Yes and Yes: A Surprise Double Proposal at Peters Hill with Zoie and MJ

Most proposal stories involve one ring, one plan, and one very nervous person. For Zoie and MJ, this was not one of those stories.

When Zoie reached out about planning a proposal for her girlfriend MJ, we talked through ways to make the experience feel as personal as possible. With MJ working as a ship captain in Boston, Zoie thought it would be fitting to skip the waterfront altogether and propose somewhere decidedly landlocked: Peters Hill in the Arnold Arboretum.

As a Boston couples photographer, I know this area well. I grew up just around the corner and have photographed there many times, but the beauty of the hill never gets old. I arrived early to scout the light and found a gorgeous spot tucked among the trees, choosing a natural backdrop over the more popular skyline view. To help Zoie find the exact location, I planted a large stick in the ground as a marker. Nothing says romance quite like strategic forestry.

When they arrived, I settled into my role as an unsuspecting park-goer while they wandered the hill together taking photos of their own. As the evening light began filtering through the trees, Zoie guided MJ toward the spot we had chosen.

MJ set up their camera for what she thought would be a simple photo together.

Then Zoie dropped to one knee.

What neither Zoie nor I knew was that MJ had been planning a proposal too.

As soon as Zoie revealed her ring, MJ reached for one of her own.

A double proposal.

The shock on both of their faces quickly turned into laughter as they realized they had spent weeks secretly planning the exact same surprise. Looking back, they both admitted they thought it was lucky their partner was taking so long to get ready that day, never considering that each was trying to look their best for their own proposal photos.

Since both rings deserved their moment, we made sure each proposal got its own spotlight. By that point, the three of us were laughing too hard to take ourselves very seriously. What began as a proposal had somehow become two proposals, several celebrations, and a story none of us saw coming.

The rest of the evening was spent wandering through the tall grass, chasing the last bits of sunlight, and reflecting on the absurdity and perfection of what had just happened. It was one of those sessions that reminded me why I love being a Boston couples photographer. No matter how much planning goes into a proposal, the moments people remember most are often the ones nobody could have predicted.

And if there's one thing I learned from Zoie and MJ, it's that being proposed back to is a pretty nice way of hearing "yes."