"We proposed at the exact same time - our photographer kept it a secret for three months – it was magical"
- 8 months ago
A couple unwittingly proposed to each other at the same exact same time - and BOTH hired a photographer who kept it a secret for three months.
Autumn Velin, 23, and Rebecca Dolge, 21, were on holiday in Denver, Colorado, US, when they both dropped to one knee as snow was falling overlooking a reservoir on April 14, 2023.
The couple had been dating for 2 years after meeting at a coffee in November 2020 and both had been wanting to propose since last year.
Autumn booked photographer McKailie Conger, 27, to capture the special moment.
She told her partner, Rebecca, she had booked a "sweet" photoshoot to get some "cute pictures of us together" and Rebecca secretly reached out to McKailie to tell her she was planning on proposing during the session.
Rebecca, a zookeeper, had already been planning to ask Autumn to marry her - but was waiting for the right moment.
McKailie, a professional wedding photographer and social media coach, from Nebraska, had to keep the secret from both women for three months.
“The moment was magical, I mean we both did not see it coming at all, it seemed we were both in shock, struggling to process the situation - Words can not describe how we were both feeling in the moment," said Autumn.
Autumn, a full-time nanny, from Tyler, Texas, US, said: “Rebecca initially said to me we should get some professional pictures as we actually hadn’t got any – I thought to myself this is perfect for the proposal.
“I then found and contacted McKailie, booked the date and told her my plan to propose.”
After first being contacted by Autumn, snapper McKailie started planning how to capture the proposal.
But she then received a text message from an unknown number - which turned out to be Rebecca - outlining the same idea.
McKailie said: "I received the booking from Autumn and phoned her, she told me about the situation with her proposing, so I got started the planning process.
“I then received a second message saying ‘nice to meet you, I’m going to propose on the shoot day'.
"I was really confused at first, then it came to me, they are both proposing, and they don’t know it.”
Autumn and Rebecca booked their holiday to Colorado for April 12 and planned the photoshoot for the third day of their trip.
To prevent the secret spilling, McKailie had to have separate conversations with the women about the day’s plans.
Three months after planning the shoot, Autumn and Rebecca made the 12-hour, 800-mile journey to Colorado for their break.
The couple met McKailie at Horsetooth Reservoir alongside Rebecca's auntie, Michelle Dayhoff, 55, who also knew both were going to propose.
Rebecca said: “I was so nervous, it was freezing at the top of the hills surrounding the reservoir, but I couldn’t feel the cold until after I prosed.
The pair spent 20 minutes walking, hugging, and posing whilst McKailie snapped pictures of them.
She then directed them to the spot she had picked out for the proposal.
“I told them to stand about three metres apart from each other and after a countdown, they would turn around,” McKailie said.
“The plan was to get them to turn around and they would both bring out their rings.
“Before the countdown, I went up to both separately and told them this is the moment, as I did their hair I said as a disguise."
Autumn had her ring in her pocket, Rebecca in her bag, which her auntie was holding - she quickly went and grabbed it before the countdown.
Rebecca said: “After McKailie finished the countdown, I turned around holding the ring only to see Autumn holding her one too – it was magical.”
Autumn joked she was “angry’ at Rebecca for prosing too, as she had a speech prepared for when she dropped to her knee.
“Words can’t describe the moment, there were lots of tears of joy, and of course, we both said yes,” Autumn said.
McKailie said it would be her “dream job” planning moments like Autumn and Rebecca's proposal.
“The build-up to the moment and then seeing it happen, to share that moment, I wish I could do it over and over – just amazing to witness," she said.
Rebecca added: “For me there was no doubt in my mind that I wasn't going to marry Autumn - she is my best friend, my biggest cheerleader, my rock."
Autumn said: “Rebecca is my everything, I love her so much – it was such an amazing moment and I’m happy it played out the way it did.”
You can contact McKailie via her website on www.mckailienicole.com, on Instagram and TikTok @mckailienicole, Facebook: @MCKphotography
Autumn Velin, 23, and Rebecca Dolge, 21, were on holiday in Denver, Colorado, US, when they both dropped to one knee as snow was falling overlooking a reservoir on April 14, 2023.
The couple had been dating for 2 years after meeting at a coffee in November 2020 and both had been wanting to propose since last year.
Autumn booked photographer McKailie Conger, 27, to capture the special moment.
She told her partner, Rebecca, she had booked a "sweet" photoshoot to get some "cute pictures of us together" and Rebecca secretly reached out to McKailie to tell her she was planning on proposing during the session.
Rebecca, a zookeeper, had already been planning to ask Autumn to marry her - but was waiting for the right moment.
McKailie, a professional wedding photographer and social media coach, from Nebraska, had to keep the secret from both women for three months.
“The moment was magical, I mean we both did not see it coming at all, it seemed we were both in shock, struggling to process the situation - Words can not describe how we were both feeling in the moment," said Autumn.
Autumn, a full-time nanny, from Tyler, Texas, US, said: “Rebecca initially said to me we should get some professional pictures as we actually hadn’t got any – I thought to myself this is perfect for the proposal.
“I then found and contacted McKailie, booked the date and told her my plan to propose.”
After first being contacted by Autumn, snapper McKailie started planning how to capture the proposal.
But she then received a text message from an unknown number - which turned out to be Rebecca - outlining the same idea.
McKailie said: "I received the booking from Autumn and phoned her, she told me about the situation with her proposing, so I got started the planning process.
“I then received a second message saying ‘nice to meet you, I’m going to propose on the shoot day'.
"I was really confused at first, then it came to me, they are both proposing, and they don’t know it.”
Autumn and Rebecca booked their holiday to Colorado for April 12 and planned the photoshoot for the third day of their trip.
To prevent the secret spilling, McKailie had to have separate conversations with the women about the day’s plans.
Three months after planning the shoot, Autumn and Rebecca made the 12-hour, 800-mile journey to Colorado for their break.
The couple met McKailie at Horsetooth Reservoir alongside Rebecca's auntie, Michelle Dayhoff, 55, who also knew both were going to propose.
Rebecca said: “I was so nervous, it was freezing at the top of the hills surrounding the reservoir, but I couldn’t feel the cold until after I prosed.
The pair spent 20 minutes walking, hugging, and posing whilst McKailie snapped pictures of them.
She then directed them to the spot she had picked out for the proposal.
“I told them to stand about three metres apart from each other and after a countdown, they would turn around,” McKailie said.
“The plan was to get them to turn around and they would both bring out their rings.
“Before the countdown, I went up to both separately and told them this is the moment, as I did their hair I said as a disguise."
Autumn had her ring in her pocket, Rebecca in her bag, which her auntie was holding - she quickly went and grabbed it before the countdown.
Rebecca said: “After McKailie finished the countdown, I turned around holding the ring only to see Autumn holding her one too – it was magical.”
Autumn joked she was “angry’ at Rebecca for prosing too, as she had a speech prepared for when she dropped to her knee.
“Words can’t describe the moment, there were lots of tears of joy, and of course, we both said yes,” Autumn said.
McKailie said it would be her “dream job” planning moments like Autumn and Rebecca's proposal.
“The build-up to the moment and then seeing it happen, to share that moment, I wish I could do it over and over – just amazing to witness," she said.
Rebecca added: “For me there was no doubt in my mind that I wasn't going to marry Autumn - she is my best friend, my biggest cheerleader, my rock."
Autumn said: “Rebecca is my everything, I love her so much – it was such an amazing moment and I’m happy it played out the way it did.”
You can contact McKailie via her website on www.mckailienicole.com, on Instagram and TikTok @mckailienicole, Facebook: @MCKphotography