A good indication that an engagement shoot will be fun: they mention they have multiple glasses changes. I used to *love* changing up my glasses to fit my mood before I got zapped (yup, I got lasik). So I was excited to see all the different moods we would be able to exhibit during the shoot. Bill and Harry have been together a long time. Long enough to smirk before the other says something, already knowing what they will probably say. Long enough to look entirely casual and confident when holding each other. Long enough to have four cats and have a few interesting stories to tell me about how the animal hospital, where I used to work, saved the kitties time and time again. I might have been on staff one of those times. I hope I was…silently cheerleading for recovery. But through that history comes a time to celebrate. Their wedding will be filled with friends, laughter, and some reeeeally good dancing. Like, you wish you were invited.

Planning a long distance wedding is tough. Extra planning, hoping things will look like they do in real life like what your shown via email, millions more calls/emails, etc. It can be a lot. Then add to that moving across the country. Yup. That’s what Ellie and Pat have taken on and they are doing amazingly. With all the planning though, they realized they weren’t going to have engagement shots because of a few circumstances. They loved New Haven and were leaving it very soon. So when I got their email, asking to do an engagement session with them, I jumped into planning. Edgerton Park is perfect for an engagement session in the spring. I suggested bright colors and some activities and they brought a whole bag of stuff- even sidewalk chalk. I loooove sidewalk chalk.

As I scoped the park out for spots to shoot at, a dog ran up from seemingly nowhere. He looked happy enough…but I didn’t see anyone around. And before I could grab his collar, he dashed off towards the road. And so did I, right after him. Eventually, I caught up with him, found his home, got a big hug from his owner and returned back to the park. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, I’m like a beacon for lost dogs/cats/whatever. So with the park a thumbs up from me and the dog, I headed home to get ready to shoot Ellie and Pat.

Annie and Nicole flew into Boston the night before our shoot. Or should I say, the wee hours before our shoot. And before I even had the chance to hug them, talk to them or shoot them, I was already totally 100% in love with that Bomber Jacket. The big earrings. That orange pop of color. And then the shoot started.

They couldn’t stop laughing. Or holding each other. Or getting in an extra snuggle before I had to break up the wonderfulness of it all to move to a new location. I was totally eating it up! Listening to their story of how they became a couple as they moved from being best friends to a couple was making me all warm and happy- and no, it wasn’t the fact that their car was super toasty after being in the freezing weather and wind. Though it did help me actually feel my hands again.

Photographing them was such a fun adventure as we explored nooks and crannies in Boston I hadn’t been before. Beacon Hill is such a great spot for engagement photos. I’m in love with these pictures because they were honestly happy to be together. And it shows in every photo.

Is there anything better than a couple starting to snuggle only to burst out laughing because their partner said something funny? I live for this. These moments I can capture, wrap up and give a couple to hold on to for years. This picture is exactly why I do this.

Cherry blossoms are a big big deal in DC. Every year, thousands on tourists go bonkers and drive to DC to see the trees, see the parade, eat incredible wasabi ice cream, etc. And having lived in the middle of DC for a number of years, my thought everytime cherry blossoms started to bloom was “NOOOOO”. The thought of being surrounded by thousands of people, all trying to take a picture of these trees made me want to put a pencil in my eye. No thanks. No tree is worth that.

But the secret to seeing the trees without a billion tourists is to show up early. As in 7am early. And Emily and Dre were up for that to steal some shots of the blossoms. And it worked- we were essentially there with a handful of people. Now, maybe the snow drove them away. Or the freezing temperatures. But we still got some quiet time in the midst of cherry blossom season. And then it was time to get out a the cold, so we headed to Love Cafe on U Street. U street always has plenty of fun and colorful spots to shoot, so it happens to be one of my favorite places to go in DC. That and the amazing shops. Ruff and Ready? Yes, it’s a used furniture store that I love. If you can stand going into what looks like a scary hoarders house with crap stacked to the ceiling, it’s the best place to find great home stuff. And barter.

I have been lucky enough to get to know Dre and Emily a bit more because they have been guest blogging for So You’re EnGAYged. So it’s been fun to read about their planning as an LGBT couple, the decisions they both had to make about Dre coming out about transitioning before the wedding, and even their save the dates that were drawn by a friend of theirs.

Why yes that is a glove designed for two people.