It was a warm Monday in August, but the canopy over the private carriage ride kept BJ, Alyssa, and three of their best friends cool.  BJ was nervous to hold Alyssa’s hand on the ride out to The Knoll because she may feel it shaking from his pre-proposal nerves!  Jeff and I were just two quiet tourists who happened to be on the same carriage, but really we had been messaging BJ’s sister for the last two weeks about all the juicy details!

As usual, the carriage driver gave a colorful description of the Vanderbilt history then pulled up to the most picturesque part of the tour.  He encouraged everyone to get off and offered to take pictures of the group.

Once pictures were over, BJ walked Alyssa into the grass, got down on one knee and said,

“Alyssa, will you marry me and grow old with me?”

She was completely surprised and elated!!!  After shouting YES, they hugged and laughed with their friends!!  These are my favorite candid moments!  All their friends were in on the plans, so they brought along ring pops to celebrate!  It was such an honor to capture this moment for them! Our cheeks are still sore from smiling and laughing so much!!

After the carriage ride, we visited Alyssa’s favorite spots on the estate for pictures, then met up with their families for a celebration dinner!  It was such a special evening for their families to be together as BJ and Alyssa begin their engagement and prepare for marriage.

View their slideshow below for more images and footage of BJ popping the question!