Dominic had been planning this for a while.

He reached out to Chantal and Tin at Serendipity Weddings while organising a holiday with his girlfriend, wanting to propose by the sea somewhere along the Istrian coast. They found a quiet corner of the Verudela peninsula in Pula - rose petals, champagne on ice, and set everything up before the couple arrived.

My job was to be there before the couple and stay invisible until it happened.

The two of them walked along the coastline hand in hand, laughing, completely unaware of what was waiting a few minutes ahead. When they reached the spot, soft music started playing. Dominic dropped to one knee with the sun going down behind him over the Adriatic.

Her reaction was everything. Joy, surprise, tears, all of it at once. She said yes.

They kissed as the light turned golden across the water. Champagne was opened, there was laughter, and then a few quiet minutes together where it was just the two of them taking it in. Those minutes are always my favourite part of a proposal to photograph. The setup is over, the surprise has landed, and suddenly there are just two people who are engaged, standing by the sea, not quite believing it yet.

Afterwards we walked the coastline together for a little while and made some photos to mark the occasion - relaxed, natural, no direction needed. When we finished, they stayed by the water to watch the rest of the sunset on their own.

Thinking about a surprise proposal in Croatia?

Pula and the Istrian coast are genuinely beautiful places to propose. The light in the evening is soft and long, the coastline has quiet spots that feel private even in summer, and the whole peninsula has a warmth to it that's hard to find elsewhere.

If you're planning a surprise proposal in Pula, Istria, or anywhere along the Croatian coast and you'd like someone to document it, get in touch here. I work closely with local planners and can help coordinate the photography around whatever setup you have in mind.

Photo: Nives Batistić
Planning + Decor: Serendipity Weddings

Nives Batistić is a documentary wedding photographer and videographer based in Rijeka, Croatia. Available for surprise proposals, elopements and weddings across Istria, Dalmatia, Kvarner and throughout the EU and UK.