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Rackell & Daniel – Engaged!

May 26, 2014

You know that pickup line, ‘do you believe in love at first sight, or do I have to walk by you again?’ Seems the universe conspired to give Rackell and Daniel that second look! They went to high school together but didn’t actually talk back then. Then years later, by chance, they happened to meet online and realized their shared history. How interesting is that!

We visited Toronto’s Centre Island for their engagement session – it’s a magical, nature-filled oasis in the city. There’s also a super cute and historical theme park there (the carousel is over a century old, built in 1907!), and we had a tonne of fun letting our inner kids out.

When they hopped into the ferris wheel, another neat coincidence occurred – their seat happened to be numbered with Rackell’s lucky number, and she didn’t realize it until she saw these photos. Maybe that number brought her luck after all, since it was supposed to rain that day but the weather held out long enough for us.

Here are some of my favourites from our time together. Aren’t these two just darned adorable? (Scroll to the bottom to read about this love story from our bride-to-be!)

And now, here are some words from Rackell about their love story!

“I knew of Daniel back in High School. He had come to Newtonbrook to finish up his last year (OAC) and I was in grade 11. I remembered seeing him in the hallways, always wearing some type of sports hat and baggy clothing lol

January 2009, my best friend had asked me if I wanted to sign up to Jdate for a 1 month trial, I agreed with her and we signed up together. I did it for fun, little did I know that I was going to meet my future husband!!!

I was scrolling through profiles and noticed Daniel’s picture. I thought he was hot and decided to sent him a “flirt”.
He then a few days later asked me to chat with him and that’s how we got to chat!

We had moved in about 10 months after we met (we met a day before my birthday) and have been together ever since!

Daniel and I are in many ways different, he loves sports (I don’t care much for them), he’s very outgoing with mostly everyone (I am as well but I pick and choose who I’m outgoing with and am slightly shy). I’m a dreamer, he’s not, he has a ton of energy, I usually don’t lol. We both love animals, watching movies and TV shows, chilling at home or outside, mostly just the two of us and taking walks. We love nature and like to explore when we are on vacation.

I do believe in the zodiac signs, I am a Pisces and he’s a Libra. Pisces are very much dreamers, are indecisive and are very sensitive (THAT’S SO ME). I believe that Daniel keeps me in check and balance while my head is somewhere in the clouds :D”

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Congratulations, lovebirds. Can’t wait to photograph your wedding this July 6th!

Shelley & Dave’s Cozy Winter Engagement Session

December 28, 2013

Shelley and Dave are the kind of couple you’d expect to find in a cool magazine or billboard ad – the kind of folks who look so hip and fun you just wanna spend time with them.
Well lucky me, I get to! This stylish duo is so sweet and such a pleasure to hang out with. Our winter engagement session at Toronto’s Amsterdam Brewery and Harbourfront Centre’s skating rink was so cozy and relaxed, and was such a lovely time despite the chill in the air.

We met up for some coffee to get some warmth in our veins before braving the cold, and we talked about their wedding and the classically beautiful watch Shelley gave to Dave as an engagement present after he proposed. Now they both have lasting mementos they get to see daily to remind them of this special time in their lives – I love that idea.

They chose to go skating for their engagement session for a special reason – keep scrolling to the end to learn why, and to read their love story!

Here’s their story:
“Dave and I met on one of the first days of university in September 2003. Despite growing up in Ottawa and going to Carleton University, we had both decided to move into residence rather than living at home. We were on the same floor in Stormont Residence and once we met, we quickly became inseparable… as friends. We were both dating other people when we started university so our relationship was strictly platonic. Months went by and shortly after the Christmas break, we both found ourselves single and pretty much attached at the hip. Dave used the excuse of having cold hands several times just to have an excuse for us to hold hands. Since we were 18, we were “Boyfriend and Girlfriend” before ever really going on a date – unless you count the cafeteria in res, which we do not. Our first “real date” landed on Valentine’s Day and since we had just started dating and were on student budgets, we decided to do something low key (and inexpensive), but still fun and romantic. One of Ottawa’s best features in the winter is the Rideau Canal – it becomes the world’s longest skating rink at nearly 8km long. It starts at the Parliament buildings downtown and ends at Carleton. For our first date, we skated the length of the canal and then went to the ByTowne Cinema (an independent theatre) where they were showing a special screening of Love Actually. We moved to Toronto in 2008 and quickly fell in love with the city. Five and a half years later, we still go skating whenever we can.”

Congratulations again, you guys.
Can’t wait to shoot your wedding on June 21st!

Stephanie & Brian – Engaged!

October 13, 2013

Note: *Totally* romantic, movie-worthy proposal story after the photos!

Stephanie and Brian wanted to do their engagement photos at a place that was significant to them (which I love to do!), so they chose the neighbourhood where they first met, in downtown Toronto where they had gone to college together before their undergrads.
We strolled around, weaving through the streets on what was an unbelievably beautiful, warm Fall day. I admired Stephanie’s ability to strut totally comfortably in her gorgeous plum heels as though they were sneakers.
It was totally cute hearing the two of them talk about the different buildings they had classes in, discussing memories, and pointing out the ways the neighbourhood had changed since they moved on from their former stomping ground.
Stephanie noticed the new Starbucks and joked about how she would have definitely been there all the time if it had been there back in the day. (You might be able to tell from some of the photos that she’s kind of a Starbucks fan.)
I learned that Brian doesn’t drink coffee (*gasp!* – kidding), but he does enjoy tea. I’m enjoying a nice hot cup of tea as I write this post – so this one’s to you, Brian!

We had a lot of fun frolicking about the city, and I love that these photos celebrate both their past and their future.

And now, Stephanie’s account of how Brian so romantically proposed to her (with photos provided by them). Guys, I can’t. It’s so good.

“Brian told me that he was going to Boston for work and that I should go down on the Friday to meet him and stay for the weekend. The Friday that I was supposed to leave was the day in February that we had a really big snow storm so all flights out were canceled on that Friday and on the Saturday too. So I was never able to fly out to meet Brian in Boston. Also, at the same time, Boston had an even bigger storm and Brian was snowed in the hotel the whole time he was there. Brian ended up proposing the following Friday in our kitchen. I came home from work that Friday and there was a mailed letter on the kitchen table addressed to me. I opened the letter and it said the following….

Behind the letter was the following picture…

This was Brian proposing in the hotel in Boston where he was planning to propose all along! I found out though this that he never went there for work and he had only gone to Boston to propose! Poor guy was stuck in the hotel and snowed in for 5 days! I have yet to visit Boston!”
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How cute is that??
*Sigh* Ah, love.Can’t wait to photograph your wedding on April 12th, guys!

Meagan & Adriano – Engaged!

May 24, 2013

Meagan and Adriano had a sense they were meant for each other before they had even technically met – they found each other online and knew the chemistry was right. They began dating and on their 2-year anniversary Adriano proposed at dinner – with a unique twist.

His family owns a flatbread company that has its name in grocery stores across the country and naturally, since it’s so delicious, they planned to have some of it with their meal. Adriano saw an opportunity to surprise Meagan and he hid the ring in the flatbread box – she was genuinely surprised and elated!

I had the honour of photographing these two lovebirds this month, and I can’t wait to photograph their wedding on September 27th, 2013!

Without further adieu, the happy couple!
(Click on the photos to enlarge.)

Chantelle & Joel – Engaged!

March 10, 2013

Joel and Chantelle were introduced through a mutual friend and started communicating online, neither of them anticipating the kind of feelings that would develop between them.

They lived provinces apart – Chantelle in Edmonton, Alberta and Joel in Brampton, Ontario – and they had no idea that soon, unseen forces would bring them together.

They spoke online every single day for hours on end – excitement and admiration blooming all the while. They couldn’t wait to hear from each other. After several weeks of talking, they finally met when Chantelle came back to her hometown of Toronto to go to school, and, surprised by how strong their connection was, they immediately became a couple.

After two years, Joel asked Chantelle to be his wife. This couple is a sight to behold – they emanate warmth, adoration and deep affection. It’s evident that they care so deeply about each other. Their big day is quickly approaching – On March 23rd (in 2 weeks!) they will be husband and wife!