I’m a hopeless romantic at heart. And spending over 100 days a year shooting grad photos on the Texas Christian University campus, I’m always a sucker for a good Horned Frog Love Story. So when Tyler’s future sister-in-law, Amanda, reached out to me to help him plan his romantic TCU proposal for Alex, it was an easy, obvious yes!

Tyler and Alex woke up on Tuesday morning to torrential rains and tornado sirens, with all of Fort Worth, TX under a tornado warning. By lunchtime, though, the skies had parted and the sun was drying up any traces of the crazy morning weather. This was perfect, because Tyler knew there was only ONE PLACE on campus that would be worthy of such a glorious milestone in his and Alex’s relationship: just outside Winston Scott Hall, where the couple had first said “I love you” to one another while attending TCU 10 years ago!

Tyler enlisted the help of his and Alex’s family members to set up a timeless, romantic backdrop of candles just outside Winston Scott Hall, and blindfolded Alex so she wouldn’t see what was about to happen. He parked right in front of the building, grinning like a kid at Christmas as he walked around the car to open Alex’s door. Alex, still blindfolded, wrapped herself around Tyler’s arm, trusting him with each step of the climb to the spot he had prepared for his marriage proposal.

And then, on the day of their 10th anniversary, the magic happened:

Tyler lifted off Alex’s blindfold.

He took her by the hand.

Got down on one knee.

And asked Alex to marry him.

As Tyler tells it, “I rehearsed everything I wanted to say, but when the moment came I only got out about 20 of the 80 words I had written down.” That’s the beauty of an engagement: no matter how much prep these guys put in, the excitement and adrenaline of asking their dream girl to marry them always takes over in the moment. And whatever happens, it’s always perfect!

In the case of Tyler’s romantic TCU proposal to Alex, it was pure magic!

Congrats, Tyler and Alex! Here are a few of my favorite moments your magic moment!