Maple Leafs Playoff Game Engagement Shoot – Real Sports Bar Toronto

After all the fun at Tilt Arcade, it was time for round two (or let’s be real, round three!) of Alex and Jess’s epic engagement shoot: game night with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Before we left the arcade, they slipped into their Leafs jerseys — repping their team and officially switching into playoff mode. 🏒💙

As we headed to Maple Leaf Square, the streets were absolutely buzzing. It felt like a sea of blue. The energy? Electric. Even as someone who isn’t a die-hard hockey fan, I couldn’t help but get swept up in it. That kind of vibe? You don’t fake it — it’s pure Toronto love.
I started snapping photos as soon as we hit the crowd, capturing the anticipation, the fans, the atmosphere — not just the couple, but the story of being there. It was about more than hockey. It was about passion, connection, and community — the same kind of emotions I try to capture at every wedding.

Once we got to Real Sports Bar & Grill, the experience went next-level. Enzo, the manager, greeted us and led Alex and Jess to one of the best tables in the house. And it wasn’t just luck — big shoutout to Caterina and Julia from MLSE (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment) for helping make all of this magic happen. Seriously, this wouldn’t have been the same without them. 🙏 But it didn’t stop there…
Enzo took us outside to the Tailgate Zone — that legendary space outside Scotiabank Arena where fans gather to watch the game on massive screens. He led us up to an elevated platform overlooking the crowd, and the view was unreal. It gave me the perfect backdrop to photograph Alex and Jess soaking it all in, surrounded by Leafs Nation. You could feel the heartbeat of the city at that moment.

Back inside the bar, things kept getting better. Out of nowhere, Wendel Clark — yes, that Wendel Clark, one of the greatest Leafs players of all time — walked over to their table to say hi and take a photo with them. Jess and Alex were stunned, and honestly, so was I. That kind of moment? You don’t plan it — you just roll with it. And click the shutter at the perfect time. 😉

Then the puck dropped, and the game began. Jess was on edge the whole time — you could literally see the nerves written on her face. Alex was pacing emotionally too. But the tension didn’t last long. The Leafs scored. Then scored again. The reactions? Priceless. Screams, hands in the air, head-in-hands disbelief. Those are the kinds of candid moments that make a photographer’s heart race.

It was the kind of game you dream of photographing. Check out the full game recap here. The Leafs won, and the bar exploded. Fans went wild, Jess and Alex were glowing, and I was right there in the middle of it all capturing the magic.

From start to finish — the formal portraits at Exhibition Place, the arcade session at Tilt, and the playoff game at Real Sports — this engagement shoot was unforgettable. It wasn’t about just photos. It was about telling a story that feelslike them.

And let’s be honest: if this is the engagement shoot, I cannot WAIT for the wedding at Liuna Station next year. 💥