Daryl & Clarisse's Surprise Engagement at Salesforce Tower Park

By Mark Pereyra

One of my favorite things about this job is being able to capture reactions in-the-moment. Everything from the mother’s tears of joy to the best friend’s smile, and even the happiness of someone’s puppies. But some of the best reactions come from a surprise proposal, and I had the pleasure of capturing this moment for Daryl & Clarisse. I’ve known Daryl since high school, and he’s one of the most giving, caring, and talented guys that I know. He plays basketball, and he’s a fellow creator. So when he asked our team to capture his surprise proposal, I knew we had to live up to the creativity. 

Daryl decided to have his surprise proposal at Salesforce Park. It’s a living rooftop park, right next to Salesforce Tower. I’ve done engagement shoots and photoshoots in San Francisco, but not at Salesforce park, let alone a surprise proposal. It’s a beautiful place within the city, where nature crosses buildings. A really unique location. 

The setup was extremely clever; Daryl had everyone fooled by posting a sign in the front that said it was Clarisse’s graduation party. But when you went up to the poster, there were instructions about the surprise proposal. You’ll see this when you look at the photos. 

Everything went smoothly, and the reactions were priceless. The day ended with a with a Gabe Bondoc shoutout, a Youtube Star that Daryl & Clarisse love, and she was in tears when he sang their favorite song. Daryl had family and friends fly out just for this, and it was a bold, surprising gesture that all his loved ones enjoyed. Congratulations, Daryl and Clarisse! We’re honored to have captured this moment.