WOODEN SAILBOAT SESSION IN PORT ELGIN
Today, I wanted to take you behind the scenes of a styled adventure engagement shoot. While the final result may look effortlessly cohesive, the truth is, a lot of planning goes into making it all come together. The goal is to ensure that every detail—wardrobe, lighting, backdrop, props—flows seamlessly, allowing the focus to remain on the couple and the emotion of the moment. When everything aligns perfectly, nothing distracts from the love being captured—it’s pure magic!
The process always starts with a conversation with my couples to understand their vision. For Sidney, she wanted an engagement shoot that reflected her family roots in London, England. I loved the idea immediately—it felt unique and personal. My first thought? A "Wooden Boat" shoot. I’ve seen a lot of wooden boat sessions, but I wanted to make this one stand out. With every creative project, I love pushing myself to think outside the box and elevate the concept. That’s when the idea of a wooden pirate sailboat came to mind! It gave the shoot a playful, adventurous feel and added a fun travel vibe that we were all craving.
Next, I dive into inspiration. I create a mood board or Pinterest page to visually convey the concept and make sure we’re all on the same page. For this shoot, we went with a “Nautical chic” theme—a blend of vintage editorial style and classic English fashion.
Then comes the challenging part: bringing the vision to life! Sidney and Josh did an amazing job curating their wardrobe to match the aesthetic. Seriously, check out their outfits—perfectly in line with the inspiration! We chose a color palette of whites and earth tones to maintain that timeless, editorial feel. Textured and flowy fabrics always photograph beautifully, and Sidney found the perfect pirate-inspired dress that checked all the boxes. We spent hours and nights together, scouring for outfits that were stylish but also had a nod to classic Hollywood glamour. Sidney nailed it.
The next step was finding the perfect boat—no easy feat! I reached out to boat owners on various platforms, including Kijiji and Marketplace. Two months later, I received a message from a boat owner in Georgian Bay recommending “Briggs Sailing.” I did some research and discovered the stunning TS Playfair—a gorgeous wooden boat originally built as a sail training vessel for kids. After weeks of emails back and forth with the captain, Christine (who, by coincidence, enjoys winters in the UK), we finalized the details. Then, as we were wrapping things up, Christine mentioned that the boat had been launched in 1974 in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I couldn’t believe it! Could this shoot get any more perfect?
This shoot was truly a labor of love, and I couldn’t have asked for a better couple to bring it all together. Don’t Sidney and Josh look incredible? Their connection, love, and sense of adventure really came through in the photos. I’m so excited to photograph their wedding at Black Saddle Barn in June 2025—if their engagement shoot is any indication, it’s going to be a day to remember!
