Sunrise Surprise Proposal at Portas do Sol | Emily & Abraham

13 Jul

So, Emily thought she was waking up ridiculously early on holiday to watch the sunrise over Lisbon. Abraham, meanwhile, had a very gorgeous ring in his pocket and a photographer secretly waiting for them at Miradouro das Portas do Sol, trying her best to blend in and look enough like a tourist, so it's safe to say they were heading into the morning with slightly different expectations.

Abraham had contacted me beforehand to plan his surprise proposal in Lisbon and together we chose Portas do Sol for the moment. We worked out the timing, exactly where he should bring Emily and where I would be waiting so that she wouldn't suspect a thing. By the time they arrived, I was already in position and Emily genuinely believed she was just there to watch the city wake up. She had absolutely NO idea.

Abraham proposing to Emily at sunrise at Miradouro das Portas do Sol overlooking Alfama in Lisbon.

Wide view of a sunrise surprise proposal at Portas do Sol with the rooftops of Alfama in the background.

Emily reacting as Abraham proposes during their sunrise proposal at Miradouro das Portas do Sol in Lisbon.

And then he asked, she said YES, and their casual little sunrise outing suddenly became the morning they got engaged. Also, her ring was outrageously beautiful and I will be accepting no further questions on the amount of attention I gave it afterwards.

Newly engaged couple celebrating after their sunrise surprise proposal at Portas do Sol in Lisbon.

Close-up of Emily's engagement ring after a surprise proposal at Portas do Sol in Lisbon.

Why Portas do Sol works so well for a Lisbon proposal

If you're trying to figure out where to propose in Lisbon, Portas do Sol is one of my favorite options when you want the city itself to be a huge part of the moment.

It is, unsurprisingly, a popular spot. This isn't a secret viewpoint I've been hiding from the internet and because it's a public space I can never guarantee we'll have it entirely to ourselves. For Emily and Abraham's July proposal, we chose sunrise, which gave us softer morning light, a calmer Alfama and a much better chance of having a little space around them for the actual proposal.

Sunrise also happens to provide an extremely convenient alibi. “Let's get up early and watch the sunrise over Lisbon” sounds romantic and completely normal on holiday, whereas “please wear something nice and follow me to this very specific viewpoint at exactly 7:03am, no questions please” has a slightly different energy.

Newly engaged couple looking over the rooftops of Alfama from Miradouro das Portas do Sol in Lisbon.

What happens after the proposal?

This is actually one of my favorite parts, because once the question has been asked, everyone can relax.

Abraham had booked my shortest proposal coverage, so we didn’t walk around Lisbon, instead we kept everything within this little pocket of Alfama. We photographed around Portas do Sol first and then walked over to Miradouro de Santa Luzia, which is right beside it and gives us a completely different backdrop with its tiles, architecture and greenery.

Newly engaged couple embracing at Portas do Sol overlooking the rooftops of Alfama in Lisbon.

Newly engaged couple admiring the engagement ring after their sunrise proposal in Lisbon.

Newly engaged couple laughing and walking together at Miradouro das Portas do Sol in Lisbon.

From there we wandered through some of the surrounding streets of Alfama, which is one of the reasons I love this area so much for shorter sessions. Within a few minutes you can move from enormous views over Lisbon to colorful façades, tiled walls and cobblestones, which means even a short proposal session can give you a surprisingly varied little gallery..

Newly engaged couple walking together through the colourful streets of Alfama in Lisbon.

Couple laughing and dancing on a cobblestone street during their engagement photos in Alfama, Lisbon.

Newly engaged couple holding hands on a traditional street in Alfama after their Lisbon proposal.

Newly engaged couple photographed at Miradouro de Santa Luzia after their sunrise proposal in Lisbon.

Couple embracing at Miradouro de Santa Luzia with Alfama and the Tagus River behind them after their Lisbon proposal.

Can a short Lisbon proposal session be enough?

Absolutely. My shortest proposal coverage is around 30–40 minutes, which is enough to photograph the proposal, those first reactions, the ring and a little wander together afterwards, just like we did here through Portas do Sol and Santa Luzia.

When choosing your coverage, think about your partner. Are they someone who would LOVE turning this into a proper engagement shoot or would they rather have the proposal documented beautifully and then go celebrate? Will you use these photographs for a save the date or wedding website or is this mostly about remembering the moment and your time in Lisbon?

If you think you'll want more, I recommend booking longer coverage from the start. You can always ask to extend on the day, but I can't guarantee I'll have availability, especially during wedding season.

Newly engaged couple sitting together beside the blue tiled walls of Miradouro de Santa Luzia in Lisbon.

Close-up of an engagement ring during a short surprise proposal session in Lisbon.

Newly engaged couple kissing on a bench beside the traditional azulejo tiles at Miradouro de Santa Luzia in Lisbon.

Planning your own surprise proposal in Lisbon?

You don't need to arrive in my inbox with a perfectly formed plan. A surprising number of proposal conversations begin somewhere around “I'm coming to Portugal, I have a ring and I need HELP,” and that's enough information for us to start.

I photograph surprise proposals in Lisbon and Sintra and can help you choose a location that actually fits what you're imagining. We'll figure out the practical bits together so that when the day comes, you can concentrate on the person standing in front of you rather than wondering where on earth your photographer is hiding, well… I’m never actually hiding, but we’ll talk through exactly how I approach the proposal beforehand so you know what to expect while your partner remains blissfully unaware.

Emily arrived at Portas do Sol expecting a sunrise and left with a fiancé, a spectacular new piece of jewellery and photographic evidence of the whole thing.

I'd say Lisbon did pretty well that morning. 🤍