why i'm thankful we did an engagement shoot

Well, hello!

It's been a minute since I've visited this corner of the internet. I miss being able to write via this outlet as often as I used to, and it feels comforting to be back. What initially spurred this post was getting engagement pictures done with my fiancée, Heather. There ended up being so many photos that I loved, and I didn't want to bombard social media with a bunch of gushy pictures. Then I remembered, "Oh yeah! I have a blog! No one can stop me from being cheesy there." So here I am.

So why am I glad the engagement shoot happened? Before I get into that, let me clarify that I am pro-engagement shoot when the photographer is also going to shoot your wedding. Such is the case with our amazing photographer, Jessica Holleque (if you're in the Minnesota area, you can look & book at her website here, and SHE IS AWESOME). We didn't know Jessica personally before we asked her to shoot our wedding. She is one smart lady, and always asks to do an engagement shoot before the big day. Clever reasoning to follow.

I was hesitant at first - after all, my fiancée is a photographer and we could just get the camera on a tripod and do the photos ourselves. BZZZZZT (that's the sound of a buzzer, btw)! This was foolish thinking on my part. Having someone do couples photos for you and your boo allows the two of you to get wrapped up in the moment. It allows you both to think less about posing and more about enjoying each other. And that definitely shows in the photos.

Aside from being more present, doing this shoot with Jessica was the perfect way for us to get comfortable around her (and her camera) before our actual wedding day. We chatted with her during and between pictures, learned how she worked and what she needed out of us, and she got to discover first hand how generally awkward my fiancée and I are. All things that I probably couldn't emotionally handle on our big day. 

And finally, who doesn't want a bunch of romantic AF photos of you and your other half? It'll be nice to have some professional photos of us that don't involve wedding dresses, flowers, and tears.

For this shoot, Heather, Jessica, and I visited one of our favorite Minnesota lakes, walked through tall grasses as the sun rose, and cooked a bit of breakfast outdoors. It was perfect.

Looking through these photos makes me re-remember how lucky I am

All of these photos were taken by the wonderful Jessica Holleque, and you can see the rest of her work by visiting her website.
xoxo,
- m.e.

P.S. Snapshots from the magical weekend she said "yes."