It all began when Jes (Knotted Proposals) contacted me about a sleigh ride proposal in Breckenridge she was planning in a few short days. Julio contacted her because he was visiting Colorado from Mexico with his partner, Fernanda, and he had just purchased an engagement ring. Everything happened so quickly, and Jes was ready for the challenge. She suggested a sleigh ride and they planned an afternoon with Golden Horseshoes Sleigh Rides in White River National Forest.

The two days before Julio and Fernanda’s proposal, it snowed 24 inches. I arrived at Golden Horseshoes around 2:30 in the afternoon and walked through the fresh snow to a canvas tent. There, I found a cowboy hat and a walkie talkie waiting for me. I picked up the walkie and talked to Jen, our sleigh driver for the evening. She met me at the tent and explained that I’d be pretending to be her assistant for the ride until the surprise proposal. As Julio and Fernanda arrived and explored the grounds, I took some “marketing” photos. We then climbed into the gorgeous sleigh, pulled by a beautiful mare named Ashley.

The sleigh ride up into the hills was incredible! The snow-covered pines closed in as the path narrowed, and Ashley high-stepped it through the snow like a champ! Julio and Fernanda sat behind me in the sleigh and took in the gorgeous views. Fernanda had no idea what was coming! We stopped at a break in the trees where we could view nearby mountains. The sun was setting behind the peaks and it was prime golden hour. We could see snowmobile tracks in the snow but all was quiet. I began getting my camera gear out of my bag as Julio and Fernanda stepped down from the sleigh. I had to run to catch the proposal! Julio was so nervous and excited, he began reaching into his pocket and I got my camera up just in time to catch him drop to one knee. Fernanda was so surprised!

After taking photos amongst the trees and snow, we headed back down to the tent where a surprise was waiting. The canvas tent was lit by two fireplaces that warmed us from the snowy ride. It had been the perfect day – no wind, plenty of sun, but still a nippy 10 degrees in Breckenridge. I actually wore my snowboarding gear for this proposal! We were glad to be back inside as the sun was setting. A personalized bottle of champagne, as well as “bride” and “groom” glass awaited Fernanda and Julio. It was just the three of us in the tent, and I snapped photos as they talked to each other and shared a private moment. I’m not sure what was said, but the smiles and happy tears spoke volumes!