The Roxy Movie Theatre engagement photos of Sandra and Mike took a completely different approach compared to another engagement photo session I had the chance to photograph that summer. While many couples love to take advantage of the outdoors during the warmer months, Sandra and Mike chose The Roxy Movie Theatre in Uxbridge as the unique setting for their movie theatre engagement photos. I was genuinely amazed by the variety of images we captured and completed within just two hours of the session.

The Roxy Movie Theatre Engagement Photos in Summer

Driving to The Roxy Theatre in Uxbridge, I passed through the charming downtown area. I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful it is!

Although I’ve photographed sessions all across Ontario, this was my first time working in downtown Uxbridge. Sandra had scheduled the session specifically at The Roxy Movie Theatre. I knew that once we finished capturing all the planned shots inside, I would suggest we complete the movie theatre engagement photos with a few city-inspired images around the nearby storefronts.

Photographing indoors—especially in a space designed to be dark and lacking reflective surfaces—I was excited to experiment with my off-camera flashes. When we arrived at The Roxy, I immediately noticed how stunning the theatre was, having been restored and redesigned in 1996. I loved the red velvet chairs! As well, the size of the theatres turned out to be just right for my lighting setup.

What I didn’t know beforehand was that we would have the entire theatre to ourselves. Sandra had arranged for permission to use the space before it opened to the public, so everything was perfectly set up. As soon as I saw the location and the fun accessories they brought, I knew we were going to have a great time capturing some unique and memorable images.

The Popcorn, 3D Glasses and Pop Drink

Sandra and Mike opted for a more casual outfit for the first part of their movie theatre engagement photos. These were perfectly suited to the playful and relaxed vibe of the setting. As I assessed the movie room, I realized that to create a variety of compelling shots, I’d need to get creative with perspectives, lighting, and poses that complemented the theatre’s unique atmosphere.

Since our time was limited, we jumped straight into the shots I had envisioned. Sitting in the vibrant burgundy velvet seats gave me the opportunity to capture some fantastic images—occasionally even highlighting the bottoms of Sandra’s shoes, which matched the seat colours beautifully.

We snapped some adorable photos of them sharing a large box of popcorn and wearing their 3D glasses. At one point, I even photographed through the coloured lenses—blue on the left and red on the right—to add a playful twist to the composition.

As I explored these more unconventional photo opportunities, Sandra and Mike began to see just how fun the session could be. Their comfort and excitement grew with each shot.

I had already envisioned wrapping up with a series of silhouette shots using a strong backlight. However, I was saving that for the second half of the session when they would change into a more formal outfit. Once we wrapped up the first part of their movie theatre engagement photos, I gave them time to change while I stepped into The Roxy Theatre’s lobby to scout fresh, creative photo opportunities for the next set.

The Formal Part of These Movie Theatre Engagement Photos

For the second part of their movie theatre engagement photos, Sandra changed into a beautiful white dress, while Mike wore a casual white shirt paired with modern pants. Wanting to avoid repeating any shots from earlier, I began capturing more intimate images in the theatre lobby, setting the mood for the final few photos I had planned inside the movie room.

Once we finished the key moments of their intimate engagement photos, we returned to the movie room. Here, I experimented with silhouette shots and more dramatic lighting. The lighting worked perfectly to highlight Sandra’s dress and the elegant way she had styled her hair.
As we were wrapping up and getting ready to leave The Roxy Movie Theatre in Uxbridge, I managed to photograph them right in front of the entrance. Then, just moments later, the first customer arrived. “Wow, what perfect timing,” I said.

Instead of heading into the heart of downtown, we stayed near the movie theatre but explored a shaded area off to the side. There, we captured a series of bright and airy photos. These images offered a completely different feel from the cinematic vibe inside the theatre.

I wanted to give them a broader perspective on their movie theatre engagement photos—something that would not only contrast with the earlier shots but also complement their wedding day photos beautifully.

The Engagement Photos in Downtown Uxbridge

The city of Uxbridge has a small downtown area, but it was just the right size to offer us plenty of great photo opportunities. Earlier, I had spotted two buildings that I definitely wanted to include in Sandra and Mike’s engagement session. One was right next to the movie theatre—a charming heritage house that faced the sun. I chose to photograph it in full sunlight, using the vibrant blue sky and the red brick facade to give the image a bright, bold look.

The second building was a jewelry store on a nearby side street. It was adorned with a colourful display of flowers that added a lovely touch to the scene. Some of my favourite images came from these storefront shots. They each had a unique character and offered a variety of different moods.
Since we were shooting during golden hour and around dinnertime, the streets were quiet, which worked in our favour. It meant we didn’t have to wait for people to move out of the background and could make the most of the scenery without any distractions.

I also photographed them in front of the town’s well-known city clock, which added a distinct element to the collection. After that, we shifted to a more documentary-style approach. Up to that point in their movie theatre engagement photos, I had been directing everything—choosing the locations, guiding their poses, and controlling the lighting.

For the final part of the session, I suggested we switch things up and capture them in a more candid, natural way, such as simply walking and enjoying a carefree stroll through downtown Uxbridge. They loved the idea but were a bit nervous still. They had grown comfortable with the more structured part of the session and were unsure about the spontaneity.

The Engagement Session a Perfect Rehearsal for Their Wedding Day

To help ease their nerves, I reassured them it would be just fine. I stepped back and gave them space, encouraging them to walk, stop occasionally to dance, kiss, or show a little affection—whatever felt right in the moment—and just to keep enjoying themselves.

As they began to walk, any initial discomfort quickly faded—within just a few steps. They fully embraced the moment, enjoying their time together, and I found I didn’t need to intervene at all.

With the streets nearly empty, they had even more freedom to be themselves. This added an authentic, relaxed energy to their movie theatre engagement photos as I captured them from a different perspective.
It turned out to be a fantastic experience. An engagement session that naturally unfolded into multiple themes, all within just two hours!

We truly created something special together, which carried over to their wedding day three months later at The Doctor’s House. On their wedding day, we shared even more great moments and captured incredible images.

You can check out their full wedding story in the blog post, Capturing the Magic of a Doctor’s House Wedding.

Thank you, Sandra and Mike, for trusting me to photograph my very first movie theatre engagement session with you. It was unforgettable.

Credits and additional information for couples that like to see more creative engagements.

Check here another creative engagement session of Jennifer and James. Here you can see Cherry Hill Gate Engagement Photos in Fall. View this super creative Toronto Engagement Photos with Full Blue Moon from Anja and Marcus.