Striking Sunset Engagement - Polka Dot Wedding

Eileen & Christopher

The epic cliffs of the New South Wales coastline, together with the warm afternoon sunshine, create the perfect backdrop for Eileen and Christopher’s striking sunset engagement shoot. James Day was on hand to capture the understated elegance of the afternoon, and the tender chemistry between this lovely couple.

Of how they came to be, the couple tell, “We met when we were both accepted into the Summer Vacation Program at an accounting firm.” And Eileen remembers a sweet love story of when they first moved in together on Valentine’s Day, “In a tremendous gesture of supreme romanticism, Christopher hid four Valentines cards with four different poems in various moving boxes. Brilliant plan. Except that he hid them in all the boxes that were not unpacked immediately and I didn’t discover them until a few days later!”

Eileen tell of how they became engaged, featuring a little spoiler cameo from the bride’s parents! “Six months after moving in together, Christopher knew that this was the real thing and decided to do the right thing and visit my parents so he could get their blessing before proposing. Naturally they were delighted but, due to cultural differences, there was a little confusion as to whether I should be part of this conversation and whether they could entirely give their blessing unless I was there. More importantly they were unaware that this meeting was supposed to be a secret. When Christopher took me to Bennelong Restaurant at The Opera House with the sole intention of having a great lunch and proposing to me, halfway through the lunch I received a phone call. Christopher had no idea what the call was about as I was speaking in Chinese, and he was all in his own head and nervous about what he was about to do, and hoping it would all go well. What Christopher didn’t know was that it was my dad on the phone telling me everything about Christopher’s visit and what he had said. Two days had passed, and he was curious and just wanted to know what was going on. Big spoiler alert!! However, always the professional, I didn’t let on to him what had happened and after lunch as we walked around the Opera House, he brought me to a quiet spot and recited a poem he had written for me. Then he got down onto one knee, popped the question and in a veritable wave of excitement I said a resounding “Yes”. The moment was no less memorable, no less beautiful, no less magical for us…”

Of their photographer, and their engagement shoot, the couple explain, “We trust our photographer James, and he took us to one of his favourite spots. James has a knack for capturing beautiful landscapes and he did a great job incorporating that into the shoot. HE made the shoot incredibly relaxing and fun for us.” And they certainly had plenty to say about why they love him so much! “James Day is the best photographer ever! We love him. He is great with people, and knows how to get the best out of his couples. He is focused and a true professional – James will always give you his all. Nothing phases him either. Whatever curly situation arises, he remains calm and composed and will guide you through it. He has a wealth of knowledge and so much experience. He is also incredibly creative and knows exactly what to do with the camera to create the most stunningly beautiful photos. Photos with emotion, depth and soul. Most importantly, he is an all around nice guy and fun to hang around with!

Of her groom, Eileen gushes, “I loves Christopher because he makes the world a fun place to be. He strives to make me laugh. He is cheeky and very smart. Every day, and sometimes every hour, he tells me that he loves me, and makes me feel like the most special person in the world. But also, beneath this comical layer, is a person full of integrity and honour, who always does the right thing even when, at times, others are being less honourable.” And Christopher loves everything about Eileen. “I love her passion for the things she loves – it is unparalleled. She is intelligent, hilarious and strong. She brings a light and an energy to my life that makes it impossible for me to remember a time when she wasn’t everything to me.”