Surprise Sailboat Engagement in Perkins Cove, Maine
There are some love stories that feel like they’re carried on the wind, and Prajesh and Vijitha’s surprise engagement in Perkins Cove was exactly that. We set out that afternoon with a plan tucked carefully between excitement and nerves, boarding a small sailboat that would take us into the open ocean for the moment he’d been dreaming of. What none of us knew was just how adventurous the journey would become.
Right as we were preparing to leave the harbor, the boat had a brief mechanical hiccup—just long enough to make all our hearts race a bit faster. For a few minutes, it genuinely felt like the surprise proposal might not happen at all. But there was something incredibly fitting about it: real love isn’t staged or perfect… it’s raw, unpredictable, and made up of the moments in between. When the engine finally kicked back to life and we began drifting out past the harbor, the relief, laughter, and joy were already so genuine that I found myself snapping candids before we’d even left the dock.
Once we reached open water, the wind welcomed us with full force. Hair was whipping everywhere, the sail was pulling tight, and the sea spray misted the air in the dreamiest way. And right there—surrounded by nothing but ocean, sky, and the wild wind—Prajesh dropped to one knee. Vijitha’s reaction was pure magic: shock melting into the warmest, most emotional smile. I barely had to direct a thing; their connection told the story on its own. Every frame from that moment is filled with movement, laughter, and those beautifully imperfect, authentic details that I love capturing most.
As we sailed back into Perkins Cove, the sun dipped lower and the harbor came into view. What we didn’t expect was the crowd waiting along the docks—cheering, clapping, celebrating two people they had never met. It was one of those rare, golden moments where strangers become part of your story, even just for a breath.
This session was everything I aim to capture in my work: genuine emotion, quiet in-between glances, unposed reactions, and real joy. Prajesh and Vijitha radiated all of that effortlessly. Photographing their proposal reminded me why I love documenting love stories—not just the milestone itself, but the moments leading up to it, the surprises, the chaos, the tenderness, and the beautiful, unrepeatable seconds in between.