toronto engagement session Archives

Toronto Ravine Engagement | Kaliroy & Jimmy

July 28, 2017

Toronto Ravine Engagement: Kaliroy & Jimmy

Kaliroy and I went to school together and I’m so honoured to photograph this happy time for her and her beau of 10 years, Jimmy.

They wanted to start their engagement session where it all started for them: Robina Ave.
They actually grew up on the same street – how convenient would that be for getting together when dating!

We then kept it simple and went to a nearby Toronto ravine, which is actually one of my favourites: Cedarvale Ravine.
(I actually grew up in the area as well and have spent a lot of time there over the years.) Bonus: We saw a bunny!

The skies threatened to rain all evening – and there were raindrops here and there – but we managed to sneak in about an hour of photos in THE MOST even light thanks to the full cloud cover.

Jimmy actually said he’s not one for PDA or getting his photo taken, but seeing these you probably wouldn’t be able to tell. They definitely look super smitten, even with my camera snapping away.

Guys, I had such a great evening with you and I can’t wait for your wedding at Steamwhistle in October!

Courtney & Dan’s Ward’s Island Engagement

November 19, 2016

She moved from Nevada to be with him in Toronto.

Her smile is like sunshine and her eyes are possibly the brightest most happy eyes I’ve ever seen to be gazing at her mister.
Courtney and Dan are so sweet together. Here’s a peek at their engagement session – and don’t miss their love story, written by the couple themselves, at the bottom of the post <3

Their wedding will be at Steam Whistle Brewery, so they thought they’d bring some bottles to the session – a fun nod to their nuptuals 🙂

– THEIR LOVE STORY –

From Daniel:
One day five years ago, I was walking into a work meeting, when a colleague of mine stopped to ask me a question. He casually mentioned that the daughter of their neighbor was in town for the summer and was looking to meet people her own age. He wanted to know if I was interested in meeting her.
At this point, the boardroom was filling up with people and my colleague kept going on and on how this girl is really sweet and cute and that I need to meet her. I politely asked if we could continue the conversation after the meeting, but by then several other people had overheard and started egging me on to get her number.
I succumbed to the peer pressure and got her number. Shortly after, we connected and I had invited her to my house for a birthday BBQ. This fearless American woman travelled by public transit on her own from Oakville into a city she barely knew to meet a guy she didn’t know.
Either she was extremely bored; or it was fate, regardless I was hooked. After a few years of long distance, she graduated and decided to move to Toronto for me, that’s when I knew she was the one.

After be together for so long, we both knew it was time to get engaged; however I wasn’t going to give in so easily. When we booked our trip to Italy, I made it perfectly clear that it was NOT going to happen, as I didn’t want her thinking about it the entire trip. At the same time, I knew I was going to propose, but I had to ensure it would be a surprise.
I had it all planned out; as I wanted to propose on the Piazza de Michelangelo, which I read had a great view and sunset. However, I had no idea there would be several hundred people also in the plaza. This was not a spectacle I wanted to share with hundreds of strangers. Sure enough I didn’t have to, as another future bride was proposed to just a few meters away.
Since I wasn’t going to be the second guy to do it that evening, I decided to wait until the following morning. I woke up early and got everything ready. As we did every day, we recapped what we were going to see that day.
As I finished the recap, I quickly said “change of plans!” and got down on one knee and proposed. I would like to say it was a magical speech that completely captured my love for Courtney; however, I am pretty sure I blacked out and forget everything I said and did.
All I remembered was she said YES. We ended up buying matching wedding bands on the Ponte Vecchio (which was my plan from the start). And now we are here… cool story right?

From Courtney:
Dan and I met 5 and a half years ago on somewhat of a blind date. I lived in Nevada, but was home for the summer with my parents who had recently moved to the GTA. My Mom and Dad lived down the street from a colleague of Dan’s, who thought we would hit it off.
After exchanging some emails back and forth, Dan invited me to his house for a birthday barbecue with his friends. I left thinking we might be friends, and that we might hang out again… maybe? I like to think Dan left knowing we would be here someday:). Somehow I couldn’t shake him off after that, and I found myself packing up my life after graduation and moving to Toronto to be with him.

We reached a point where I knew we would be getting engaged someday, I just didn’t know when. So when we booked a trip to Italy in April, I thought… “Maybe?”. Dan was quick to shut me down, he told everyone not to worry, that a vacation proposal was too obvious and there was no way we would be coming home engaged. When we got to Italy, love was all around us.
By our third day we had seen 3 proposals, and assumed I would not be next. I was in shock when Dan got down on one knee early one morning in Florence and asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. I actually said “is this real life?”. We spent the day walking around the city and bought our wedding bands along the famous Ponte Vecchio. Now we get to come home and start our lives together!

Relaxed Toronto Engagement Photos – Carolyn & Nick

August 3, 2016

My evening with Carolyn & Nick left me feeling so zen and heart-full.
This session was so relaxed, free-flowing and easy-going.
We explored their neighbourhood (King West) and snapped some shots when the light and locations felt right.
I had such a great time hanging out with these two and documenting this time in their lives.
Can’t wait for their George restaurant wedding next May <3

— & Here’s their fantastic engagement story!
“The Proposal

I surprised Nick with a trip to Cape Breton for his 30th birthday. We had planned to drive the Cabot Trail and hike around the provincial park. I had read online how beautiful the Skyline Trail Hike was, but we were both a little nervous because a hiker had been killed there by a coyote a few years back.

As we walked the trail, every crunch in the bush made us turn in fear. Also, the temporary sign that read ‘Coyote in the Area’ didn’t help to calm our nerves. I kept asking Nick if we should turn back and forget about the rest of the trail, but he seemed keen to push on.

After about an hour of walking with anxiety, we finally reached the beautiful lookout that made it all worth it. We cracked a beer and started taking pictures. Because it was the low season in Cape Breton, we ended up at the lookout by ourselves. I turned around to see Nick down on one knee. In shear disbelief, I ran around in a circle and didn’t let him talk – but I did say yes! It was the perfect moment.

Hiking from the lookout point back to the car I was no longer afraid. I remember telling Nick that I had enough excited energy to fight any coyote that crossed our path!”

Toronto Engagement Photography – Andree & Katherine

April 22, 2016

Andree got in touch with me shortly after he and Katherine got engaged with a very unique story.
They live countries apart (he in Toronto, her in Texas), and they met each other at a religious retreat a couple of years ago.
But then they didn’t talk for about 2 years.
As time passed, they were on each other’s minds and they rekindled their connection online.
Now, this may sound like a common enough story, but here’s where it’s quite different:
As they spoke, they realized very quickly that their shared views and life goals were enough for them to seal the deal.
He bought a ring. She didn’t know. But, she did think to herself that if he asked she would definitely say yes.
He booked a ticket to visit her, and he proposed to her surrounded by beautiful blooming nature at a botanical garden; The profile of the ring features a leaf design to signify their love continually growing (aaaaw!) and she said yes!
When we photographed this session they had spent a total of less than a month with each other in person, but their shared beliefs mean they feel very secure in their decision to be together.
It was pretty cool to witness a couple’s slightly careful yet definitely giddy beginnings. They were still discovering how they fit into each other, but by the end of the session they were in a constant comfortable embrace. It was heartwarming and a privilege to be a part of.
Thank you so much for inviting me to document this special time for you, Andree & Katherine! I wish you an incredible life together!

Toronto Winter Engagement Session – Denis & Ada

January 17, 2016

He proposed during a trip to Quebec City.
He kept the ring in his sock, waiting for JUST the right time.
He had a spot in mind, but there were too many people around and he wanted the moment to be kept between just them two.

She thought he was going to wait until their trip to Albania a little later in the year.
She wondered why the heck he had to tie his shoes so many times on their walk.
She didn’t see it coming.

He wasn’t actually tying his shoes. He was checking that the ring was still there.
When the spot and moment were just right, he surprised her, and she said yes.

Then, they were able to celebrate with family on their trip back home to Albania.
—
I went to high school with Denis, and he got in touch when he and Ada were engaged.
I was of course super honoured and super excited!
—
We decided on a Winter engagement session. We were hoping for snow, but with busy schedules and an unpredictable Winter, there wasn’t any on the ground for their session.
But that’s ok – we still had fun walking around High Park for their engagement photos – a place they used to visit together.
We also enjoyed some coffee at The Grenadier Restaurant in the park to fill up with some warmth before our trek through the wilderness.
—
The light is so different each season in Toronto – for this session, the sky was overcast which lent itself to some slightly more ‘moody’ photographs. Kind of how the season often feels in general. But within the shadows and the darker shots, the warmth and coziness in their closeness and happiness makes these photos feel like a hug.

Here are some of my faves.

Location: High Park, Toronto
Season: Winter
Month: January

Toronto Island Engagement Session – Amanda & Markus

November 11, 2015

Toronto Island Engagement Session

When I first heard from Amanda and Markus, I learned that their dog’s name is Olive. ‘It’s meant to be!’, I thought. What a nice coincidence! I was thrilled to meet Olive at the start of their engagement session – their sweet, energetic, totally loving cutie pie pup. She’s one of those dogs who doesn’t realize how big she is and she’ll plop right down in your lap – so endearing. We went for a walk around their Cabbagetown neighbourhood exploring some of their favourite streets and taking in the rather warm Fall day.

After a few photos with Olive we brought her back home then visited a neat local coffee shop called The Skullery. Talk about good coffee! Seriously, if you’re a coffee fan, go there. It’s gooood. I got a cortado (basically a latte with less milk) and a delicious chewy ginger cookie. Yum!

After that we took the ferry to one of my absolute fave places in the city. If you’ve followed my blog for a while you may know which place I’m talking about. That’s right, Ward’s Island! Markus plays Disc Golf (I kept thinking they were saying ‘Disco’) on the island and they visit there often, so it was a fitting way to cap off their e-sesh. They (and I) don’t usually go in the Fall, so it was nice to experience it in a different light.

They brought the loveliest blanket (wrapped in a cool, convenient leather carrying strap), and two campy and amazing metal mugs with a thermos of one of their favourite coffees. There was lots of cozy canoodling, and all was well.

I really enjoyed my time with these two – totally felt like we were friends who had known each other for a long time, just hanging out.

Guys, thanks for having me along during this super exciting part of your story – can’t wait for your wedding at Airship 37 next October!

—

Awesome Toronto Vendors:

– Cafe: The Skullery – http://thescullery.ca/
– Pendleton Blanket, her scarf, his pants, non-sweater shirts and the bear camp mug: North Standard Trading Post (in Parkdale) – owned by their friends – http://northstandard.com/

– The other camp mug (‘The Adventure Starts Here’): Labour of Love (in Cabbagetown) – http://www.thelabouroflove.ca/

– Thermos: Hudson’s Bay Company (also sold at North Standard) – https://www.thebay.com

– Coffee in the thermos: Pilot Coffee Roasters – http://www.pilotcoffeeroasters.com/

U of T Engagement Session – Jess & Adam

November 10, 2015

U of T Engagement Session

Adam and Jessica – could two people be more adorable?

We tossed around a few ideas of where to do their engagement session but ultimately landed on where they went to university together. Why not bring it back to where it all began!

The University of Toronto is so incredibly picturesque – everywhere you turn is another gorgeous sight!

We met at the quad and casually walked around, taking in the sights. The evening was beautiful, which made us so glad we decided to reschedule from an earlier date when it was rainy. (Though rain can be totally cool for photos, the sun during our session was perfect for creating dreamy light and airy photos!)

These two are so amazingly sweet. They were a little shy about being photographed at first, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the photos. I assured them that, yes, at first having a camera pointed at you feels weird, but really we’re just hanging out and I’m not here to judge, just capture this happy time. Super soon we got into the groove, having fun, and they were absolutely incredible – I love that part of my job involves helping people feel more comfortable and confident. Big bonus: It leads to such love-filled photos! Here are a few of my faves.

And I got to photograph her with her dad since they were all going to dinner after our session <3

Jess & Adam, I had such a wonderful time with you and can’t wait for your wedding in The Blue Mountains in September!

Xoxo!

Anastasia

Toronto Island Engagement Session

June 25, 2015

Xanthi and I went to high school together, so this Toronto Island engagement session was extra special. When she messaged me to let me know she and Mani got engaged I was so thrilled for them! When she asked if I’d photograph their engagement photos for their public engagement reveal I was beyond excited.

We chose to shoot their photos on Centre Island because of the wonderful variety of locations it offers – beach, nature, farm, and Centreville! Though Centreville was closed, it was so much fun walking around and reminiscing about the place we’d visited as kids. I’ll be honest, it made me want to go back when it opens again to go on the log ride, train and buggy driving rides again!

We explored and chatted and goofed around whenever we were inspired by a nifty location. We were super excited to see horses and peacocks, and we of course had to go say hello.

The ‘Yes’ cupcakes that we photographed on the beach were actually saved from when Mani proposed! (He didn’t have any ‘No’ ones made – ha.)

Read more about this cupcake and their love story in a blurb from these lovebirds themselves, at the bottom of the post!

And if you like this location for an engagement session, check out this one, and this one! (I looove it there.)

And now some words from the lovebirds themselves!

“Friends. Lovers. Partners. Family. When Mani first asked me out eight years ago at York University, I told him I preferred being friends. Seems like we all say that when we’re not interested right? Wrong! In fact, this is the time we really got to know each other and build on our friendship.

How did we get out of the “Friend’s Zone” you ask? Well, after spending late nights studying at York, lifting weights together at the gym, and working double shifts serving tables, Mani made his second move. This time I knew there was something special.

Our biggest challenge as a couple was spending 10 months apart while I was living in Barcelona. Despite the time difference, our long distance was a success mostly thanks to Mani visiting me- twice! Our mini adventures around Barcelona, Mallorca and Rome was just the beginning of our craze to travel and explore the world.

Coming home to Toronto and moving in together brought us closer as partners sharing a life. Four years later and we’re engaged!

We knew for a while we’d be together “forever and ever”, but it was a fairytale that came true on a proposal that surprised me on a sunny Friday evening after work. “Καλό μήνα” he said (Greek phrase and fun game we play meaning “have a good month”). Without sharing too many of Mani’s romantic secrets, the cutest touch of the evening was the cupcakes saying “Will You Marry Me” and another one printed “Yes”!

Over the years we’ve strengthened our bond and have become a family whose love is unconditional and forever passionate. Our secret? Respect. Trust. Friendship.”

Pillow Fight & Old Mill Engagement Photos

June 23, 2015

Pillow Fight & Old Mill Engagement Photos

I love the idea of doing a home engagement session. Cozy and comfortable, in your own element.
This was a super fun one. Who doesn’t love a pillow fight!

I met with hotties (I mean, seriously) Chloe and Andrew at their beautiful home where they greeted me in true comfortable style – yeah, PJs!

We hung out like they often do on a weekend morning, chilling out in the living room and reading the paper in bed – then we turned the fun factor up to 11!

After the fluffy fun they changed and we headed over Old Mill since it’s close to where they live and I like incorporating areas that somehow reflect the couple in engagement sessions.

We went for a walk and enjoyed the beautiful day (after 2 reschedules due to May’s intense rain!).

Here are some of my faves from our time together.

lovelovelove,
Anastasia

Update! Can’t get enough of these two? Check out their wedding photos here!

Sentimental High Park Engagement Session

May 16, 2015

Catherine and Alex chose to do a High Park engagement session – Not necessarily for the Sakura blossoms (though that was certainly a pretty bonus), but for sentimental reasons.

Decades ago, Alex’s parents had their wedding photos taken at High Park, and since Alex’s parents are no longer with us, honouring them in this way meant a lot to them.

There is a bridge in the middle of High Park that Alex particularly wanted to take a picture on since they have a photograph of his parents standing on it – so amazing to think that back in time, his parents stood on the very same spot.

It was also really special to learn that Catherine’s engagement ring used to belong to Alex’s mother. Such a meaningful heirloom.

Here are some photographs from our time together, and be sure to read their love and family story at the bottom of the post, eloquently written by the couple themselves <3

P.S. They also brought along their super adorable Pug Frank – he has such a cutie patootie face!

And now, their love story, written by the lovebirds themselves:

“We met a couple of years ago at a Halloween party that was thrown by mutual friends. Alex was dressed as a 1980s tennis player, and I was dressed as “blackmail”. It was definitely like at first sight. Alex was pretty charming and I couldn’t resist spending more time with him.

On our first official date after meeting at the party, Alex invited me to Snakes and Lattes. I remember thinking that maybe he just wanted to be friends, since he invited me to play board games. It turns out that he just really likes board games.

Two and a half years later Alex totally surprised me on Valentine’s Day. He hid the most beautiful engagement ring (it belonged to his Mom) inside the box for a game called Jaipur, the game that we played together on that first date.

High Park is one of our favourite places in Toronto. We love spending time there and it’s a great place to bring our dog on the weekend. We met in Toronto and fell in love in Toronto, so it only seemed appropriate to feature a Toronto staple like High Park in our photos.

High Park is also a very meaningful place to us because it is filled with family memories. Alex’s Dad, Frank, immigrated to Canada from Malta in 1963, and grew up in the west end of Toronto, right around High Park.

A couple of summers ago Frank organized a giant family BBQ in High Park to celebrate 50 years of the Galea family coming to Canada. It was a really special afternoon, complete with amazing Maltese and Canadian food, re-creating photos that were taken in High Park in 1963, and picnic games.

One of my fondest memories is how Frank and I were partners for the games, and ended up winning the three-legged race and egg toss! The prize was a mug featuring a Galea family crest that Alex’s cousin designed. I remember Alex telling me that even though I won, I should really give the mug to him, since I wasn’t a Galea. (Note to Alex – now that I’m going to be a Galea, I’d like that mug back please!)

Alex’s parents took their wedding photos in High Park 40 years ago. We wanted to take our engagement photos there to carry on the family tradition, and honour the love that his parents shared for so many years.”

—

Thanks so much for sharing your story with us, you two – It made this engagement photography experience that much more special. I can’t wait to photograph your wedding <3

—
If you love the look of Sakura blossoms you might enjoy this other cherry blossom engagement session!

Much love,
Anastasia
Olive Photography
www.olivephotography.ca
info@olivephotography.ca
416-520-1093