Making drinks, eating ice cream and hanging out on rooftops at sunset describe this Kensington Market engagement shoot perfectly. Julie and Chad wanted to capture their relationship sincerely and honestly. We hung out at their place (which is beautifully styled) and then walked over to the market for ice cream at their favourite vegan ice cream shop before finding the best spot to water the skyline at sunset. I cannot wait for their wedding later this year in two of my favourite venues in the city!
1. Tell us about how you two met
Chad: I should take on the question, because I might be a bit of a villain in this story. We actually met while she was casually dating my closest friend and roommate, and neither of us liked each other very much at the start! I was a bit too snarky with my humour in those days, and she was having none of it, so we only connected peripherally for that first stretch of time. After things went south with Julie and my friend and they went their separate ways, she and I came into contact months later on gentler terms, and we fostered a friendship that slowly revealed feelings that we both knew were worth exploring. With my friend’s very sincere blessing, we went on a first date that brought us here, planning our wedding seven years later. And don’t worry about my friend – he’ll be standing at my side at the altar come September, and I’ll be standing beside him at his wedding next year.
2. How did you want your engagement photos to feel when looking at them?
Julie: Chad’s not a big fan of being in front of the camera, but I really wanted to have photographs that captured memories from this wonderful time in our life, so he was happy to take part. I wanted us to be able to look back and have reminders of a time where we were living in a city we loved, in our first space that we created as a team, and we hoped that the photos would portray the silly, laid-back and relaxing vibe that we try to nurture in our life together.
3. What has been the hardest part about planning your wedding / the easiest part?
Honestly, the hardest part was deciding on the venue! We wanted to keep the wedding close to home, but with home being Toronto, the list of beautiful spaces to celebrate the day was pretty much endless. In the end, we didn’t force ourselves to pick just one after all, and we’ve opted instead to split the day in two perfect places that really feel like “us”.
The easiest part has been the endless smaller details – the snacks, the decor, the drinks, and all that. We love to throw a party, so we’ve been really enjoying picking the bits and pieces for the biggest party of our lives!
