American portrait and wedding photographer Kurt Vinion has been crafting stunning images of weddings, pre-wedding moments, family portraits, and engagement sessions since 2008. Once a photojournalist and recipient of numerous international awards, Kurt now delights in creating timeless, elegant, and artistic photographs for couples worldwide.
Looking for inspiration on a surprise marriage proposal in Prague? Look no further than Jay’s surprise marriage proposal to his girlfriend Pereen on one of those hot summer nights in Prague.
Jay really wanted to go out of his way in creating an unforgettable surprise marriage proposal for his beautiful girlfriend Pereen. As these two live apart Prague was chosen as their rendezvous and little did Pereen know that Jay was holding on to a stunning engagement ring.
The location: the Letna overlook which provides a magical view of the city down below. The setup: a card game was introduced that brought out many laughs and smiles before the big moment. The moment – captured here for all to see. The bonus: Mother Nature provided them with an incredibly beautiful sunset and a lightning storm that was ferocious in its intensity.
After capturing at the Letna overlook and a quick walk towards the castle we opted to head down to Malostrana to capture some moments but had to jump inside a pub to escape the pouring rain. A few moments later the skies cleared and it was time to capture these as they experienced an unforgettable summer evening in Prague.
Pictured here is a small sample of that incredible evening.
To Jay & Pereen, it was fantastic meeting you and your book looks wonderful. Congratulations again and on behalf of my team we wish you both all the very best in your new lives together as husband and wife.
A Prague love story engagement photo session with Tina & Mike. Two fantastic people exploring Prague with lots of laughter, fun, and dancing in their wonderful love story & engagement photos.
If you really wish to experience this incredible city in a relaxing calm way and without the massive tourists you should really consider getting up early to explore the medieval streets before the tourists invade. If you do, you will be greatly rewarded as there is no better way to experience the incredible atmosphere that Prague in the early morning hours can deliver.
Tina & Mike are one of our latest couples who did just that. They already had the crazy, all day & exhaustive 3 wedding dress pre-wedding photo shoot in Taiwan and decided that the next time they did this they would do it differently. They contacted me and after a few emails everything was arranged. On a cool recent morning after their hair & makeup prep – we met up, quickly hit it off and began our journey
Their idea was to keep it very relaxed, no posing (though they did appreciate being pointed to the best locations) and walking to some of the most wonderful locations and the results: authentic, captivating and lively colorful images that truly capture the fun and that special morning in Prague. The bonus, when the sun finally did make its appearance we created some of the most beautiful images and one of their favorites images (of them dancing under the Castle) was inspired by their favorite movie: La La Land.
The lovely Tina had this to say about her experience:
We had such a fun time in Prague, the highlight of our trip was our photoshoot with Kurt! We are so excited to see the photos once they are done 🙂
Please help us thank Kurt for his time, he made the whole experience so enjoyable and fun!
{Prague wedding & pre wedding photographer / lifestyle photographer / Engagement photographer available worldwide}
Jihane and Rabih, a globe-trotting couple from Lebanon, celebrated their intimate Orthodox wedding at the historic St. Cyril & Methodius Church in Prague. Known for its rich history and stunning architecture, this church provided a meaningful backdrop for their ceremony. Jihane radiated joy, surrounded by her supportive family, while Rabih’s relaxed, laid-back charm balanced the day’s emotions. After a heartfelt service filled with beautiful traditions, the couple explored Prague’s iconic sites, capturing romantic portraits in a city renowned for its charm. Their wedding was a perfect blend of love, culture, and unforgettable moments.
Here are just a few of my favorite (and theirs) images of that day:
{Prague wedding & pre wedding photographer / lifestyle photographer / Engagement photographer available worldwide}
A winter pre-sunrise photo session in Prague with Joyce & Timmy.
It was not exactly great weather, in fact, it was freezing when Joyce & Timmy flew over from Hong Kong to have the first of 5 pre-wedding photo sessions captured in Europe. The first location on their wonderful adventure: Prague. When we met up with them they were very excited about their session and we were especially looking forward to creating something very special for them. We decided on a very early morning start to create some artistic images.
We were all hoping for snow but it was not to be. On a winter morning we met up with them at the very cold and very quiet Prague Castle where no one else but a few castle guards were around. As Joyce is a very sexy young lady we wanted to create some very stylish & elegant photos of her and Timmy before heading to the riverside. With a video crew and two lighting people we were ready for everything – but the cold weather. Truth be told there is nothing more wonderful than having a winter themed session in Prague when we have lots of snow. But when there is not snow, well, it is what it is.
As cold as it was Timmy being the good guy that he is was doing his best to keep Joyce warm and while we were on the Charles Bridge he was more than happy to pick her up and spin her around making for some incredible Golden Light portraits. After a few hour our session ended at the roof top terrace of the U Prince Hotel overlooking the Old Town Square. By that time the city was really waking up and as we timed this session accordingly it was time for us to say our adieu’s.
One of my favorite images of them: the two of them taking in the Charles Bridge before sunrise when the water reflected the lights. It was truly an unforgettable image and it was also beautifully captured by our wonderful video crew led by Cary Hubbs.
We heard back from Joyce a few days later, her weather in Hallstadt for their second winter themed session? Only 0-5 degrees. Brr…
Presented here is a small sample of the many images captured during their session.
And the lovely bride to be left us a wonderful review on Google:
I definitely love the pre wedding pictures taken by Kurt. It’s full of art. We have chosen the two hours before and after the golden hours. The sunlight is surely taken at right position. It’s the best photos we have taken along the five pre wedding places We have been. Despite the cold weather, Kurt is so kind to serve us hot tea and bread. The makeup by Linda is also professional, she makes me like a pop star.
Thank you Joyce again for selecting my team – it was a real pleasure creating this beautiful session for you.
c
{Prague wedding & pre wedding photographer / lifestyle photographer / Engagement photographer available worldwide}
C+M lifestyle photo session that became a surprise marriage proposal near the Charles Bridge.
Sometimes life throws you something totally unexpected and you just have to rise to the occasion. These two globetrotters met the previous summer on one of those hot, humid nights where the right music and crowd was happening. They spied each other, smiled and they knew that there was something very special unspoken between them. They met, shared lots of laughs, stories and enjoyed the evening where time simply stood still and ended up taking a long walk that night in the early hours on the Charles Bridge. As they live on different continents it was one of those affairs where they really became close even though they were so far apart physically. And then a year (and a few months later) they decided to meet up and celebrate where they first met – here in Prague. Her idea was to have a small intimate lifestyle session in the early hours before the city awoke. She was far more interested in the photos than he was (typical guy thing) but that was most likely a ploy as he had something he had been holding on to for quite some time.
On a surprisingly chilly fall morning, we met up under the Powder Tower on the Charles Bridge for a very intimate lifestyle photo session. As expected, they had a great time. After some time we headed to the riverside as it was still quite early and then as they were taking it all in – he quickly dropped to his knee with his hand held out and her smile was all you needed to know.
It was that fantastic, totally unexpected and it was beautiful.
I asked if they wanted to see something quite special and then I took them up to my favorite place – above the city. The sun came out at just the right time to provide us all with some much needed warmth and as it was that nice, they decided to take one of those long unforgettable walks – just like that first night in Prague.
{Prague wedding & pre wedding photographer / lifestyle photographer / Engagement photographer available worldwide}
An intimate pre-sunrise / sunrise / Golden Hour portrait session with Tiffany & Kiu captured at Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge and the Old Town Square.
When Tiffany contacted me she was not a happy lady. She already had a pre-wedding session and instead of capturing natural styled images that captured her and her fiancee Kiu’s personality the photographer instead posed them with a series of boring portraits. As Tiffany stated, ‘we deserve better than this‘ and then asked if I could do better.
To be honest, I was a bit worried as they were already feeling crushed by their bad experience and truth be told – there are some people you really can not make happy… After spending time listening to her and discussing what was important to them, their backgrounds, their styles and their previous experience here, I decided to give them a try. Sometimes you really do pay for what you get here in Prague…
Experiencing the magical atmosphere of Prague Castle in the very early am before the city awakes is something I will never tire of. The history, the grandeur, the peaceful oasis of calm it offers is truly worth experiencing. By starting their session up there and before sunrise I felt it was a laid back way to get them comfortable again in front of the camera. Yes, there was some posing involved – as you must direct a bit, but the look and feel of those images were what she really wanted.
After our portraits at the castle we headed to the Charles Bridge where the light was starting to break across the City of 100 spires. Sometimes you just get lucky and the flaring imagery was something I wanted to work more with. Tiffany being a West Coast girl – knew exactly what I was going for and was all smiles when I showed her some of those stunning flare shots.
As we were on the Charles Bridge I pointed to them the playground down below and the look in her eyes was all I needed. It was truly magical.
When we hit our 4th hour it was time to say our goodbyes but before we left I showed them a few more images on the back of the camera and then I asked Tiffany what she thought about her session and she responded with a huge smile: ‘everything is awesome!’
Presented here is a small collection of their images captured on that beautiful summer day in Prague with two wonderful people.
For photographers: If you are looking to take your photos up a notch, shooting during the golden hour can make a big difference to your outdoor photography. Here’s another resource on golden hour photography to read.
Portrait Locations: Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Old Town
{pre wedding photo Prague / Lifestyle & Engagement photographer / pre wedding photographer available worldwide}
People often ask ‘what happens if it rains during our pre-wedding session in Prague?‘ Truth be told if we are available the next day – we will happily change it. After all who wants to get soaked during their photo session?
The lovely Irene & Ryan – who hail from Vancouver – contacted us for a last minute Engagement shoot here in Prague. A week out from their session date they contacted us asking to change the date due to the weather forecast. As they seemed really sweet (though clearly stressed with the weather) and their second date was my day off, I thought why not? The crew being available was also a big plus as we all agreed to give up our day off. The day before their session, well, you guessed it: the forecast called for rain and once again contacted us frantically asking to change the date once more. Unfortunately I was committed to another client and was not able to do both at the same time.
There is a difference between the American / North American Engagement Photo Session and the ‘Asian pre-wedding‘ or ‘overseas photo shoots‘. The pre-weddings sessions tend to be more structured, lit ( lighting crew ), hair & makeup prep and at times in attendance and of course wedding outfits (2-3 wedding gowns is quickly becoming the norm) and a more posed look. Whereas the Engagement sessions are really about two people exploring the city and are photographed in a natural – spontaneous way with their normal clothes with very little posing or even directing. On the morning of the session we met up with them at the castle where Irene was wearing a white wedding dress and her always smiling fiancee Ryan was wearing a dark outfit – and they (like ourselves) were already soaked. Truth be told, as a professional photographer one who works with a crew – you can create stunning images with the rain. After capturing a few images (the castle gates in both color and B&W for starters) and showing these images on the back of my trusty and nearly waterproof Canon EOS 1Ds MarkIII everyone relaxed, smiled – everything was going to be ok.
One of my favorite moments was when we were shooting posed portraits of Irene under the Powder Tower and there was a group of 10-12 Japanese tourists all with cameras (and flashes going off like mad) as she posed for a few images. It was quite funny as they were very excited to show us their images and of course Irene being the center of attention was all smiles as well. Even in the worst of situations something funny, beautiful and unforgettable occurs making it all worth while – fate is like that. We took leave of our new friends and headed up to one of my favorite places overlooking the city down below for our session wrap. It was really at that time the rain stopped and the sky lightened a bit. After a few sitting shots overlooking the valley down below, we said our goodbyes and left them to enjoy the park – after all the sun was starting to shine.
Pictured here are various styles captured during that session – a session where having the right kind of lighting crew really does make a difference.
To Irene & Ryan, congrats on getting married this month – and thanks for bringing that Vancouver weather 😉 On behalf of my team, I wish you both the very best in your new lives together as husband and wife. BTW I am personally quite pleased to hear how much you enjoyed the book as we are always quite proud creating something truly unique for our wonderful couples like yourselves.
Portrait Locations: Prague Castle Gates, Charles Bridge, Old Town, Letna overlook
{pre wedding photo Prague / Lifestyle & Engagement photographer / pre wedding photographer available worldwide}
