Golden hour engagement shoots are our favourite. They are so romantic, sweet, and full of charm, right? From the moment we saw Anya and Kienan’s engagement shoot, we knew that we HAD to share, because the inspiration is just amazing and OMG to them being the cutest couple ever! They chose Tobago for their shoot and Gaby Marie Photography captured them perfectly. Meet the cute couple below and find out all about their engagement and how their wedding planning journey has been going thus far.
1. How and when did you two meet? Tell us a little bit about it.
I first saw Kienan at his brother’s wedding where he was the Best Man. According to Kienan we met at a party about 10 months later. However I do not remember that first meeting( It should be noted that my phone was stolen at that party so I was a bit preoccupied) We officially meet 1 year after I first saw him at a Tribe band launch and after told his sister-in-law that I was interested in him and she gave him my number. At first Kienan thought it was a joke when he got my number and did not message me until a few weeks later! Soon after we started to talk he went to Barbados for a trip and we went on our first date a week or so later to the beach and the rest is history we have not looked back since 😊
2. What attracted you the most to each other?
Anya: Before I really got to know Kienan I was most attracted to his eyes. After getting to know him, his kind spirit and easy-going nature added to the package 😉
Kienan: There are so many things that attracted me to Anya. If I had to choose just one thing it would be her smile. She is a very genuine person and it quickly became clear that she was the person I wanted to spend my life with.
3. How was the Proposal? Please share all of the goodness with us!
The proposal was planned to a “T” until it wasn’t! The day before it was supposed to happen I scraped the initial idea and went with what felt more “Us”.
We were on vacation at an all inclusive hotel in Grenada with two of Anya’s best friends. The night before I called her friends and told them I was not going to go with my initial plan and decided that if the next day was a beautiful day that I would to it then on the beach. I came up with a story that we would go for brunch with my Grenadian family in the morning. When we woke up the next day it was gorgeous, but Anya was grumpy and didn’t want to go anywhere. After some coercion her friends and I got her dressed. We left the room heading for the exit of the hotel, at this point I lied and said that my family was late and lets go take a walk on the beach. We walked over to a private area at the end of the hotel property, Anya walked over to the water and I called her over and I got down on one knee to proposed. At that point she realized that her friends were behind a tree videotaping the entire thing. At this point I forgot my rehearsed speech and had to wing it! I would say it worker because she said YES!
4. What made you decide to do an Engagement shoot? Tell us all about the location choice, the photographer, etc.
I had seen Gaby’s photos and really wanted to do a shoot with her. The engagement shoot was the perfect opportunity to get some amazing pictures together before the wedding . We also saw the engagement shoot as a chance to get good quality pictures for our invitations and save the dates. We love the beach and thought there was no better place and no place that was more us than to do the shoot at the beach. We were back and forth between Las Cuevas and Yara beach and decided on Yara beach because we wanted it to be as private as possible. We could not be happier with the pictures!
5. Would you recommend doing an Engagement shoot to other couples tying the knot?
Definitely! Especially if you are not the most comfortable in front the camera, it’s a great opportunity to get more comfortable with the photographer and in front of the camera. Plus, you will get amazing pictures that you would cherish. Side note it also ends up being a very cute date and great experience to share together.
6. Your wedding is next year and we are so excited! How has the planning process been thus far?
Eye opening and a bit stressful at times. Many people have many different opinions and expectations about your wedding which can feel overwhelming. I can’t imagine doing this without Elisa from Adriana Weddings. I think we would have eloped!
7. Why did you decide to have a destination wedding in Tobago?
Kienan and I have always loved Tobago. We go there at a minimum of four times a year. Tobago is our peaceful place! So it was a given that we ended up deciding to have our wedding there.
8. What advice would you give to another couple thinking about having a destination wedding in Tobago?
Explore your venue options before you decide one. There are many gorgeous locations to get married in Tobago. Keep in mind that you might want some vendors from Trinidad, so this will mean accommodation and travel costs need to be considered.
VENDOR CREDITS
Photography: Gaby Marie Photography
