We will always have a soft spot for shoots near the water. There is something about it that slows everything down a bit. People relax, the pace feels easier, and it gives space for those natural moments to happen. So when Martha and Karl said they loved big walks around Castlewellan Lake, we knew it was the perfect spot for their engagement session.

Then they told us Lucky was coming too.

We absolutely love when couples bring their dogs to their engagement shoots. They keep things fun, make everyone relax, and add a little bit of unpredictability to the session. Some of our favourite photographs happen because a dog decides to do their own thing.

We have two dogs ourselves, so we completely understand that they are not just pets. They are family. They have been there for the ordinary days, the big milestones, and everything in between. If they are a huge part of your life together, why would they not be part of your pre wedding photos?

Meet Martha, Karl and Lucky.

Martha and Karl’s story is written in years, not moments, and Lucky has been there for almost all of it. Their session around Castlewellan Forest Park felt less like an engagement photoshoot and more like stepping into a normal afternoon in their lives together. Comfortable, playful and completely natural. The kind of love that has grown steadily over nine years and still looks at each other with the same smile.

One of our favourite questions to ask before an engagement session is, “What would you like to remember about this time in your life?” It always helps us understand what matters most to you and allows us to create wedding photography and videography that actually reflects who you are.

Martha and Karl’s answer was perfect.

“Just the fact that we are so in love even after all this time. We have already been together for 9 years, we know each other inside and out, and we both agree that this is a moment in time where we sort of finalized our commitment to each other and will always remember to live in the moment and look forward to our future as husband and wife.”

That says it all, really.

As wedding photographers and videographers in Northern Ireland, these are the sessions we love most. Meaningful places, couples who can simply be themselves, dogs who are every bit as important as the people in the photographs, and images that feel honest and timeless. Because years from now, these pre wedding photographs will not just remind Martha and Karl of how they looked. They will remind them of Saturday walks around Castlewellan Lake, of Lucky trotting beside them, and of this season of life just before they became husband and wife.

We cannot wait for their wedding at Limepark. If this engagement session is anything to go by, it is going to be an absolute party.