When Rocky reached out to me from England and expressed his desire to propose to his girlfriend Victoria in Cappadocia, I was just as thrilled as he was. This time, we had to come up with a different plan. I decided not to reveal that I am a photographer and the same went for my video partner, Gökhan. You can find the rest of the article “Cappadocia Proposal Photography” under the photos.
Prior to the shoot, Rocky and I discussed numerous details, including the location of the proposal, encrypted messages between us and a backup plan in case the balloons didn’t fly. Now let me share with you what unfolded on that special day.
Pretending to be Balloon Crew
Rocky and Victoria were perceived as ordinary tourists staying at the Göreme Roma Cave Suites. The following morning, there were hot air balloon flights scheduled for them. The weather conditions were perfect with a clear sky at sunrise and an ideal wind of 3 knots. At 4:25 am, Gökhan and I picked up the couple from their hotel, masquerading as balloon company attendants. Victoria believed we were part of the balloon company team. During the 10 minute ride to the balloon area, I provided information about the flight and mentioned that we would wait for other passengers. Once the first round of flights commenced our balloon would take off. Meanwhile we discreetly captured free photos of all the passengers, as we awaited the arrival of the other “passengers.”
Firstly, we started taking pictures of Victoria and Rocky, keeping it subtle and natural. Around 5 am Rocky used the cryptic phrase, “How many balloons are in the air right now?” which signified his readiness to propose. In response, I replied, “about 100 balloons,” indicating that I understood and was getting ready too. Following that, I sent the message, “I’m very hungry, is anyone else hungry?” This was our cue to begin the proposal. The response was, “I’m very hungry too,” confirming that it was time to proceed.
She Said Yes
After those exchanged phrases, Rocky got down on one knee and delivered his heartfelt proposal, to which Victoria joyfuly responded with a “yes.” Gökhan and I then revealed our true identities, congratulated the couple and explained what would happen next. We continued the photo shoot in the valley for approximately two more hours before escorting the couple to their new hotel. We took a break of about three hours to rest and enjoy breakfast.
Later we reconvened at their new hotel, Seraphim Cave, where their room was adorned with roses. Then we captured a brief photo session there. For our second shooting tour we ventured into various hidden corners of the Cappadocia valley, exploring caves and traditional carpet backgrounds. This leg of the shoot lasted around four hours.
As a result our plans worked flawlessly and everything went smoothly. I sincerely hope our paths cross again with this remarkable couple and who knows, perhaps we’ll have the opportunity to capture their wedding day memories.
Cappadocia Proposal Photography by Ufuk Sarisen
