One of our favorite parts of being a part of a couple’s wedding is capturing the many emotions of the day – the anticipation of waiting, the nerves, the excitement. But I must admit, my favorite is capturing surprises! On our wedding day, Tyler surprised me in the biggest way possible! These photos take me back to it every single time. It all started with a sweet handwritten card with the instructions to “read aloud” and a sweet note. I’d already started crying after about one sentence!

After that sweet moment, Tyler’s best man handed me the second card and three large boxes. The card had three memory cards taped in it saying “you’ll be needing these”…and that’s when I started getting SO EXCITED!

He bought me a camera! A camera, yes! And not like a small little one to take on the go – like a full on professional camera! Then I went from EXCITED to absolutely freaking out!! Tyler to this day, still teases me and says, “You really didn’t think I’d get you a camera?!” And I always reassure him, “NO! I was completely caught off guard!” Tyler here. Of course I got her a camera! We were getting married and would be merging our businesses together, and the entry-level camera she’d had up until then was great, but if we really wanted to do this full time, she needed an upgrade! So I saved up and bought her a camera. I knew she’d absolutely love it, but I definitely didn’t expect her to be as surprised as she was!

Then it hit me…shoot! His surprise was way better than mine!! I loved her surprise! Us Burns just operate on an extreme level of gift giving – don’t even ask about our Christmas’.

So don’t get stuck like me. Be prepared with an awesome surprise! That camera has been with me over the last three years as we’ve filmed and photographed almost 100 weddings. It is so special to me, I don’t think I will ever be able to sell it now!

I will say, if your surprise is a gift or card, DEFINITELY make sure your future spouse knows you’re sending one. Sometimes your groom may not realize that you’re expecting to exchange gifts, and that has the potential to be really embarrassing for him! But don’t worry – we always make sure beforehand that our couples are on the same page!

So how could you surprise each other? We’ll it doesn’t have to be a gift! We’ve seen a lot of great surprises on weddings, and of course I’m a bit biased to ours. But if you’re looking for a fun way to surprise your fiance beyond the standard gift giving, here’s a few ideas to get inspired!

1. Engrave their wedding band – This is a sweet and subtle, yet thoughtful gift. They’ll know you were thinking of them and want them to be reminded daily when he/she puts their ring on.
2. Surprise him with boudoir photos – We’ve seen girls give the groom a private album on the day of, and let’s just say their reactions are pretty priceless. If you want more info or to see my portfolio, you can email me directly at lindsey@tylerandlindsey.com.
3. Reveal the location of the honeymoon to them on your wedding day – This one’s for the truly good secret keepers, so if you can do it, go for it! You could send clues throughout the day and then a final envelope with the location! Or perhaps whisper it during the first dance –  now that’s bound to be a great moment!
4. Surprise them with an amazing getaway car – Every guy can appreciate a good looking car. Every girl can appreciate a romantic carriage ride or a classic romantic car. This is a totally awesome surprise to end the night!

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