Lynn and James’ engagement experience at Mt. Cheam, Chilliwack, BC

June 20, 2015

In the past couple of months, we’ve been having a blast with our couples during their engagement experiences. We’ve been focusing on making the shoot into a complete experience and figuring out what it is that makes them unique. What do they do together? What kind of adventure they like to try for the first time?

Lynn and James believe that experiences are more important than stuff and love exploring nature together with their dog Pipa. I often see ‘#neverstopexploring’ as a hashtag on Lynn’s Instagram (love it!) so it seemed like a great idea to go on a hike with them for their engagement experience. And wow, did they take us on an adventure!

When James mentioned the trailhead of Mt. Cheam could only be reached after a 15 km drive on a logging road, we thought: “sure, how bad can it be”. Really bad, it turned out. Apparently, when he said ‘serious drive’ he meant it. Super deep ditches, sharp rocks, water, you name it. No biggie for James, who enthusiastically maneuvered us through it all with impressive off-road driving techniques. He even taught Jelger how to do it; right next to a ravine 😛 (Yep, scary stuff, but Jelger managed). Next time, I’ll give it a go!

The hike up (and down) the mountain was amazing. Beforehand, Lynn had told me about the lush green valleys and the gorgeous scenery. I must admit, she didn’t exaggerate. Every step of the way we were surrounded by stunning views.

James was wearing flip-flops the whole time. He’d forgotten his hiking shoes at home and decided not to let it stop him. At the end of the trip his feet were kinda dirty ;). Still, talk about dedication!

Of course we planned more than just hiking: it was an engagement experience. So halfway we took a break for some photos in their dressed-up outfits. For us, it was a moment of pure joy: good friends, the perfect landscape and amazing weather. And the day was far from over. After this intermezzo we continued our hike and felt how Lynn and James came into their ‘hiking zone’. They walked at a steady pace, took the occasional cute selfie and played with their dog Pipa. For us, it was an amazing experience to be there together with them, as photographers and as friends.

Lynn and James, thank you so much for taking us with you on this wonderful trip. It’s a memory we cherish and we can’t wait to shoot your wedding (the one in Vancouver and the one in Belgium)!