engagement photography Archives - Boakview Photography

2019 Year in Review – Couples

January 29, 2020

2019 – what a year! We had so many wonderful adventures with so many amazing couples! It’s been one for the books for sure! As in pervious years, we went down memory lane and reminisced about our favourite moments of the year. And, as in previous years, it is, once again, time for our annual 2019 year in review – couples slideshow!

Reflecting on this year, I can honestly say that it taught us some big lessons. For one, it taught us not to take anything for granted! The work we do and the people we work with are precious and the memories we capture are equally so. We are so lucky to be able to capture love, intimacy, genuine emotion and to immortalize it for our couples and families. And that is a precious gift!

This year, as with other years in the past, we were able to step outside of our comfort zones with our couples. We had new adventures, new experiences, and are once again humbled by the trust all of you place in us. Thank you! We feel so very blessed that our couples trust us and our quirky requests. But also that we can work together as partners to create some pretty amazing memories! Photography is, after all, a relationship, a team effort, not a solitary enterprise!

This year when I was putting together our annual 2019 year in review – couples, I was struck by how much more comfortable I am with going outside of my own comfort zone! (Does that make sense?) I no longer doubt (or care) if a shot is not perfectly lit, or positioned. For me, this year has been about exploring the human connection with our couples. It was about capturing raw human emotion, as opposed to the perfect composition. This year was all about the feels! (Check out some of those feels here – hope they give you goosebumps! 🙂

As usual, the endeavour of selecting images for this year’s slideshow was not easy. Choosing some of our favourite photos is like choosing a favourite child or pet! And as you know, we love our children and we love our Bubi! But I, somehow, managed come up with a lovely assortment of some of our most favourite captures. These are not exclusive by any means, and if we could find a song that was longer than a mere 3 minutes, we would include more photos!

So lovers, that is it! Another year older and another year wiser (maybe?!) With another season to look forward to, more couples to meet, collaborate with, laugh with, cry with, dance with and make memories with – we cannot wait to get started! In the mean time, turn up the volume, sit back and enjoy while we share this…

Best of 2018 – Engagements

January 15, 2019

What a year it’s been! So many adventures and a few misadventures along the way as well (no one is perfect – no year either). But it’s been one for the books for sure. This year has taught us not to take anything for granted, particularly the work we do and the people we work with – we get to capture love, to immortalize it for our couples, and for ourselves. It’s not just about one or two days of partying (although that is indeed a bonus!), but it’s also about capturing a lifetime of memories in their most raw visual form and we are so grateful for that. This year we also stepped outside of our comfort zones with weddings but also with engagement sessions. We experimented with different locations, vibes, technologies, etc. – it’s been a fantastic learning curve, one we hope to develop even more this season! We feel very blessed that our couples trust us and our (sometimes) quirky ideas, and that we can work together as partners to create some pretty cool memories! Photography is, after all, a relationship, one we try to foster above all else! So as is or annual tradition, we put together a little best of 2018 – engagements. As usual, this has not been easy. Choosing our favourite photos is really like choosing your favourite finger or toe (I’m not kidding – we like them all!!!) but we managed to squeeze them all into a 3 minute song! (Turn up the volume, it makes the video so so so much better!)

So lovers, that’s it. Another year older and another year wiser. Another season to look forward to with more couples to meet, collaborate with, laugh with, cry with, dance with and make memories with. We can’t wait to get started, but in the mean time we share this…

Kelly, Vince, & Joie ~ A Fun Family Engagement in High Park

June 8, 2017

There is truly nothing more special than the melding of two families – two hearts, two souls, two sets of dreams to become one…unless there is a third little heart, soul, and set of dreams involved. When Kelly and Vince first approached us to photograph their engagement session we were thrilled, not only are they our kind of people (you know, laid back, easy-going, creative, and slightly dorky) they also wanted to include Vince’s beautiful little girl Joie. We absolutely loved the idea of having a little lady included in their session (I mean who doesn’t love a little girl in a pink tutu!?) but also because we love the idea of this unique little family coming together and sharing their love. We had so much fun roaming high park, swinging on swings, picking flowers, and snuggling. It really made all of us feel like big kids again…

Ida & Nolan ~ An Intimate Breakfast Engagement in Toronto

May 19, 2017

Once in a while we come across people we just know we were meant to meet. We get that lovely inexplicable feeling in our guts that these humans may be friends for life – this is exactly the feeling we go as soon as we met Ida & Nolan. Not only do we have oodles in common (including our mutual love for greasy spoon burger joints) but we instantly clicked not only with Ida and Nolan themselves but their entire family (honestly Italian families are the bomb!) For their engagement session, the couple invited me into Ida’s family home, where we had a late breakfast, chatted about their epic wedding at Hockley Valley and played with their adorable Visla fur baby, who also tried to steal some of the goodies served at breakfast (she’s fast that one). It was the perfect way to kick off the weekend, Nutella included!

Jacqueline & NJ ~ An Engagement in Little Italy

May 3, 2017

When a couple we met at another wedding asks us to photograph their own big day, we can’t help but high-five each other (yes, we are THAT dorky!) To us, this means two things: one – we already get along and our chemistry is aligned (BONUS!) and 2 – we must have done something right (DOUBLE BONUS). So when NJ and Jacqueline asked us to capture their special day we were thrilled. Their wedding is fast approaching and we are super excited to spend even more time with them, and so in honour of the yet-to-occur occasion, we are posting some snaps of their engagement session in Little Italy.

We always suggest to our couples to have fun with their engagement session location and to choose something and some place that strongly represents them and their relationship. Somewhere you feel comfy and/or are familiar with so that it is a true representation of your journey together. Because NJ & Jacqueline are huge fans of board games, we started the evening at Snakes and Lattes a cafe that holds oodles and oodles of games and serves some pretty great lattes. After a pretty heated game of Scrabble, we made our way through the charming Toronto neighbourhood taking in the gorgeous weather and light. It was a lovely and chill way to spend a warm summer evening…

Engaged ~ Orla & Ian

January 21, 2016

Orla and Ian’s story is an international affair! Orla, an Irish expat, met Ian while working in Toronto – the two fell in love almost instantly and have been inseparable ever since, so much so that Orla now calls Canada her home. Although Toronto is the city where they met, they decided to be married in Wicklow, Ireland this coming spring – how romantic is that? In order to stay true to their whimsical wedding plans (they will be married in an Abbey in the Irish country-side – swoom!) we wanted to re-create that same kind of magic right here in the middle of the city. What better place to do that than in High Park. Nestled in the midst of the busy West end of Toronto, we took Orla and Ian through the quiet and peaceful park and snapped as the two cuddled, kissed, and laughed. Orla, a lover of wild flowers, brought with her a hand-made bouquet that matched the mid-autumn colours of the surroundings and we couldn’t help but be reminded of the Irish country-side. We are also super excited to mention that Orla and Ian’s whimsical engagement session was also featured on JoyWed, see their story here!

Engaged ~ Cayley & Sean

October 29, 2015

It was love at first sight…and we mean between us and Cayley and Sean! When we first met this adorable couple we instantly wanted to be their friends. Their energy is contagious and their humour infectious. For their engagement session we decided to keep it simple and bring them for a walk along Lake Ontario. Also, because Cayley and Sean met at a pub close to the university they both attended, it only made sense to incorporate a few pints of Guinness into the mix. And what a mix it was, these two had us giggling the entire time! Their love for one another is so evident (and swoon-worthy) that we truly felt like the paparazzi snapping away as they cuddled, kissed, laughed, and chatted through our walk together. Here are some snaps from their chilly but amazing engagement session!

Engaged ~ Joanna & Andy

September 16, 2015

Just in time for the fall season, we thought that we would share this lovely rustic engagement session. As soon as we met Andy and Joanna we knew wanted to photograph their wedding. The chemistry between them is so evident and so sweet we can’t help but sigh as soon as we see them together. In addition to their affection and love for each other, Andy and Joanna both have an adventurous streak, which we are always attracted to. This became especially clear when the couple suggested scaling high rock walls and stone ridges in order to get just the right shot! We also love the location they chose for their engagement session, a marina that once belonged to Joanna’s grandmother. It’s nestled in Ontario’s beautiful Georgian Bay and offers some spectacular views of rivers, lakes, and of course, the province’s beautiful cottage country…

Engaged ~ Samantha & Tyler

June 17, 2015

On a bright & sunny day we met Samantha and Tyler in Roncesvalles, Toronto to chat about their upcoming wedding and to snap some photos of the blissfully happy couple. Tyler arrived first and we were instantly smitten with his quiet wit and humour, and his genuine adoration for his bride-to-be (he even hand-made Sam a rose bouquet for the session – swoon!) Sam arrived a few minutes later, and we headed around the neighbourhood and to High Park to dodge the millions of eager cherry-blossom enthusiasts. Oblivious to the throngs of people and the heat, Sam and Tyler happily chatted with each other, cuddled, and let us capture some of the love and intimacy that is so evident between them. We are so excited to have met these two, and can’t wait to head to Caledon for their big day in August!

Engaged ~ Deanna & Robb

April 14, 2015

We are so happy to share Deanna and Robb’s engagement session which has also been featured on The Wedding Opera!

Deanna and Robb’s story is truly one for the books! Not only are these two head-over-heels in love with each other but also their romance has been long-distance right from the start. Robb lives in Dallas, Texas and Deanna in Oakville, Ontario, but when these two get together…well one word: FIREWORKS! We were lucky to capture some of that last fall when we did their engagement session in Oakville (same place that they will get married on Thanksgiving – Canadian Thanksgiving, that is!)

It was a lovely sunny and warm day when we met up at the Oakville Marina. Deanna came with a whole picnic in tow (butter tarts included) and while the two lovebirds laughed, chatted, kissed, and snuggled they barely noticed us snapping away. Spending a few moments with Deanna and Robb you really get the sense of how comfortable and in love these two are and we feel so lucky to be able to capture all of that!