When I meet with folks who’re getting married, and we’re not in a rush (say, the wedding isn’t in like 3 weeks), we always get to chatting about doing a little photo-session before the wedding.

You know, documenting the ‘ordinary’ moments of life.

And the first question that comes up is: “What do you all LOVE to do together?”

Everyone has a different answer. All folks in love like to spend time together in different ways.

From the moment we started planning Maeve and MacKenzie's engagement photo session, I knew that it would be a really unique one.

The couple wanted to take me to MacKenzie's family cottage near Peterborough, on Stony Lake.

The only way to access this property, they told me, was by boat!

They were so sweet about this: Making sure I was okay with the boat ride, that my camera would be fine, and all.

Today I bring you the story of Nik and Kathlena’s surprise proposal.

What I actually mean is that it was a surprise to Kathlena, not Nik. It would be funny if it was a surprise proposal for both of them…. How would that even work?

Anyway, for this surprise proposal, Nik was the one planning everything.

He wanted to propose to the love of his life, and he wanted to keep it a complete surprise!

When we planned Andi and Tim's engagement session, there was one thing that was on the top of our minds.

We simply wanted make sure their two children could meet me and become comfortable with me before the wedding, so that they wouldn't be stressed out being photographed on their parents’ actual wedding day.

I think that's incredibly sweet: the way Andi and Tim prioritized the children, and included them in their engagement session that day.

So we did a lot of fun things, like visit their cottage in Prince Edward County. There’s a small trail behind the cottage, and just up the hill is a nice forest. We went for a walk up there for about ten minutes. Beautiful candid photographs don’t have to take a long time, you know.

Aw, Denise and Kevin. 🥰

This was such a sweet and meaningful engagement session.

When we were first planning this engagement session with Denise and Kevin, I asked them: what would make this something memorable and meaningful for you?

You know, something where we’re not just going to look for a pretty backdrop and take a bunch of awkward posed photos?

So, we chatted about recreating their first date, in downtown Kingston.

How many engagement photos have you seen in a PARKING LOT? Zero? Well, make that one.

Julian is camera shy, and yet he still wanted to smooch with Helena ALL THE TIME.

And we ended up with lots of kissy photos ❤️