Kudos to James and Jess’s family and friends who held onto the secret of James’s proposal plans for months!  

Family and friends arrived in a bus and arranged a special setup within the caves. They decorated the area with torches and red rose petals arranged in the shape of a heart. Bringing along an esky filled with champagne, beers, and beautiful flower bouquets, they clearly put a lot of thought into the surprise. Knowing that Jess wouldn’t have anticipated this, they even brought her a dress to change into. 

James arranged for me to capture the proposal, but since there was no hiding spot, I pretended to take photos of the beach by aiming my camera in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, Josh Sharman was also there, capturing the moment with his drone, hidden alongside the rest of the group. 

James and Jess soon appeared and I could see Jess was looking at the set up. I was told she said something along the lines of  “there must have been a proposal here” and soon enough James was down on one knee. It was clear that Jess was completely taken aback, and witnessing her excitement and joy was truly heartwarming. As the family and friends peeked out from behind the rocks, James signalled them with a thumbs up, and they rushed over. It was another shock for Jess to see all her loved ones gathered there. 

This has been my second surprise proposal this year – it’s lovely to see people so surprised and so very happy. 

I don’t think I need to tell you what Jess’s answer was – it’s pretty darn obvious!