Photographer tracks down Conwy castle proposal couple
- Published
The romantic moment that won over so many people online
A passing photographer who captured a man's proposal to his girlfriend has tracked down the couple after they melted hearts online.
Off-duty soldier Rhian Goddard snapped the moment at a north Wales beauty spot when Daniel Doran asked girlfriend Debbie Walker to marry him.
Showing Daniel on bended knee with ring in hand, the romantic image at Conwy castle was a hit on social media.
The couple have now asked Rhian to be the photographer at their wedding.
Rhian was on leave from the Army Air Corps (AAC) over the bank holiday weekend when she was taking photos of her dog near the castle at sunset.
"I was changing lenses at the time and, as I turned, I saw him [Daniel] getting on one knee and producing the ring box," said Rhian.
"I thought, 'Oh my God' I need to be really quick. By the time I got the lens on and lifted the camera I got that one shot before he got back up and hugged Debbie."
Eager to share the snap with the couple while not spoiling any announcements, Rhian waited a few days before taking to social media with the faint hope of finding them.
"With it being a bank holiday weekend, there were so many tourists around and I thought they could be from anywhere so the chances of reaching them were really slim," she said.
"But I guess it tugged on the heartstrings of so many people that it was shared thousands of times."
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As it turned out, the couple were also from north Wales and had recently celebrated their first anniversary of dating.
"We'd just been to a spa in Conwy and Dan asked if I wanted to go for a meal, but I said I'd rather go for a walk," said Debbie, 38.
"He was acting strange, dragging me around trying to go up the wall around the castle, even though I was knackered
"Then we sat on a bench and he got on one knee."
Daniel and Debbie are busy planning their engagement party
She added: "I'm still blown away by the reaction. I've had so many messages and the last week has been a whirlwind.
"The photo is lovely. It really captures the moment of what Dan did. It was a beautiful night."
Now the couple, from Deeside in Flintshire, have invited Rhian to their engagement party next month and are even hoping she will be their wedding photographer, when they set a date.
Debbie said: "We've spoken about it. It all depends on whether she can get the time off to do it and hopefully they can come to the party."
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