St. Catharines Surprise Engagement
This engagement session was one for the books, that’s for sure. A few weeks ago we were contacted by Hannah’s mom who lives in the US and she connected us with Kuda. Right from the get-go I knew we were going to hit it off. Kuda’s gentle and warm demeanor made me (Shane) feel like I’ve known him for years. He was beyond excited the moment had finally arrived and wanted to ensure everything would be perfect.
Jenny and I were admittedly a bit nervous upon our arrival at Rotary Park for this St. Catharines surprise engagement. The plan was to start off as any other regular couples session and play it cool. We were mildly concerned we’d say the wrong thing and totally spill the beans, ruining the surprise. Thankfully, we didn’t.
We aimed to keep the conversation about them, how they met, what they did for a living, and what aspirations they had. Everything was running as smoothly as a well-oiled machine but as time went on we wondered if he was ever going to pop the question. And more importantly, where? Would it be in a stunning spot with good light? Maybe we should have gone over this but the more nitpicky you get the more weird it can become. And when things get awkward people tend to realise something is up.
After 25 minutes (or so) of shooting, we arrived at a stunning spot with the sun blazing through the pampass grass. The heads were white and aglow as the sun brilliantly rimmed them. I thought, surely if ever there was a spot, this was it. I suddenly exclaimed, “Man, this is a pretty sweet spot! So beautiful eh?” And nothing. Zip. Zero. Squat. Zilch. Nada. Mission failed. All systems were a no-go and we continued on to the next spot.
Since we didn’t want it to happen on this particular hillside I made it a sit-down pose. After all, it’s hard to get down on one knee when you’re planted firmly on your glutes. It was well played and off we moved to the next location. I (Shane) paused intently looking for the perfect setting for the big moment. Aha! There it was and we marched on through the grass to the edge of the hill.
Upon reaching what I thought would be the perfect destination for the proposal I again exclaimed, “Wow, this is a really great spot. Just look at that light! So good!” This time, the message came through loud and clear, and Kuda’s plan sprung into action.
He whipped out his phone and said, “I want you to listen to something.” He had a portion of a recording from the very first time they ever spoke on the phone a couple of years back. Hannah was elated he had found it and you could see her bubbling over with excitement as they listened together and laughed. Finally, the moment had arrived and as he shoved his phone back into his pocket, out came a box, and he slowly descended down to one knee. It was easy to tell she had no idea today was “the day” as she nervously swirled about with shakey hands, an unquenchable smile, and tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. It was beautiful in every way and we feel honored every time we get to share in these special milestones.
At this point, I’ll stop babbling and let the images speak for themselves. A picture says a thousand words so here goes a mouthful. Enjoy the video!!
It was a St. Catharines surprise engagement to remember and we wish these two beauties a lifetime of love and blessing!
We hope to cross paths again Kuda and Hannah!
You are loved!
Shane + Jenny