Are you wondering whether it is possible to propose under the northern lights, how to do that and where to do that? In this blogpost you’ll find all the information you need to succeed with your Aurora Borealis proposal!
Can I propose under the northern lights?
Absolutely! As long as you’re doing it somewhere within the arctic circle, during the right season and have an approximate idea of how and where to see the northern lights. Bring your better half out of town in a place where it is dark, and wait for a great show to come before you pop up the big question! A unique and beautiful experience just for you two!
However, if your plan is to photograph the whole event, it will require quite a bit of preparation, some sneaking skills and a bit of luck. Even capturing a regular proposal can be tricky, because how would you casually bring a photographer to a place you want to propose at? Don’t worry, a skilled photographer would probably have some good tricks to share with you, so the best place to start at would be by contacting a photographer you’re considering booking. And since you are reading this blogpost right now, you may as well contact me and we will take it from there. But there are some more questions to answer, so let’s go through all of them!
Best places to have your northern lights proposal
Aurora borealis occur in the areas of Arctic, such as Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Faroe islands, Russia, Greenland, Scotland, Alaska and Canada. You can only see the northern lights in specific parts of these countries, and only during specific seasons.
Since Norway is my gem, let’s focus on the places to propose in Norway. Basically, you can do it anywhere in Northern Norway. However, some places are more appealing to go to, because your overall norwegian experience will be more memorable.
Try to consider what other experiences apart from the northern lights you’re expecting from your trip to Norway. This way it will be easier to determine the best place for you to go. Do you prefer a city or a calm small village? Do you want to see (or sleep in) an igloo hotel? Do you want to do husky sledding, reindeer sledding, snowmobile driving, hiking, snowshoeing, arctic surfing, skiing etc? In my opinion, the best places to go would be: Alta, Tromsø, Lofoten islands, Senja, Lyngen alps.
Best season for a northern lights proposal in Norway
Northern lights season in Norway is from ca. middle of September until ca. end of March. The weather is changing from year to year, from place to place. Sometimes there are heavy rains in September, sometimes there are heavy snowfalls in March. It is hard to predict which month would be best. But my personal advice is the following: if it is your first time in Norway and you really want to see some landscapes during daytime, try to avoid coming in December (unless you want to experience Norwegian Christmas). December is a fairly dark month, and sometimes you only get a 2-3 hours of daylight, which can be a bit frustrating if you expect to experience Norway with some daylight.
Other things to consider: September, October and March are definitely warmer than November-February, so remember to bring clothes according to the season you’ll be visiting Norway. If you want to experience snow, there are more guarantees that we have it from December throughout March. However, it is not uncommon to have snowy landscapes already from early October on.
Apart from that, rely on your photographer. They will give you the best advice on how to pan the whole proposal without your girlfriend/boyfriend realizing what you are planning. They will help you build up a timeline around the proposal in a way where you’ll get some awesome memories from your stay in Norway – regardless of Aurora borealis showing up or not. But if you are flexible and stay in a place in Northern Norway for at least 3 consecutive days, I’m sure you have great odds for seeing the aurora borealis.
