When Susan and Jon first reached out, they dreamed of a session surrounded by flowers and water — so even though their engagement session landed in late October, I knew exactly where to go: the Irving Arboretum in Bouctouche. It’s one of those rare places that still holds color late into fall, and after a week of rain, I was crossing my fingers that the trees and gardens had held up. They did — and then some. The entire space was glowing in shades of amber, red, and gold, with late-blooming flowers adding pops of purple and orange.
As we wandered through the paths, we reached the pond — and that’s when an unexpected visitor arrived. A sleek black cat appeared out of nowhere and decided to join the session, weaving between us and posing like it had been hired as my assistant. It was the perfect October touch and had us all laughing (scroll to meet them below!).
Susan and Jon have been engaged for a year and are planning to tie the knot next summer at Lady Smith Manor’s July micro-wedding event. We joked that it would’ve been funny if they were part of the October ones I’m photographing, but instead, I’ll be cheering them on from afar as they celebrate in the Manor’s gardens next July.
We finished their session at the barn, where the window boxes were overflowing with flowers still in full bloom — the perfect frame for a few romantic moments and a close-up of Susan’s gorgeous ring. The whole evening felt like a blend of seasons: fall colors, summer florals, and a hint of Halloween magic thanks to our feline friend.
Location: Irving Arboretum, Bouctouche, NB
Couple: Susan & Jon
Occasion: Engagement Session
Fun Fact: My new “assistant” may or may not have purred during the romantic shots
Scroll down to see the unexpected star of the evening and all the cozy, laughter-filled moments we captured together.
