Proposal Guild Park and Gardens, Scarborough · August 23, 2026

Lavina& Raeed

The Greek theatre colonnade at Guild Park and Gardens, set with white florals and pillar candles, by AD Photography

White floral clusters and glass pillar candles lining the wet stone steps of the colonnade, by AD Photography

Raeed crossing the lawn toward the Greek theatre colonnade with a wrapped bouquet held at his side, by AD Photography

Raeed waiting on the steps at Guild Park and Gardens, bouquet in hand, before Lavina arrives, by AD Photography

Lavina crossing the lawn toward Raeed as he holds out the bouquet at Guild Park and Gardens, by AD Photography

Raeed on one knee with the open ring box, the carved stone arch behind him in Scarborough, by AD Photography

Their hands linked mid walk, Lavina's engagement ring catching the light at Guild Park and Gardens, by AD Photography

Raeed kneeling to hand Lavina the bouquet as she laughs under the colonnade, by AD Photography

Lavina showing her ring to friends who gathered close after the proposal at Guild Park and Gardens, by AD Photography

Raeed holding Lavina close after the proposal, her bouquet still upside down in her hand, by AD Photography

Lavina and Raeed looking straight to camera at Guild Park and Gardens, her ring at her collar, by AD Photography

Lavina laughing at Raeed under a crabapple branch in bud beside the colonnade, by AD Photography

Lavina's hand raised to the camera, ring sharp, Raeed kissing her temple just behind it, by AD Photography

Lavina and Raeed laughing on the lawn at Guild Park and Gardens, candles still burning behind them, by AD Photography

Lavina and Raeed walking up the candlelit steps at Guild Park and Gardens after saying yes, by AD Photography

A black and white frame of the couple walking a garden path under old cedars in Scarborough, by AD Photography

Raeed and Lavina embracing inside a salvaged stone doorway at Guild Park and Gardens, by AD Photography

A dark, close detail of Lavina's ring hand resting on the sleeve of Raeed's black suit, by AD Photography

Lavina looking back over Raeed's shoulder mid embrace on the lawn in Scarborough, by AD Photography

Raeed dipping Lavina in front of the carved stone balustrade at Guild Park and Gardens, by AD Photography

Friends following Lavina and Raeed up the path through the stone gate at Guild Park and Gardens, by AD Photography

A motion blurred frame of Raeed lifting Lavina off her feet on the garden path, by AD Photography

A dip on the tree lined path, the spring branches still bare above them, by AD Photography

Lavina raising her bouquet overhead as she and Raeed walk away at Guild Park and Gardens, by AD Photography

A Yes Under the Colonnade

Raeed had this planned down to the minute. We got to Guild Park and Gardens in Scarborough early, while the stone was still dark from the morning rain, and watched the steps of the Greek theatre fill up with white florals and rows of pillar candles. Then everybody scattered. I took a spot off to the side of the columns, their friends hid behind the hedge, and Raeed stood on the top step with a wrapped bouquet, checking the path every few seconds. The waiting is my favourite part of a surprise proposal. Nobody is performing yet. He kept fixing the flowers. Somebody whispered that she was close. Then Lavina came up the lawn in a long black dress, saw the candles, saw him standing there, and started walking faster.

He was down on one knee before she made it to the top step, and she was already laughing with the bouquet stems in one hand. Their friends came out from behind the columns a few seconds later, and she held her hand flat so everyone could see the ring. We spent the next hour walking the grounds, past the salvaged arches, down the gravel path under the old cedars. They never really stopped moving. He picked her up and spun her until the frame went soft. He dipped her in front of the carved stone balustrade and she laughed the whole way down. The last frame I made is the two of them walking away from me with their hands linked, her arm straight up in the air with the bouquet at the end of it. You do not need to see her face to know what she said.

"Candles on wet stone, friends hiding behind the columns, and a man who could not stand still."

About the Location

Guild Park and Gardens sits on the Scarborough Bluffs in the east end of Toronto, and it is built out of pieces of buildings that no longer exist. Salvaged columns, carved arches and stone facades from demolished city landmarks stand in the open across its lawns, which is why a Guild Park proposal looks like nothing else in the GTA. The Greek theatre is the centrepiece, a curved colonnade of fluted columns rescued from an old bank at King and Bay, with steps wide enough to hold candles and florals without any extra styling. Overcast days suit the pale stone. Past the theatre there are gravel paths, iron arbours and cedar cover for portraits.

Reserve your date.

Every session is unique, just like yours. Let's create something beautiful together.

Get in Touch

Lavina& Raeed

More stories.

Reserve your date.