Aaliyah and Michael were engaged at the Caesars Head State Park overlook, then we took some photos at the Table Rock State Park visitor center.
Michael was drawn to the area because he and Aaliyah had seen photos and videos of Pretty Place on TikTok. Michael had wanted to propose there, but he came across my blog and realized he wouldn’t be able to guarantee it’d be open while he and Aaliyah were in the area. He decided to pick a different spot for the proposal and try to visit Pretty Place another time if it was open. When he looked through other places in the South Carolina mountains to propose, he came across Caesars Head and thought it was beautiful. He asked if we could combine Caesars Head and Table Rock, and I said yes. Those are two of my favorite places in the whole state and they’re only about 20 minutes apart from each other.
Michael told Aaliyah the weekend they’d be going out of town, but not where they were going. Aaliyah said she fell asleep in the car and woke up when they got to their hotel, but had no idea where they were. She thought it was odd that Michael was so adamant about timing, but hadn’t suspected he was planning anything. When Michael got down on one knee, she said, “You said not ‘til next year!” before she said yes. Apparently Michael had said over and over that he always thought it’d be cool to propose on the same day they’d started dating, but this was just a way to throw her off of any plan he made.
When we got to Table Rock, the trees were all bare and everything had turned brown, but I thought it was so beautiful. The golden hour light is so much more golden when the trees are bare, and it looked so pretty reflecting off the water. Some of my favorite photos are the two of them in the tall grass and the one where they’re on the porch swing.
Enjoy my photos of Aaliyah and Michael’s engagement in the South Carolina mountains! If you’re still looking for a photographer, read more about my elopement and engagement photography!
More from the South Carolina Mountains
Ready for the best day ever?
My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 48 of our state parks. We love finding new outdoor places to visit, but we also love hanging out on the couch and watching Pixar movies.
One thing I love about South Carolina is that it’s not just the beaches and colorful houses that you imagine when you picture it. Whether you’re looking for mountains, beaches, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.
I can’t wait to meet you!