Today’s regal inspired engagement session was captured so beautifully by Kathryn Hopkins Photography.
Canadian born Lucy & Mike celebrated their love & engagement with a photo shoot in the city where they first lived together, London.
We loved getting to know more about their love story in this stunning Kensington Palace & Gardens e-session.
Words by Lucy. Images by Kathryn Hopkins Photography.
We met in Italian class at the University of Western in London, Ontario. I was in my second year and Mike was in his third. Mike asked if he could share a textbook with me and there was an immediate attraction. We got to know each other over the year however it was 2 years later that we would end up a couple – once we had both moved back to Toronto.
The summer after I had graduated Mike took me on a date almost every night to all of our favourite spots around town and we soon realized that there could be something special between us. We fell in love after a few months together but I think we really knew after visiting his grandparents in Quebec City for a few days right before Christmas. It was the first time he had introduced a girl to his grandparents and I absolutely fell in love with him walking around Quebec City in the winter which is one of the most magical places I’ve been.
We have been together for almost 6 years now and happily live together in our flat in London, this is the first time we are living together and our favourite thing to do is make a huge breakfast on Sunday mornings before we go to the gym.
The engagement took place at Quinta da Regaleira which is a beautiful Gothic romantic palace in Sintra, Portugal. The Palace contains a beautiful garden complete with wells, towers, grottoes, secret passage ways and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Mike knew he wanted to propose there and we had gone to the top of one of the towers overlooking the entire garden. I turned to take a photo of the colourful yellow and blue Palace that sits at the very top of Sintra and I thought he was reaching into his jacket to take a photo. I said “oh this is the perfect place to take the picture of the Palace” and he said “its the perfect spot” and then when I turned back around he was down on one knee with the box in his hand and asked me to marry him.
He chose Portugal and that week to do it because it was somewhere neither of us had been yet, most places we travel to one of us has already been there so he wanted it to be special for both of us and we were there celebrating our 5 year anniversary.
I was not expecting it which made it all the more special and he picked out the ring all by himself and it perfectly represents me.
We wanted to take our engagement photos in London at a historic royal landmark to incorporate our time living here into our wedding story, as it was during our time in London that we became engaged.
Kensington Palace and Gardens provided the ideal backdrop as it offers beautiful scenery as well as the stately home feel we so wanted to be captured in our photos. We were very lucky with the weather and having all of the flowers in bloom which have set the stage for stunning photographs.
We’d like to thank Kathryn for scoping out the scene and finding the right locations for our shots and making us feel comfortable the whole time. We will cherish these photos and memories forever and are so happy with the way they turned out as they are such a great representation of who we are as a couple at that moment in time.
Although we live in London currently, we have chosen to get married back in Toronto surrounded by our family and friends right in the heart of the city at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on August 6, 2017.
The venue wasn’t even on our radar until we thought we’d go take a look and absolutely fell in love with it. The rooftop terrace is perfect for a summer wedding and felt the modern chic vibe of the event space matched our personalities. We are very excited to celebrate our love with all of those that mean so much to us and can’t wait for the party!
I knew it was love when…
Mike…
We would share a textbook in Italian class at University.
Lucy…
We visited New York on our first trip together and although I’d been before, it was special because we were exploring the city together and have such great memories from the trip.
Such a gorgeous couple and beautiful images! Congratulations on your engagement Lucy & Mike – we can’t wait to see your wedding.
shoot credits / photography: kathryn hopkins photography: / engagement ring: tiffany & co / dresses & shoes: new look / men’s attire: uniqlo / men’s shoes: clarks / location: kensington palace
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