Love Is In The Air!

Oh my, has it been a fun week! I spent a solid portion of last weekend with two FABULOUS couples and then I got to spend most of my week editing and uploading their amazing photos. I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again - I LOVE MY JOB.

And speaking of love, isn't engagement just wonderful??? Something I tell all my clients before their shoot is "You guys are in love, right? So make sure you act like it!" It's not that I'm worried about them getting in a knock-down drag-out fist fight, it's just that it's so easy to be self-conscious in front of the camera that you forget to just be present and enjoy being with the person you love. It isn't all about posing - although that is certainly part of my job - the other part is making sure that my client is comfortable in front of the camera and confident that I am making them look good (even though I tell them often that I'm going to have them pose a certain way that will feel awkward, but looks really cute ;) )

Being engaged can be a really beautiful time, but it can also be stressful. When you're dating you're not thinking about specific dates and times and plans for a wedding - although those things certainly cross your mind - you are most often thinking just about those terrific butterflies in your tummy, the joy of being with that man or woman you have grown so fond of. You get to daydream about what life will be like after you're married and then you get engaged and you're that much closer to it being a reality! So suddenly the wedding isn't just a dream, but a reality. The invitations need to be sent out, the venue needs to be booked, the date needs to be set. All these details suddenly add up and become this big monstrosity looming over you.

Engagement pictures are just one of the first steps in the quagmire of wedding details. The last thing you want is to start out stressed with one of the very first details! So my advice is always the same, "Enjoy yourself and remember that you are in LOVE."

The other day as we were leaving a setting from some of our first pictures of the shoot, my bride-to-be asked her fiance "Are you having fun?" and he smiled and said, "Actually, yes." Because I had just allowed him to sneak up on his fiance and tickle her without her having an idea that was what was going to happen.

Sometimes, you just have to relax a little, torment your significant other, and remember that even though life can be stressful, it doesn't mean you have to forget to have a little fun.