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…
The List!
We are super excited to be part of The Wedding Co.’s The List, which features some of Toronto’s finest wedding vendors. For all the Toronto Brides out there, this web site is a beautiful repository of GTA vendors, including photographers – which we are now thrilled to be part of! Check out our listing here!
Wedding Photographers Society
We are thrilled to announce that we’ve just been inaugurated into The Wedding Photographers Society! Check out our profile here!
The long-lasting beauty of film…
A few years ago, before the rise in popularity of digital photography, we were gifted with an SLR (film) camera. This little baby changed the way we looked at the world and was our first real introduction to the beautiful world of photography. Initially, both Hugh and I found it frustrating and went through many rolls of film that were only fit for a garbage can and not much else, but with a lot of practice and even more patience both of us started to get the hang of it and fell head over heels in love with the art of film photography. So much so, in fact, that while living & travelling in Asia, despite having a cool new Digital SLR, our little NIKON F65 became our primary lens through which to document our life in South Korea – we even went as far as developing our own film a few times (and let me tell you that, in and of itself, is an art form!) Fast-forward a few years into the future when I came across on old roll of film that never saw the developing desk. Blowing the dust off I took it to our neighbourhood film store and had it developed. I was blown away that after sitting in a box for 6 years (yup 6!) the photo quality remained unchanged! This inspired both Hugh and I to once again experiment with the beauty of film. So after several years of collecting dust on the shelf our trusty old F65 is being put into circulation again – and we are so excited! In conclusion to our little rant, here are some of the photos that are 6 years in the making, along with some new ones we shot during two recent engagement sessions. Enjoy!
Jeju-do, South Korea (circa 2008/2009) Nikon F65 / Fujichrome Provia 400x
Kim & Jay (March 2015) Nikon F65 / Kodak Gold 400
Samantha & Tyler (June 2015) Nikon F65 / Kodak Gold 400
Engaged ~ Samantha & Tyler
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!
Eddie & Alison
We are so excited to share Alison and Eddie’s wedding on our blog (which has also been featured on the Inspired Bride here). We both met Alison and Eddie at a large Toronto Wedding Expo. It was our first time participating as vendors, and we did not know what to expect – we definitely did not expect to meet so many amazing and unique couples, such as Alison and Eddie – The moment these two enter a room you can’t help but fall in love with their energy. They are up for anything and for us, as wedding photographers, this is always an exciting opportunity to try something unique!
The setting of their countryside wedding was perfect: we were able to stop at farmers’ fields, discovered an abandoned old UK telephone booth, and goofed around with pinwheels and sparklers. Eddie and Alison incorporated so many personal touches to their wedding day: their cake (masterfully created by Designer Delights), was forest-themed (not to mention adorable!) The rolling Niagara hillside, the soft dusk light, and all the natural details together provided the perfect backdrop for an amazing day.
Mitch
In our work, we are very lucky to photograph some incredibly unique and beautiful people. But once in a while we come across someone really special, someone that we just can’t help but put in front of the camera. Whether it is a unique look, a spark of charm and personality, or just plain old fashioned beauty, either way we feel the need to take their picture. This is what happened while we were shooting a wedding in Mexico this past March – where we met Mitch. This handsome and stylish (not to mention CHARMING) dude captured our hearts and was kind enough to indulge our (sometimes seemingly random) photographic urges and posed for some photos! Thanks Mitch, for being such a good sport and letting us take an hour of your time on the beach to pose for us!
Engaged ~ Phil & Steph
We are super excited to share this engagement session, which has recently been featured on The Wedding Co.
After living away from Toronto for almost eight years, we were delighted to make our way back to the city we call home. We’ve been back for almost two years now and are always amazed at how much this city has both changed but also remains the same. As photographers we are lucky enough to travel wherever our work takes us but to do a shoot in our own hometown always feels extra special. This is why we were delighted when Phil and Steph asked us to hang out with them around their neighbourhood in downtown Toronto for their engagement session! So on a chilly fall afternoon, we met Phil and Steph on the rooftop patio of their condo that overlooks the city. From there we followed them around, stopping at some of their much-loved hang-outs, snapping photos along the way. We had so much fun hanging out with these two fellow urbanites and we can’t wait to be part of their special day this summer at the Berkeley Church! Thanks Phil and Steph for sharing with us some of your favourite spots and letting us be part of such a momentous occasion!
Engaged ~ Deanna & Robb
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!
Engaged! Niki & Kyle
It took a stroke of fate, some exact change, and a very loud concert for Kyle and Niki to meet, even though they were living next door to each other for years!
After hearing a friend’s mutual friend grumble about not having exact change for a drink at a concert venue, Niki dashed to the rescue and offered Kyle a fist full of her change. Laughing and charmed, Kyle accepted, bought both of them a pop and the two of them have been inseparable ever since! Niki was 17 and Kyle was 18 years old, but after only a short time together they knew they had each found their perfect match.
We’ve known Kyle and Niki for years now, so you can imagine our delight when they asked us to be their wedding photographers. Because of our close friendship and the fact that we know how much they both love the outdoors, we knew that for their engagement session we would have to do something really special. So we did something we’ve never really done before and took them to our family cottage, which also happens to be the namesake of our photography business, Boakview. Boakview cottage is nestled deep in Northern Ontario lake country. Once a railroad station, it is now a rustic (we’re talking no electricity or plumbing) get-away for family and friends. We took Niki and Kyle on a weekend trip to capture their love of nature, the outdoors, and most importantly, each other. Albeit rainy, we managed to have a great time – sharing stories, exploring the fall nature, hiking, and drinking some traditional lemon-honey tea.
We are beyond excited to be part of Niki and Kyle’s special day, which will happen on March 2nd in Mexico!!! (We’re talking: dancing on the beach, fun in the sun, and margaritas galore!) Until then, check out some of the photos from their rustic engagement session. Enjoy!