Lisbon Proposal & Engagement Session Through Alfama | Michaela & Kendrik

I need everyone to understand that the week before this proposal session it rained. CONSTANTLY. Like properly rained. Poured. Cats and dogs.

Every single day Kendrik and I kept checking the forecast hoping the apps would magically change their minds and every single day Lisbon looked like it was preparing for the apocalypse and then somehow… the day arrived and the skies decided to give us a break. We didn’t get the blue skies or the “Pinterest Portugal vacation” weather. But we got soft light and no rain for the entire session which honestly felt like winning the lottery.

It ended up being perfect.

What made this even better was that Michaela genuinely had absolutely no idea what was happening. Like none.

Kendrik and I had been planning everything for months and she didn’t suspect a thing and when the proposal itself happened and I first approached them, Michaela fully thought I was just a tourist being nice and taking a couple photos for them of the moment while I was enjoying the sunrise, as a tourist does! Which honestly made the reveal SO much funnier.

The shock. The confusion. The immediate “WAIT WHAT?” energy.

Absolutely iconic.

So we started at Miradouro das Portas do Sol, before slowly wandering through Miradouro de Santa Luzia, Sé de Lisboa, Praça do Comércio and finally ending at Cais das Colunas by the river. Which sounds very organised and elegant when I write it down like this, but in reality it was mostly the three of us walking around Lisbon talking nonstop, dodging tourists, laughing every five minutes and getting emotionally attached to every tiny street corner and tram that passed by. My favorite kind of session.

Because the best engagement sessions never feel overly posed. They feel like hanging out with two people completely obsessed with each other while I third-wheel professionally (ahah) and Michaela and Kendrik made that VERY easy. They were so relaxed together from the beginning that half the time it barely felt like a photoshoot at all. One minute we were photographing them overlooking Alfama and the next we were talking about life while walking toward the river and possible upcoming plans.

Also, Lisbon really showed off for us that day. The moodier weather made the city feel extra cinematic with empty-ish streets. By the time we reached Cais das Colunas, the city was finally waking up.

Honestly one of those sessions where I got home, imported the photos and immediately thought: “Yeah.. ok.. this is EXACTLY why I do this.”