Happy Canada Day! We’re celebrating here also because our Canadian themed engagement shoot has been published today on Catherine Lash’s wonderful blog, The Wedding Co. Thanks Catharine! Thanks also to Nicole Ostonal, who provided Sarah’s hair and makeup on the shoot.

Sarah and Kelvin were just married a few days ago at the Old Mill, and we’ll be featuring their cute, highly fashionable wedding captured with photo and video in the coming months.

But first let’s flash back to Valentine’s Day, the day we shot these photos. It was very, very cold. -25C. It doesn’t get more Canadian than that. As the Giles Vignault song goes, “My country is not a country, It is winter.” In the middle of summer we try not to think too much about winter, but it’s never more than 6 months away.

We came prepared. When we were planning this shoot with Sarah and Kelvin we wanted to create something with a Canadian theme, and also have a contrast with their summer wedding photos. So we decided on a winter shoot, featuring the clothing of two iconic Canadian brands, The Hudson’s Bay Company and Roots Canada. Not only would they look great, but they would keep us warm. And boy did we ever need those cozy sweaters and that beautiful striped blanket. When the sun was setting, James used his Canadian fire making skills to warm us up, and we ended the day with roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate.

This shoot really showcases the Julius & James approach to an engagement shoot. We love to create original ideas. We love to push the envelope. We care very much about composition and lighting. And we’re willing to brave the elements and go anywhere to get the shot. The result is – we hope you agree – a memorable set of photos with an editorial storytelling approach.

Our next engagement shoot is going to feature a Nerf Gun battle between bride and groom.

Watch this space. More love is coming.

We want to hear from you if you love beautiful photographs as much as we do! Let’s create something magical together.