The Lincoln Memorial is one of the most iconic spots in Washington DC attracting thousands of tourist per year. The memorial has an amazing view of The Washington Monument and is walkable to many other DC memorials. The Lincoln Memorial is one of the popular locations in Washington DC for surprise proposals and engagement sessions! 

My favorite spot for a proposal is inside the memorial between the columns with a view of The Washington Monument as seen in the two images below! To get this shot I coordinate to direct my clients on which side of the memorial to propose on. Sometimes there may be tourist around this area and in that case I would suggest walking around a moment until those tourist leave or walk away. Sometimes you just need some luck. Weekends can be busier and summer is busier for tourist. By going to the memorial during less busy times you can succed in getting this amazing shot without any tourist in the shot. 

If you want to have The Lincoln Memorial in your photo you can also propose in front of the memorial at the bottom of the steps! This is another great option, however you will have tourist in the shot behind you and maybe some onlookers! 

A third option is to propose near The Reflecting Pool in front of The Lincoln Memorial with a view of The Washington Monument! This is a great option since tourist won't be in your image with the water. 

After the proposal there are lots of great locations within walking distance for additional portraits! Here are some of my favorite images: 

Learn more about planning a surprise proposal in Washington DC by using the contact form or emailing jonflemingphotography@gmail.com