The story behind the proposal

Every now and then, a message lands in my inbox that just makes me grin. This one was from James – a mate of Romello, whose proposal I’d photographed earlier this year. Both from California, both absolute legends, and both choosing London as the place to get down on one knee. Love that. James had seen Romello’s photos and basically said, “Mate, I want to do that too.” And honestly, who could blame him? Tower Bridge just has that magic about it – the skyline, the Thames, and that golden light (when it decides to show up).

We planned it all properly, timing it close to sunset to catch whatever light London felt like offering that day. When I arrived, James and Christine were sat on a bench next to the spot we picked. I was loitering nearby, pretending to photograph the bridge like your average tourist with two cameras.

Then it happened. James stood up, turned towards Christine, and dropped to one knee. You could see the nerves, the excitement, that tiny pause before she realised what was happening… and then that massive yes. I loved it. Photographing proposals is so thrilling – I get to relive the excitement every time and it never fades.

After the proposal

Afterwards, we took a slow walk around Tower Bridge, catching the last of the daylight. The light was unreal – proper golden hour glow bouncing off the river. They were laughing, joking, soaking it all in. No awkward posing, just real joy. We wandered over to St Dunstan in the East for a few pics before heading back towards the bridge. By then the sky had gone all pink and orange – the kind of sunset you don’t plan, it just happens and you can’t stop grinning.

What I loved most about this one was how personal it felt. The fact that it all came through a friend made it that bit more special. James and Christine were a dream to photograph – laid-back, kind, and completely lost in the moment.

Massive congrats again to these two. Thanks for letting me be a small part of it all.