Words by Maureen Young
Melinda + Kyle played a game of cat and mouse (taking turns as cat/mouse) for years before officially dating. Having met through mutual friends, there was an instant connection and a shared love of movies, dancing and karaoke. As the start of their love story was a series of moments, it’s unsurprising that each remembers a different moment as the one that really melted their hearts. For Melinda, it was Kyle appearing to take her to her first Oilers game with a white rose in hand (his dad had arrived to pick up his mom on their first date with a single white rose). For Kyle, it was his heart leaping out of his chest in the parking lot as Melinda called out ‘If it’s not too late, I want to go out with you.’
To us, their shared moments sounded like scenes out of a Hollywood romance and so we turned Edmonton into a giant set and spent a day visualizing Melinda + Kyle :: A Love Story. We wanted to share their images as an album spread so the images would have a sort of film reel quality.
As an Engineer, Kyle travels around Alberta and Mel studied as a dentist and now works in Edmonton. No matter how far from Edmonton he is, even if it’s a 10 hour round-trip journey to be back for work the next day, Kyle is always there for Mel. For their e-session, we went to their favourite weekend haunt and enjoyed the crisp Autumn air and the eclectic boutiques on Whyte Ave.
We all agreed a trip to Whyte Ave wasn’t complete without a stop at Dadeo’s. Although Melinda + Kyle love their Po’Boys, we persuaded them to try the scratch bbq wings and it looks like the sweet potato fries might just have a new companion on their next visit à deux.
The other diners and passer-bys snuck a glance or two trying to figure out if celebrities were in their midst as we captured Melinda + Kyle having a cozy lunch. For Kyle, it was a Beijing flashback. On their trip to Beijing a few years ago everyone wanted a picture with him!
One of our favourite places in Edmonton is the River Valley and on this Autumn day, with the fall colours and lighting it felt like we’d gone down the rabbit hole and entered Wonderland.   The sun-kissed afternoon was perfect for a romantic stroll. For us it was also a bit of a sentimental moment as the location was one we’d first found in our freshman year of photography.
Melinda + Kyle, we can’t wait to shoot your wedding in Banff this year! You guys were amazing in front of the camera, thankfully not so much that our lenses steamed up ;) We hear there are a lot of Asian tourists in Banff so we’re sure you’ll be celebrity superstars on your wedding day too!
Love. You. Always
A+R
