Gen and Michael's love story began when they became boyfriend and girlfriend at age eleven. The (very) young love didn't last long and they parted ways to different middles schools and high schools. Michael, however, knew Gen was soulmate material and hung on to hope, as well as the red toy Ferraris that Gen gave him for Christmas in fifth grade. They crossed paths again after high school and the rest is history. From an early age, the couple has photographed well together (read down for an adorable tidbit on a grade-school pic found just days before their wedding) and their engagement shoot from the fantastic Brandon Scott Photography captured their blooming marital bliss perfectly. What better way to celebrate the official coming of spring than with this gorgeous engagement session.

The engagement:
Whenever the discussion of an engagement came up, I always said that I appreciated the more casual and relaxed proposals. For some reason, the whole idea of Michael getting down on one knee seemed so formal and not fitting to our relationship. We had always wanted to travel to Europe in the fall and the first fall after I finished school was when we decided to take a trip to Paris at the end of November. We had both just moved to Toronto, and had hectic work and traveling schedules so we decided to seize the opportunity for a short trip, just the two of us. We landed in Paris and made our way to the hotel. Our room wasn't ready yet when we arrived and we were encouraged by the concierge to walk around the neighborhood while we waited. Our excursion didn't last very long; Michael wanted desperately to head back to the hotel. I only later found out that Michael had the ring in his backpack, and my mom's numerous emails before take-off about pick-pocketers had turned him into a paranoid traveler and made him flinch every time anyone would come within two feet of him. Our first day turned out to be beautiful and "uneventful." The next morning, I woke up to get ready to catch our train to Versailles but quickly got pulled back into bed to find a box on my pillow. After having been together for 7 years, Michael asked me to marry him. We spent the next four days exploring the city and kept the secret from our friends and family until we got home. It was really nice to have had time to share and fully process that special moment just the two of us before mayhem began with all the phone calls and messages once we landed back in Montreal.

How we met:
We were both 9 years old when Michael transferred to my elementary school. He asked me to be his girlfriend in Grade 5. Unfortunately, our relationship came to an end in Grade 6 when we attended rival summer schools and eventually different high schools. With the help of some mutual friends, our paths crossed once again at 18. Little did I know that when Michael was younger, he used to wish that we would end up together - so much so, that after all these years, he kept the yellow and red toy Ferraris that I had gotten him for Christmas in Grade 5. A couple of months before the wedding, Michael's mom unexpectedly found an old class picture and it just so happened that we were sitting next to each other. The photograph just solidified what we already knew - that it is in each other that we have had the privilege of finding our soul mate and closest, truest friend. We have known each other for over 15 years and officially had been together 8 years and 41 days on the day that we got married. We have shared countless memories, life lessons, trips, and inside jokes. We are so grateful for all the years that preceded our wedding day and look forward to every year after.

Photography: Brandon Scott Photography // Flowers and Crown: Botany Flowers