So you’ve decided to propose in Austin and you’ve been looking at Mt. Bonnell or Zilker Park but the idea of hiking and/or possible crowds are turning you off. You want somewhere semi-private, peaceful, romantic and outdoors because you love Austin and all the nature. Laguna Gloria looks promising, so here’s what you need to know from an Austin proposal photographer.
What was once a private summer home to Austin’s original families in the 1930s; Laguna Gloria is now under the Austin Museum of Art umbrella and is a super popular venue for weddings because of its central location, views of the water and the unique art sculptures. It’s a beautiful oasis in the middle of the city. This is my favorite wedding venue on the water.
A lot of greenery is available year-round and the string lights above as you walk to the Temple of Love make it feel incredibly dreamy. Laguna Gloria is a beautiful place to propose with lots of photo opportunity locations.
Here’s how to have the best proposal at Laguna Gloria.
Step 1: Buy a photography permit
- If you are just arriving with no extra guests or decor and it’s just you two plus me, a photo session pass is acceptable. For now. They could always change the rules as Laguna Gloria gets more popular. I’ll keep you updated if anything changes.
- For proposals with decorations and extra guests please contact the Site Rentals Department at rent@thecontemporaryaustin.org.
We are always going to have people around since Laguna Gloria is an outdoor sculpture art museum. So if total exclusivity and privacy for your proposal is desired, I recommend considering a weekday at a private location like a wedding venue, an Airbnb or a restaurant or rooftop patio before it opens.
INTERMISSION: WHAT TO WEAR?
When you work with me, I always encourage color and texture that goes well with your location. Laguna Gloria is mostly greens and tans, so wearing pops of pinks or reds would definitely stand out. Or look like a classic painting in blue and cream. My only suggestion is to make sure your partner is of equal formality!
Step 2: Arrival Notes
Once you arrive to Laguna Gloria, you will check in with the gate person for your time slot reservation. As soon as you walk through the gates, you’re on the art museum grounds. Walk slowly and take a minute to enjoy the views and the sculptural art. There’s a lot of walking to do so don’t rush.
Step 3: The Proposal Location
The Temple of Love is a gorgeous location. To get there, walk into the Laguna Gloria grounds and follow the string lights down the stairs to the gravel path. Keep going till you dead end to the Temple. This walk is the moment before you propose! Take your time and enjoy it. Stop for a selfie or two. Take some deep breaths. Try not to rush down just to get it over with (I know you’re nervous). I will be “hiding” in plain sight ready to jump out and capture the moment.
After I capture the moment she said “YES!” (or just lots of crying and nodding), we’ll move into a few cute, casual portraits. We’ll use a portion of our time at Laguna Gloria to take a few proposal celebratory photos since there are so many gorgeous locations there.
- We have a strict 1 hour photography time limit to enjoy portraits at Laguna Gloria so after about 30 minutes I will leave you to enjoy the rest of your time to FaceTime friends & family.
The versatility and possibly included indoor locations of Laguna Gloria is ideal for proposal, engagement, bridal and wedding photos.
Photos along the trail at Laguna Gloria under the string lights.
Optional decor
For an additional fee, I have various levels of proposal decorations I can provide with my photography services.
Final Notes:
- All photographers and visitors are required to check in with Visitor Services in the Moody Pavilions. I will arrive early and let them know I’m here for a surprise proposal and you’ll be arriving shortly after me.
- Laguna Gloria is an art museum and not a park, if you choose to decorate AT ALL please consider the time and effort required for clean up after. We have exactly a 1 hour reservation for photos, including my arrival and exit.
- There will likely be people milling about also enjoying the sculpture and nature during our session and I will try to keep people away from the proposal location but nothing is 100% guaranteed. :)
- Thursday night is free night and therefore will have a larger chance of people walking around enjoying the art because they are open later. This is a good thing for golden hour photography time slots which work well for the months of June, July, August and early September.
Want to propose at Laguna Gloria and have me photograph it?
