Danielle (of Shaw Events) & Sean grace the front of the blog this lovely Friday with their Mad Men inspired engagement captured by Alyssa Alkema. Happy Friday everyone.
Sean and I met while both working for the same company and we were friends from the start. I remember being able to laugh with him like no one else. Throughout the years he has continued to stand by me no matter what we go through. He is my best friend, my confident, the love of my life. The day he proposed, I will never forget. He was so nervous! After he asked, we both cried and finally, after minutes of tears, I realized I should say yes!
For our engagement shoot, I immediately knew what to do. The two of us love the show Mad Men, and have spent countless hours watching together. When I brought the idea to Sean, he got very excited too – which made it even more fun. The first thing to do? Find the perfect photographer. After seeing Alyssa’s website, I had to book her. She brings out the beauty of a couples relationship in every shot. I knew if anyone could pull off a themed shoot in the most glamorous way, it would be her! Sean is not one for posing for the camera, but as soon as Alyssa pointed the lens in his direction, he loved every minute of it. This is why I love him.
We shot the photos on a friends property in Smithville, Ontario. We captured the perfect light, managing to have fantastic weather and a killer sunset. All the details fell together. I rented the suitcases and trunk from KJ & Co, and another friend let us shoot in his 1960s Beaumont. To enhance the Vintage Theme, I spent hours working on custom mason jars. Sitting around the table with three generations, my mother, grandmother, sister and I, spent hours twining and spray painting mason jars. They will be used in our wedding decor as centrepiece accents, and I thought they would be a great addition into our engagement shoot.
The blanket we sat on in the photos was a quilt made by my grandmother. Adding in those personal touches make these photos even more special to look at. Other items incorporated in the photos, such as the medicine jars, the antique lamp and the vintage books were all discovered at small antique stores around Ontario. I have been scouring many locations, to find items for the wedding – and these are just a highlight of what I have found. I picked flowers from the field we shot in right before we began our shoot, to put in the medicine jars that added a bit of colour and texture.
The love of our lives, our dog Maddox was a must in our photos. He jumped in the photos at the perfect time! He climbed right up on the back of the couch all by himself and posed for the camera. He is the most special thing we have together – so it was great to incorporate him. We cant wait to see him in his little bow tie on our big day!
Photography: Alyssa Alkema
Vintage Rentals: KJ & Co
Antique bottles/lamp/books: Flea Markets & Antique Stores
Mason Jars: DIY by the bride and her family
Couch: special find by the bride and groom
Dress: J. Crew
Necklace: Forever 21
Styling: By the Bride, owner of Shaw Events
