Mandalay Canal in Irving TX gives all the romance of Venice right here in the DFW area. A moody sunset walk along the canal is the perfect opportunity for engagements, and this location certainly suited travel aficionados Kat and Mike! Check out their photos and learn a little about their love story below! 

Love and Dating

Kat is a flight attendant, and Mike is working toward his commercial pilot’s license, so you could say that this romance is written in the skies. They love taking spontaneous adventures, trying new restaurants, and they know a good wine and cheese.

How Did You Know They Were the One?

Once Mike told Kat he was “all in,” Kat knew that this relationship was it for her! Their many shared passions make their romance easy and fun. 

The Proposal That Almost Didn’t Happen

Alright, buckle up for the wild ride that was Mike’s master plan for the proposal. Trust me, this is a fun one!

So, Mike had had this grand plan all laid out. Friends were on standby, a photographer was hired, and the suspense was building while they waited for Kat to have one of her random free days off. And finally, that day arrived – or so they thought.

Mike had been setting the stage for months with random fancy date nights just for fun. So when he invited her on another fancy date night out under the guise of a belated anniversary celebration – she didn’t suspect a thing. Smooth, right? Well, that’s until Kat’s schedule suddenly exploded with a hundred things to do on the supposed free day. Classic timing!

But, Mike was not backing down. He’d already told everyone it was game on. When Kat mentioned a detour for a nail salon visit with a friend, Mike’s anxiety hit the roof. Four o’clock rolled around, and she was still at the salon! Panic mode engaged.

Cue the phone call, and Mike, in a desperate attempt to salvage the plan, dropped the bomb: “We have reservations for the Capital Grille at 6:15, and I’m going on this date night one way or another.” And told her to do with that information as she pleased. Kat, not one to be bossed around, had other plans, though. A detour for wine was on her agenda.

Fast forward to 6:20, when she arrived in a black flowery dress, while Mike was rocking a three-piece suit. Mike decided they didn’t match in terms of fanciness (secretly knowing she’d want to for her proposal) and asked if she could change. Kat, even more annoyed now, did thankfully have another dress in the car and she came back a few minutes later, slightly irritated but fancier.

Dinner ensued and the waiter was secretly part of Mike’s time-sensitive operation. Check dropped at precisely 7:45 as they had to make a “comedy show” within walking distance by 8pm. Kat was annoyed yet again that she was being rushed through dinner and had to leave behind her delicious and expensive unfinished wine. But Mike insisted it was necessary and ran out the door.

But the comedy show was “actually at 9pm.” Oops! A quick retreat to the restaurant with a plea to hold the to-go bag, and a suggestion for how to “kill an hour”. Water gardens it was! A seemingly spontaneous choice. Little did Kat know, every step was part of the grand plan. (The water gardens were also where they had spent their first anniversary – so it was a meaningful location to them!)

As they started their stroll through the gardens and began to approach the proposal spot, friends were awkwardly visible, small talk ensued, and Kat’s detective skills went into overdrive. Something was off. These sets of friends, who had never met each other, were just randomly alone together out here? This is when she started to piece together all the red flags from throughout the day.

Mike saw the lightbulb go off, grabbed her hand and whisked her away to the proposal location. From this point on she claims to have blacked out. Mike’s romantic speech (which he felt was meant for the moment and that moment alone) remains a mystery, kept exclusively for some potential magical day in the future where he may reveal to her what was said again, ha!

After the proposal, all their friends popped out, and they partied the night away at a piano bar.

Kat said it was absolutely perfect and she completely loved it. She was very impressed with how well thought out and planned it was. Mega kudos to Mike!! Definitely one of the funnier proposal stories to get to tell forever!

Engagement Photos at Mandalay Canal in Irving TX

The Mandalay Canal Walk in Irving TX is surrounded by archways, stone paths, climbing ivy, and twinkling lights that reflect in the water. The whole place is magical for engagement photos. Kat and Mike hoped for fun and romantic engagement photos, and I think we hit the nail on the head! They shared a lot of laughs, and you can tell that their chemistry is just off the charts. 

Love this couple? Stay tuned: I’ll be photographing their wedding next April at Stoney Ridge Villa and I’m so excited I’m already counting down the days!

There’s so much potential in Las Colinas and this Dallas engagement photographer would love to go back! If you’re ready to take your own stunning portraits at the Mandalay Canal in Irving TX, let’s connect!