Patience may be a virtue,                                        but it has never been a virtue of mine.

It never will be.

So, when Black and Gold Bride told me that she had to wait until it snowed to take her engagement pictures, I thought to myself “You’re kidding me right? How am I going to wait until the snow? I want to see them. Now.” Then, when it finally snowed, I may or may not have texted her in a frenzy going, “YOU HAVE TO TAKE YOUR PHOTOS THIS WEEKEND IT IS GOING TO SNOW!!!!” Luckily, she can’t de-bridesmaid me for rushing her because her pictures turned out spectacular! (Though this is mainly attributed to Joanna Fassinger of Joanna Fassinger Photography and not so much my impatience). We were able to get a sneak peek of the pictures at Joanna's booth at the Bridal Show last weekend, and then last week (after a lot of obsessive Facebook checking on both mine and Black and Gold Bride's part), they were finished and posted!

Hopefully, since it sets up the rest of the post, Black and Gold Bride won't mind if I share two of my favorites with the 5 (wonderful) people that read this blog.

You know how much I value photography, and how important it is to ManFriend and me for our “Big Day.”  I squealed with delight (in my head because I needed to keep my crazy underwraps) when I found out our photographer posts a "sneak peek image" on her blog the night of or day after a wedding. Sometimes, I may go overboard with my love for pictures. If you have seen our house, you know that that "sometimes" is an understatement. 

However, I think it’s important that, on whatever level or price point you are, you take time to get engagement pictures done. Of course, I first and foremost recommend that you use your wedding photographer for your engagement session, to help you and your fiancé become comfortable with his/her shooting style before the wedding, as well as for you all to get comfortable with each other at a time when nerves and emotions are not high and you can relax and enjoy the experience.

If you aren’t able to take advantage of your wedding photographer’s E-Pic offerings, why not ask after recent graduates from the local Art School looking to build their portfolio? Or keep an eye out for photographers that are holding day-long sessions where you can schedule a half-hour to hour “couple session”? It’s important to take these pictures because you’re only engaged once (God willing), and it’s a really special time for you both as a couple, because you’ve just decided that you’re going to start “Forever” together, and you’re impatiently waiting for that to begin.

Look at some engagement photos. (I’ll post some at the end of this page) You can tell how excited, how in love a couple is, and it’s these pictures that will help you the most when you’re ready to strangle each other because he won’t step away from the X-Box or she refuses to do the dishes (not that I know anything about that). I kid, I kid. But if you still don’t believe me that the are important, how about these reasons?

1. They Mean Something- E-pics are meant to express your style as a couple, and to show off your hobbies and your personal preferences like, how you normally wear your hair or what favorite  team adorns his well-worn hat. If you love to fish, you can get your pictures taken on a boat, with a fish, or casting poles over a bridge. If you love to dance, take your pictures while you’re getting your groove back, dancing in the middle of a night club, or even just the street. Engagement pictures have come a long way since sitting still and posing for portraits (unless you’re Prince William and Kate Middleton), and it’s to your advantage to use them to express your “couple style” and preserve  this short but very special time!

2. Familiarity- How often do you spend a few hours with a camera in your face, focusing solely on you and your other half? Most of you probably can’t remember a time when this has happened. How do you know how to react? How to adjust? How to be comfortable? Engagement shoots are a great way to become familiar with being the “star of the show.”  You can re-take your E-Pics 100 times if you pull a Ricky Bobby and don’t know what to do with your hands, but, you can’t re-take your wedding photos. So get familiar.

3. Wedding Personalization - Want to showcase pictures of yourself in your guest book, centerpieces, programs, etc.? Your e-pics will be more appropriate than the shot of you two hanging out at the bar at you best friend's wedding, and a little more timely than the picture from his Fraternity formal Junior year. Those pictures are best left for a slideshow. Display your favorite e-pics throughout your reception to not only show them off, but, personalize your day even more. People love pictures and if you utilize them in a way that forces guest to mix and mingle, they can serve as a source of entertainment as well.

4. THEY ARE FUN! - Now you know that I don't know this from experience, but, we were able to take advantage of a "couples shoot" with our dog, Pete in October, and I can tell you, it was a blast. And from all the couples I've talked to and all the pictures I've seen, if you've got the right photographer, the right state of mind, the right location and, quite possibly, a great new outfit, you are bound to have the time of your life! A little enjoyment amidst the stress of wedding planning, or the work week, or whatever ails you, is a wonderful thing. (And then you end up with awesome pictures.... what a bonus!)

And now some of the fun ones I found by searching "Creative Engagement Photos"
(all photographers are credited at the bottom of their pictures)