I'm a fine art wedding and portrait photographer — creating a space that welcomes creativity and inspiration. Based in Colorado, my work has taken me across the globe.

Meet WHITNEY RAE

SURPRISE PROPOSAL IN VAIL, CO | TANNER + ASHLEY

couples

snowy surprise proposal

A Very Snowy Surprise Proposal

There’s nothing like having a snowy winter wonderland as the perfect backdrop to your surprise proposal! The holiday season in the mountains is probably one of my favorite seasons (aside from the summer) because that means engagement season! Surprise proposals are something I will always enjoy. For one, who doesn’t love keeping a secret like this?! And two, I get to help partners plan one of the best days of their lives. To top it off, I get the honor of capturing the raw excitement as they both realize they get to spend the rest of their lives with one another. On this particular day, I woke up to your typical Colorado winter morning- sunny yet snowy. As luck has it, a full-on blizzard rolled in as I showed up to tuck behind a tree to wait for Tanner and Ashley to arrive at our spot. Obviously it was a little cold, but it sure made for some magical photos for their proposal!

Capturing Every Moment

I love getting the opportunity to capture proposals because it’s such a special moment to witness and not everyone chooses to have a photographer present. If you’re on the fence about photographing your surprise proposal, I highly recommend it. The images are something you’ll have forever, to be able to look back on another piece of your love story. Doing this also gives you and your photographer another opportunity to get to know each other and get comfortable. This makes your engagement session and your wedding day a walk in the park!

A Successful Day

We pulled it off! It’s always a win when your proposal goes as planned. Everything about this day was so dreamy. The little wooden bridge along with the snow made for the cutest storybook vibes, and Ashley was so surprised. Tanner outdid himself with the ring too. I can’t wait to show you their engagement session and wedding gallery!

Colorado & Destination Photographer | Whitney Rae Photography

Keep scrolling to see a little more of Tanner + Ashley’s successful snowy proposal.

Looking for help to plan something like this?

Let’s work together! Inquire about your special day by filling out my contact form. I can’t wait to meet you and help tell your story! Follow me on Instagram to keep up with more of my work.

Call it authentic, candid or genuine. Whatever the adjective, I want to create a wedding celebration that resembles you, from the big celebrations and the in-between moments to the images I deliver that help you relive the day for years to come. When it comes to your wedding day, the moments you want to remember aren't always perfect, staged or scripted, they are uncut, raw and true to you.

AN HONEST WEDDING EXPERIENCE

I believe in

Dorothea Lange

“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still”

Words I Live by

Let's Connect

I'm WHITNEY.

*Virtual Wave*

Hello! I feel beyond honored that you've made your way here! In order to give you the best representation of who you'll be spending your wedding day (one of the best days you'll live) with, here's a brief run down!

First and foremost, I'm a mountain gal through and through. I was born and raised in Vail, Colorado and unless it's another mountain town, my husband and I will always call this home. It's the tightly knit community, the fresh air (but really, it hits different here), the scenery and most importantly for us, the recreation + lifestyle. This is something that will always come through in my work, and what I believe sets me just a little bit apart - I am, and will forever be, inspired by the poetry of love in landscapes. 

I have a deep desire to be on the move, to see everything before I don't have the opportunity to, and are therefore happiest when traveling and exploring new places (which I feel so lucky is a part of my work!) 
























 




Spending quality time hiking/biking/skiing/camping with my husband and our two border collies, clocking in some R&R at home or catching up with a friend over a glass of wine/craft beer are things that always sit at the top of the priority list.

If you're in to it- I'm a Libra, A Manifesting Generator (6-2) and an Enneagram 7 Wing 6/8. In short, I'm a people person, an optimist, and for lack of better terms- like to get shit done and make things happen. I'm a feeler, with a strong sense of empathy and sense of what people are experiencing, both when it comes to myself and others. I'm a bit of a goof, a tiny little thing packed with some sass, and ultimately just want to live a fun and adventurous life that's packed with new experiences and people. 

..I guess that's why I do what I do. I feel so grateful to be on this journey of having my own business where I have freedom to curate the life I want to live, where I get to connect with truly so many amazing humans, travel to some really beautiful places, and document that as a whole, as creatively and beautifully as I can for you.

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