dad.
Piecing the Proposal Together
To bring this pivotal moment to life, we enlisted the help of Canopy Plant Co, an online plant retailer whose headquarters just so happen to be here in New Orleans. As the face of Canopy on social media and her background in theater, Cassie was the perfect choice to not only be our decoy plant seller but also introduce the video. She embraced the role with the enthusiasm I’ve come to expect from Canopy’s tiktok videos. She presented the fake plant promo with such authenticity that anyone would be convinced it was legit. But as the video progressed, the narrative shifted dramatically. Instead of detailing the virtues of a new plant species, it transitioned to a heartfelt message from Elyce's father, giving Ben his blessing to propose.
To legitimize the plant sale, I handpicked a selection of plants that I knew would catch Elyce's eye. Ben sent me the video we requested her dad make for the surprise and I edited the video to make it completely convincing right up until the moment her dad popped on the screen. Everything was lined up to be perfect!
Always Ready for Anything
But, as luck would have it, we got hit by a massive downpour the day before the proposal. Our plan A spot was a no-go; it was muddy and even the sidewalk was flooded. But that’s why we had a plan B! The Perisyle can be unpredictable. You just never know what you’ll happen upon there. But on this cloudy, slightly rainy day, it was completely empty- except for some leftover crawfish heads we had to clean up. And this is why I always keep a broom in my car!
As Ben and Elyce showed up, my assistant and I were already in place. She was pretending to check out plants at the sale, and I was hiding behind a pillar, taking sneaky shots. When the big moment came, and Elyce was watching the video, everything just flowed exactly as planned. Ben was smooth as ever, dropping his jacket to the ground and kicking it under the table while the video played. Her reaction was more than I could have hoped for- huge smiles with her head thrown back in laughter. After the video was over, Ben took the ipad from her and lead her to the proposal spot we had picked out. And as if on cue, the sun broke through the clouds right as she said yes. It was yet another perfectly cinematic proposal!
A Few Extra Surprises
Oh, and get this: While we were taking photos, I spotted my photographer buddy Dmitry across the bayou, snapping away. He had seen me setting up and guessed what was going down. (It’s a fair guess, If I'm in the park with a camera, somebody is about to get engaged, guaranteed. So he stuck around and captured the whole thing from another angle. That guy always gets the best behind the scenes shots! I texted him and asked him to come join us as his photos lend a different eye to the moment.
And as if a flawless proposal wasn’t enough, we had one more surprise up our sleeves. We had Canopy ship Elyce her dream plant, a Monstera Thai Constellation, with a custom plant stake saying "Congratulations, Elyce and Ben!" Ben said she was over the moon when it arrived.
More than Just a Job
These are the exact kind of proposals that I love doing. I love tailoring the moment to the couple and including elements of surprise they’ll never see coming. It just makes the whole experience even more unforgettable.
When I photographed that first proposal a decade ago, just on the other side of the bayou from where Elyce said “yes!'“, I never dreamed so many couples would be entrusting future me with such pivotal moments in their lives.
While I have seen so many proposals I may not cry every time anymore, the magnitude of what I am witnessing is never lost on me. It is a real honor to be invited into such an important turning point in a relationship. And I approach every proposal with the respect and attention to detail that moment deserves- even if that means sweeping up some stinky ole crawfish heads. :)
Photos of this absolutely delightful plant sale proposal after the jump!
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