Our Engagement Photos + Relationship Story
If you’re coming to this post, chances are that you already know what you’re in for. The title is a dead giveaway, huh? Let me officially spill the beans… We got back our engagement photos!
Our engagement photos are stunning. Somehow, they were even better than Steven or I expected. We worked with Cody and Camille, the husband-wife power duo behind Greco Photo Co. who are also shooting our wedding day. They were an absolute pleasure to work with and we are thrilled with the results of our engagement session.
In honour of receiving our photos, I thought I would show off some of our favourite shots and talk a bit about our relationship story since I’ve never properly shared that here!
We took our engagement photos at Dundurn Castle in Hamilton, Ontario. For those who aren’t familiar with Hamilton architecture and history, no sweat. Dundurn was a neoclassical mansion owned by Sir Allan Napier MacNab, a former Joint premier of the Province of Canada. Today, Dundurn is a heritage site in downtown Hamilton. And it makes for a beautiful location for engagement photos, if I do say so myself.
Steven and I both attended McMaster University which is located down the road from Dundurn Castle. But our story actually began years earlier…
Image by Greco Photo Co.
Our Story
Steven and I met each other way back in middle school. Back then, we ran in very different social circles. He was more of the jock / popular type whereas my friends were known by his friends as the “weird kids.” Somehow, we still shared some mutual friends, and by the eighth grade, we were hanging out at recess (the scandal).
Our true story begins with me as a wingwoman. My best friend at the time had a crush on him. In typical eighth grade fashion, I was tasked with bringing them together. I planned for them to share a slow dance at our graduation dance. But when it came time to seal the deal, Steven danced with a different girl. Gasp.
Immediately, Steven became my sworn enemy because I am, first and foremost, a girl’s girl. At the end of the night, Steven came to apologize and I brushed him off. Only for him to say, “Trust me, we’re going to be best friends next year.” Oh, if only we knew…
Image by Greco Photo Co.
Flash forward to grade nine. Steven became an official member of our friend group and lunch crew. It didn’t take long for me to warm up to him and even develop a sneaky little crush. By November, I missed my chance — Steven was dating someone else.
As soon as Steven got into a relationship, I boxed up my feelings and put them away. The two of them became a fixture in our group and I started talking to other boys (most of whom were actual demons but I digress…)
Throughout all this, Steven and I remained friends and even shared a math class. Our math teacher was the worst and we spent most of our class time goofing off. In fact, my teacher wrote in my report card that I should find better friends who didn’t distract me in class. Oops.
Image by Greco Photo Co.
Once, our teacher randomly assigned us in groups for a project and wrote the groups on a chalkboard. When we found out we were in the same group, Steven and I were ecstatic. Seeing our reaction, our teacher swiftly walked to the chalkboard, erased my name, and wrote it under a different group. We still talked to each other the entire class.
Summer rolled around and we went our separate ways. Steven spent the summer with his girlfriend and I had a fling with someone else. At the end of the summer, my friend’s mom turned to me one day and said, “So when are you going to date Steven?” To which I awkwardly replied, “Uhh he has a girlfriend and I don’t like Steven that way!” In response, she knowingly said: “Give it a few months.”
Image by Greco Photo Co.
Sure enough, Steven’s relationship ended shortly after returning to school. We fall back into our typical routine at school, meanwhile all our friends were secretly scheming to get us together. It clearly worked because on September 28, we made things official.
We dated from the start of grade ten all the way through high school, then attended McMaster University together. Steven majored in Social Psychology and I majored in History. When my family moved out of our hometown, Steven came with us and we lived together in the country (yeehaw).
Image by Greco Photo Co.
In 2019, we added a new member to our family… A beautiful and spoiled Havanese named Leia! Leia is the light of our life, the object of our affections, and the sweetest little gal you ever did meet. So when it came to take our engagement pictures, it was a no-brainer that Leia should join in the fun. Frankly, she’s a natural in front of the camera.
Image by Greco Photo Co.
On October 13, 2020, Steven and I took a quick trip to Sherkston Shores, a beachfront cottage resort at Lake Erie. In the midst of outbreaks and lockdowns, our story began a new chapter when Steven popped the big question, and of course, I said yes!
Sherkston Shores was a place that held a lot of sentimental value to me and my family, as we spent a lot of time there when I was a kid. Now, it’s just that much more special to me.
Image by Greco Photo Co.
The Look
For the outfit I wore to the engagement shoot, I wanted it to be simple, airy, and romantic. Given that our photos were taken in mid-June, we had no idea what to expect weather-wise. So I tried to be versatile as possible. I also didn’t want to be over- or under-dressed.
The result felt very “me”. My dress was the Yours Evermore Cream Swiss Dot Ruffled Midi Dress from Lulu’s. To me, it’s very much giving Taylor Swift x Pride and Prejudice (2005) vibes. If you know me, you know those things are basically my main personality traits.
My shoes are a bit older. They’re Madden Girl seude blush block heels. While I couldn’t find a link online, they are very similar to this pair.
I also wore a beautiful pair of Michael Hill Hoop Earrings with Cultured Freshwater Pearls in 10kt Yellow Gold which were a Valentine’s Day gift from Steven.
Almost 10 years after our story began, I am happy to report that Steven and I are not just partners, but soulmates and the very best friends. Every day is still fun, we still make each other laugh, and there’s no person I’d rather spend the rest of my life with. I cannot wait to marry him this October!
Keep your eyes peeled for more wedding-related content in the months to come as we arrive at the big day!
