When JC asked me to photograph his proposal to Amanda, I was mostly worried about lighting, angles, and not being the one to blow the surprise. What I should have been worried about was the heat. The Summerhouse at The Dene, a rock outcropping in Central Park, lived up to its name that evening in the worst way — JC later described himself as "excited and nervous about the swimming pool I became shortly thereafter," which is a phrase I now use unreasonably often. My helpers and I arrived an hour early to hang lights and set out candles, and nearly got busted by a passing couple who spotted the setup and assumed someone had carelessly left champagne and candles lying around. I couldn't resist correcting them. When JC and Amanda arrived, they danced for a while — a skill I do not have in public — before JC dropped to one knee. Amanda said yes, they kept dancing, and eventually we all went our separate ways, deeply grateful for air conditioning.
