Every engaged couple looks forward to that day where they get all dolled up and meet their wedding photographer for an engagement photoshoot that so beautifully captures their loving relationship. The photos are used for “Save the Date” mailings, the wedding website, and most importantly for FACEBOOK, duh! (Just kidding, but not really).
Sitting on the top deck of Wiffersnapper one evening, Will and I started brainstorming ideas for our photoshoot. Apparently he had it all planned out already: a vintage style photoshoot, with retro beach get-up, and his timeless Marine Corps service uniform.
Well alright! That was easy. We scheduled the shoot for early December, and didn’t think too much more about it until after Thanksgiving. Before we knew it, the engagement session was just one week away and we hadn’t actually prepared anything for the shoot.
That’s when Will sprung on me the idea of having a row boat in the photoshoot, complete with retro oars with our wedding date painted on them. “We’re going to rent a row boat,” he told me repeatedly, until I finally pried out of him the real plan, which was to buy a row boat from West Marine and then return it the next day. So, that’s what we did.
Sittin’ Pretty
Carrying the 100 lbs. “classic white dinghy” from the jet ski trailer to the beach the day of the shoot was a sight to see. But, our photographers loved the idea, and even encouraged us to get a cute vintage umbrella for me to hold like a true old-fashioned lady who just sat there and looked pretty.
Since I’m pretty hands-on, I struggled with the “true lady” identity of sitting back and doing nothing to help. Good thing our wooden oars from Walmart weren’t all that functional, therefore requiring my help to get us out on the water and back to shore. #Teamwork
Set Change
Despite the cold front that came through that weekend, the beach photoshoot wasn’t as bad as I dreaded. However, as we moved on to our second location, the historic Mound House on Fort Myers Beach, we battled the setting sun, which was quickly bringing darkness and colder temperatures.
We had planned to use the Mound House restrooms to do a quick outfit change, and Will could shave his facial hair for proper regulations in his uniform. However, with one quick tug at the locked bathroom doors, our eyes met with an “are your serious…” glare.
Knowing we didn’t have time to waste, we found the nearest bush behind the tool shed and changed right there! I used an entire pack of bobby pins to pull up my hair, as Will used his phone’s camera to shave his face…. It’s never a dull moment with Team Wiff!
Shiver Me Fingers
We stepped out of the bushes and our photographers complemented how great we looked, lol. We proceeded to take photos on the grounds, with lots of “near-kissing” instructions and cold hands touching each other’s face. By the end, I was freezing, but as we walked back to the Volvo to go retrieve our dinghy from the beach, we both agreed that this photoshoot thing was pretty fun.
The whirlwind of last minute prepping took its toll on us. By the time we got back to the boat I was exhausted and immediately thought, “Oh man, this was just the engagement photoshoot… I wonder how I’m going to handle the actual wedding!”
Who knew prepping for the stinkin’ engagement photoshoot would take so much time and energy! However, we really enjoyed our wonderful photographers, Dara and Brendan, and can’t wait to see them again on our big day!
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