Lara and Jarrod, A Surprise Proposal at Rottnest Island | Nathan Sixsmith Photography

August 09, 2026 • Leave a Comment

Lara and Jarrod, A Surprise Proposal at Little Parakeet Bay, Rottnest Island

Jarrod's dad reached out to arrange this one, and I could tell straight away how much thought had gone into it. He was nervous, in the best way, the kind of nervous that comes from wanting something to go exactly right for someone you love.

Lara and Jarrod live in Perth, but both families flew in from Sydney under the cover of a family trip to Rottnest. Both sides knew exactly what was about to happen, Lara's mum, dad and sister, and Jarrod's mum, dad and brother, all in on it while Lara had no idea at all.

The proposal happened at Little Parakeet Bay, right at the water's edge, around 11am. Before Lara showed up, I quietly let a few other people nearby know what was about to happen and asked if they could watch from a distance rather than walk through the moment, everyone was happy to hang back and let it unfold. I was set up in plain sight on the beach, and Lara walked straight past me without a second glance.

She said yes. It went off without a hitch. Afterwards we got family photos together, then spent some time capturing Lara and Jarrod around a few more spots on the island.

Congratulations again Lara and Jarrod, thank you for letting me be part of something this special.

Planning a surprise proposal of your own? I'd love to help you pull it off. Get in touch to check availability.