McNay Art Museum Proposal Tips

The McNay Art Museum has everything you want in a beautiful backdrop for your proposal: gorgeous mansion, lovely gardens, and spacious grounds. In my last blog post I told you exactly ‘How to Propose at the McNay Art Museum’ and focused mainly on the Japanese koi pond as my location of choice. But what about the beautiful fountain? This alternative location with a glorious view of the mansion is not to be missed. In today’s article, I will be sharing with you more McNay Art Museum proposal tips especially if you have your eye on popping the question at the fountain.

McNay Art Museum Proposal Tips – Two Places to Propose

The McNay Art Museum offers two official locations for proposals: the Japanese koi pond and the fountain. As I mentioned above, my previous article discussed in detail how to propose at the Japanese koi pond. So, if your plan is to drop to one knee in this location, then make sure to check out the article. The fountain is the other location and it has the benefit of having the best view of the McNay’s grand home.

McNay Art Museum Proposal Tips –Where to Propose at the Fountain

In my opinion, there are three spots where you can propose at the fountain: 1) directly in front of the fountain, 2) on the patio of the fountain with a view of the mansion in the background, or 3) on the steps of the fountain leading up to the patio (preferably on the right side of the fountain as you are looking at the mansion).

Where you position yourself depends upon how secretive you need to be with your proposal, and how large a display you will be presenting for the proposal. It also matters what time of day.

Directly in Front

First, if you will be proposing in the afternoon, be prepared that the fountain is in direct sunlight and there is no shade. This is fine for photos facing the mansion and any photos on the stairs. For any photos facing into the fountain, however, these images will be backlit because of the position of the sun. As such, unless you are proposing first thing in the morning, I would recommend against proposing directly in front of the fountain.

Patio for Space

The patio is a great option if you have a large display – such as a ‘Marry Me’ sign, musicians, etc. – where you need the additional space. In this case, I recommend you and your partner enter the fountain from the lower-level parking lot, proceed up the stairs, and then come up to the patio. This way you will have the display with the mansion in the background, and be able to take photos with the fountain.

Staircase for the View

The ideal option for a proposal at the McNay Art Museum fountain, however, is exactly how Stacy proposed to Sicily: on the steps of the fountain. The steps give you a multi-pronged view of the fountain, the mansion, and the landscaping around the fountain. Even better, the small pathway leading off to the side from the right stairwell is the perfect place for your photographer to hide. The only trick is that if you are going to be getting down on one knee, you simply need to remember to position your body so that you are perpendicular to your photographer.

McNay Art Museum Proposal Tips –Where to Hide Your Photographer?

For a surprise proposal at the fountain, the lower-level parking lot is going to be your easiest access. In the case of Stacy’s proposal to Sicily, the ruse was that this was going to be a family portrait session. Stacy and Sicily were going to meet their family photographer, so it was natural to have me waiting by the fountain with my camera in hand.

If you need to have your photographer completely hidden, however, you have two options. The side pathway located off of the right staircase is well landscaped, and can definitely hide a photographer.

There is also a large oak tree to the left of the fountain of you plan to approach from the parking lot located near the entrance of the museum. This would be best for a fountain patio proposal.

McNay Art Museum Proposal Tips – Possible Issues

Cold Weather Months

San Antonio doesn’t get much cold weather, but we have had a few freezes. And when it gets very cold, the museum does shut off the fountain to prevent the pipes from freezing. If you are planning to propose in winter, I would recommend first checking the weather forecast and then calling the museum to make sure that the fountain will in fact be turned on for your proposal. If not, then ask if you can schedule your proposal instead for the Japanese koi pond.

Rain Backup Location

As with all photo shoots at the McNay Art Museum, the colonnade beside the mansion is the rain backup location for any proposals. Note that the museum’s rain policy is that they will be happy to reschedule you due to bad weather, but no refunds are issued. You would simply be rescheduling for another day.

Price Changes

Just in case you were not aware, the price of a proposal photo permit at the McNay Art Museum has changed. It is now $400 to reserve the museum grounds for a proposal. This fee includes photography on the grounds of the museum following the proposal.

My Best Tips for a Proposal at the McNay Art Museum

When to Schedule Your Proposal – Monday or Tuesday

Make sure you book your proposal on a day when the museum is closed, which is Mondays and Tuesdays. First, this will allow you to (usually) have the grounds all to yourself. With the exception of the occasional visitor to the grounds, you will be able to take photos privately without the intrusion of the museum’s usual steady stream of guests.

In addition, the museum has a rule that no photography is allowed on the mansion porch or main entrance when the museum is open. These areas are beautiful, and it would be a shame to not be able to take photos here simply because of scheduling.

One more scheduling issue to note: the McNay is closed every Saturday for all photo shoots beginning at 5:00 p.m. So, your weekend photo shoots on Saturday will need to end early.

When to Schedule Your Proposal – Morning is Better

And while we are discussing scheduling, let’s talk about the best time of day for your proposal. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of shade on the McNay grounds. In particular, the fountain is in full sun. The other issue at the McNay is that there are a lot of trees which, if the sun is directly overhead, will produce dappled light. Inconsistent lighting is the bane of all photographers.

The McNay grounds are open from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily (and 7:00 p.m. during Daylight Savings Time). Since you will not be able to be there during sunset (unless you are proposing in winter), then my recommendation is to opt for a morning reservation if at all possible. This will put you closer to ‘golden hour’ at sunrise and give you softer light for your shoot.

Best Photo Locations

You’ve gotten down on one knee and asked your beloved to marry you. Your partner said ‘yes’, and now it’s time to take some photos. Where do you go on the McNay grounds? You can’t go wrong anywhere you land, but my favorite spots are the colonnade, the Japanese koi pond, and the large oak tree by the fountain. As you can tell, I gravitate towards shade.

Let’s start with the colonnade. This cool architectural element can bring out the artistic beast in any photographer. The arch opening at the end of the hallway is a great place for portraits. Likewise, the colorful, mosaic columns are great for portraits inside or outside. Finally, don’t forget to take advantage of the contrast lighting at the entrance to the colonnade.

The Japanese koi pond and gazebo is one of my favorite areas to take photos in all of San Antonio. The interweaving series of bridges plus the lush landscaping make it seem a world away from San Antonio. You can take photos here from many different angles and get so many different shots no matter where you stand. Just make sure you don’t fall into the pond.

Finally, the oak tree beside the fountain always gets overlooked in my book. This majestic tree offers fantastic, filtered light and is a great spot to take portraits when the sun is just too bright outside. Everyone always goes for the mansion, and I always go for the trees.

Meet Stacy and Sicily

There was a lot of planning that went into Stacy’s surprise proposal to Sicily, but it was all worth it.

Stacy and Sicily had been dating a few years, and on a recent visit to the McNay Art Museum, Sicily casually said to Stacy that the fountain was the perfect place for a marriage proposal. It was right then and there that Stacy started planning. She called me with her vision of where I would be located, where she would get down on one knee, and exactly how she would propose. I have to admit: it was indeed the perfect plan.

Planning the Proposal

With the help of friends and family, we plotted and put together a little white lie. Sicily was told that since it was Stacy’s birthday, she had booked a family portrait session at the McNay to celebrate.

The family arrived, and Stacy and Sicily walked up to the fountain with the kids in hand. Once they got close to the fountain, Stacy and Sicily’s friends popped out of the bushes to take care of the kids, and Stacy led Sicily up the stairs to the fountain. She got down on one knee as planned, and the proposal happened without a hitch. We even took care of a ‘Marry Me’ sign that Sicily didn’t see until she climbed up the stairs.

As you can guess, Sicily said ‘Yes!’ and there were many happy smiles all around. The proposal soon became a fun, family portrait session and then the couple got some time alone. I know these two will have many happy milestones in their future.

Enjoy the images, and I’ll have more photo adventures for you next week!

______________________________________________________________________

If you found this article on ‘McNay Art Museum Proposal Tips’ useful, then check out these articles:

Are you interested in setting up a surprise proposal in San Antonio? Drop me a line and let’s chat about how I can help you photograph your moment. I have hourly rates, and all photo shoots include editing and high-resolution files.

To view more images from my wedding photography portfolio, please visit my website – KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com