I have sweet little engagement shoot of Allison and Mark (also a photographer!) with an unexpected proposal mixed in for you today!

Today’s photos are by Pobke Photography

A little background from Allison “Mark and I found each other just over 4 years ago on an online dating site, met in person at a coffee shop a week later, and quickly fell head over heels for each other.  Over the years we drove across Canada together, visited Europe, and backpacked around South America and into the Amazon rainforest.  When I finished my PhD a year and a half ago, and got a job in Australia, Mark moved too.  We didn’t know what he would do here but it didn’t matter.  All that mattered was that we would be together, discovering life together halfway across the world.  Then this past Christmas, while in Hong Kong, we bought the engagement ring together, before backpacking with it pinned on the inside of our money belt through Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand for the next 2 ½ weeks.

I didn’t know when the big moment would be.   When Mark suggested a couple’s photo shoot to help out his friend with her portfolio, my spidey-senses were on alert, but then again, he’s a wedding photographer, so it wasn’t too far-fetched.  Each time he mentioned it, I gave him a suspicious look, but wasn’t sure it was anything but a photo  shoot.  But then Mark was so casual that day; I went to the gym, we watched the Olympics…  I thought guys are supposed to act nervous and weird beforehand!  So, I let down my guard and didn’t think anything was going to happen.  I was completely surprised, and absolutely delighted with how he asked me. And now we have these amazing pictures to always remember the moment.”

Photos by Pobke Photography

I smiled when this sweet engagement shoot landed in my inbox. It does have balloons, it does have suitcases (both of which I know are seen as “so overdone”) but there’s a reason sometimes these fun props exist. They add a little extra sunshine to an otherwise love filled photo.

Have a lovely weekend! We have an entire week full of inspired weddings starting on Monday so I don hope you’ll join us!

Photos today by Micah Dahlberg Photography

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Photos by Micah Dahlberg Photography

Katie and Morgan

I’m so excited today! I have Katie of A Little Bird Told Me. So. sharing her gorgeous engagement party photos with us! Katie and Morgan decided to have their engagement party in their backyard in Sydney and the details were so fun, so thought out and so beautifully crafted I asked Katie if we could share them on Polka Dot Bride today!

There are so many fun details of this party, so let’s start at the beginning! Katie and Morgan made their invitations to fit with the relaxed and fun style they wanted.

Their words for their style?

“simple
a little country
picnic style
a red & orange colour theme
and a M+K= <3 theme (which many of our guests cleverly used too!)”

Katie and Morgan set up games around the yard with chalkboard signs.

Katie designed and made her own Twister game using fun and bright fabrics. The playing mat was actually a quilt- backed in squares of the same fabrics, Katie’s intention is to use the mat in the future for picnics together!

Amongst the other games were boules, a relationship quiz (written by Morgan) and hopscotch.

Instead of a traditional guest book, Katie and Morgan setup a guestbook display. Guests wrote messages on brightly coloured squares of paper and pegged them to string hung between two palm trees. Alreayd pegged to the string were some of Katie and Morgan’s favourite shots from their engagement shoot.

Deciding to get in on the fun DIY guestbook trend, Katie headed to Spotlight and found some cheap and cheerful fabric. The fabric was hung and pinned between two tees and Katie made moustaches on sticks for guests to pose with.

The food! Katie and Morgan served chicken caesar salad and lamb salad in paper noodle boxes. Guests were treated to homemade red punch, champagne, homemade lemonade and a tea & coffee bar. Jars tied with ribbon and a paper label were filled with lollies and strategically placed around the garden for guests to feast on.

Guests were invited to write their name on a paper flag to keep track of their drinks.

Clean jam jars made great glasses for the bride and groom!

Katie made over 200 cupcakes with her family in the days leading up to the party, Each was iced and decorated with red or yellow sprinkles. Homemade paper tokens with m+k+E> (In keeping with the rest of the stationery). Guests also enjoyed homemade peach and berry pies made by Morgan’s mother and fresh rockmelon and watermelon cut into stars and love hearts by Katie’s aunt.

Katie made the thankyou notes with paper left over paper from the guestbook.

Visit Katie at A Little Bird Told Me. So to find out more of her plans as she goes along!

Today’s engagement shoot of Tiffany and Paul took place at Snoqualmie Falls, Washington. These are taken just below the Salish Lodge, which, if you are a Twin Peaks fan, was the setting of the television series!

Photos today are by Mastin Studios

Happy weekend!

Photos by Mastin Studios