I am in love with picnics, but life is busy, and they don’t happen too often. But when they do, I am filled with such joy, I can’t explain it. Something about sitting on a blanket on a beach or in the woods and sharing food and drink with someone you love that makes me want to do a little happy dance.

I’ve been dreaming up this session for awhile now. Nothing fancy, nothing too complex, just an idea, a story in my head.

As a photographer, I’m all about telling stories. Your story. I am passionate about finding out what makes you you, and about letting your real self shine through in your photos. But this shoot was a little bit different. More of a hypothetical story, if you will. A novel of sorts that played out in my head that I was itching to recreate and photograph. A couple in love setting off for a romantic picnic in the woods at sunset. A love note. A ring. Lemonade for two.

This was my first styled shoot, and I was so blessed to work with some amazing local artists. Olivia from Little Ladies Accessories created a gorgeous hairpiece for my volunteer bride-to-be that was beautifully incorporated into her stunning hairstyle, courtesy of the talented Courtney Simpson at Salon Entrenous. Paulina from Paulina M Artistry did a fantastic job with the makeup and finally, our lovely, hilarious and adventurous volunteer couple, Justin and Katelyn, were a blast to work with.

I kept it simple with the props – old crates, my favourite second-hand tattered quilt, and a lovely old fashioned picnic basket and jug from Goodwill. We used Katelyn’s unique engagement ring, which is a traditional Irish ring. I loved that we were able to incorporate something that was uniquely them into this shoot.

I am thrilled with the results of this session and am so grateful to the lovely folks who helped make it happen. Here are some photos. (click to enlarge, navigate with the arrows)