Hi everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday weekend full of good food & good company, but without the traffic and/or airport patdowns.

Today I wanted to introduce you to Connie & Justin, who, after an eight-year courtship, are winding down a four month (!!!) engagement.

One of the reasons I include an engagement session with every wedding I book is that it really gives me the chance to get to know a couple (and for them to get to know me!) before the stress and craziness of the big day. A lot of people feel awkward in front of the camera (myself VERY MUCH included!), never mind the idea of getting all kissy and cozy in front of one! Having some time alone with a couple is a great way for us to break the ice, get comfortable with each others' style, and hopefully have a bit of fun, too. In the case of these two, that little bit of fun was actually quite a LOT :)

Connie and Justin live all the way across the state, and between that and the fact that their engagement has been so short, we didn't have a lot of time to coordinate our session. The stars aligned, though, and the one day we could all get together, the weather was spectacular and the fall colors were blazing.

One of the BIG things I learned during our engagement session is that Justin himself is a professional photographer, and has shot his fair share of weddings and engagements. Um, hello PRESSURE! Seriously, though, what an amazing compliment it is to be chosen by someone who really knows what he's talking about!

I also wanted to share Connie's unique and absolutely gorgeous engagement ring: I love when a ring really suits someone's personality...

Connie & Justin - thank you so much for trusting me with your big day. You are a fantastic, fun-loving couple, and I know your wedding is going to be a blast! Everyone else, be sure to check in around sometime in the first few days of 2011 for a photo-filled rundown of their wedding... sounds like it's going to be anything but ordinary!

xox,

annemie