Nico's Proposal to Kelsey at Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine

When Nico first reached out to us inquiring about proposal photography, he mentioned that neither he nor his soon-to-be fiancée, Kelsey, had ever been to Acadia National Park. Both Nico and Kelsey are avid hikers, and they had been wanting to visit Acadia for a long time. Kelsey in particular, we learned, was drawn to Acadia’s raw and natural beauty, and Nico wanted our advice about where he might best propose. He was hoping for hiking and cliffs and the ocean. Of course, Acadia offers all of these things, but not always all of them in one spot – especially if you’d like some privacy and personal space when you pop the question. Naturally, therefore, our minds went to the Ship Harbor Trail. Not only is it one of our favorite spots in the park, it also checked all of the boxes. The trail starts with a comfortable hike through the woods and ends on gorgeous cliffs with views of the ocean. As an added bonus, it’s on the “quiet” side of Mount Desert Island, meaning it’s much more private. In other words, it was perfect.

On the day of the proposal, Matt and I arrived early so we’d be sure to find hiding spots to capture the big moment. When Niceo and Kelsey finally strolled into view, it was clear Kelsey had no idea what was about to happen. They found a nice spot on the cliffs to sit down and enjoy the view. Not long afterward, Nico turned to Kelsey, held out the ring, and asked her to marry him. She enthusiastically said, YES!

Of course, we eventually popped out from our hiding places and introduced ourselves to Kelsey. The four of us then spent a lovely spring evening exploring the cliffs, trails, and other spots that Ship Harbor Trail has to offer. Kelsey and Nico were so fun to photograph, and we really enjoyed our time with them. Theirs was our first session of the 2023 season, and we couldn’t have asked for a nicer couple with whom to kick things off. We wish them all the happiness in the world together and hope you enjoy their pictures below!