Sweet engagement proposal in Beverly Hills

Apr 29, 2022 | Engagements

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We love a good proposal story and what could be better than when your friend is a wedding photographer and right there with you to capture the pure love and joy? Destination wedding photographer and Fine Art Curation member Jessica Mangia helped Gionata arrange the perfect time and location to propose to Stefano and documented the special moment on the famous Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills.

Destination wedding planner Gionata Russio fell in love with social media strategist Stefano six years ago on Instagram. Between likes and comments, their relationship turned into serious and Gionata, originally from the Apulia region of Italy, packed his life to move in with Stefano in Lake Como.

Gionata's plans to propose in the Bahamas 2020 were put on hold due to the pandemic, so a year later he arranged a work trip to Los Angeles with the excuse of location scouting for an event. He invited Stefano along, with plans to extend his stay over the holidays and connect with his friend Jessica who lives in LA. After much secret planning, the spot was chosen, the time was right, the twinkly lights were on, and the plaza was almost magically quiet.

"I was supposed to capture photographs of the proposal but Gionata decided last minute that a phone video would be better to send to his overseas friends and family," explains Jessica. "After a brief and sweet moment of goofily standing in front of each other confused, Gionata frantically searched his jacket pocket and forgetting the tradition, took out the cute little black ring box, before kneeling. At this point Stepfano is still confused but overcome with joy began screaming: 'Yes, yes! Get up! Come here!!'

"Sweet tears started wiping Stefano’s cheeks and Gionata got up before even actually asking the question. It was a dance of hugs and laughter, with a few yeses yelled between one kiss and another. The whole plaza was filled with people by that point, and the crowd exploded in a warm chorus of handclaps and shouts of joy and encouragement!"