We frequently recommend that you check out our Little Black Book members’ websites and blogs. Frequently. And, honestly, we truly mean it. But when we say you really need to read Justin and Mary’s blog, we really, really mean it! These guys are the most inspirational, funny, giving souls you can imagine. They are always starting new projects … that give back to their peers as well as the community. Theirs is just one of those feel-good daily reads you ought to make part of your morning routine! Not to mention the photography. None better. Honest.
Now … back to business! We asked Justin & Mary Marantz to give us their own take on engagement photos. Without further ado … The Marantz Approach.
You take out the hot rollers and plug in the flat iron. Your brow furrows as you mentally debate the merits of a rainbow of Mac eye shadows scattered across the bathroom sink. Do you feel like being “Bold & Brazen” today or do you just want to make a “Grand Entrance”? Either way, surely you should “Jest.” You pack five different pairs of black pointy-toed shoes into an already over-stuffed canvas bag because you just can’t decide which one is the most YOU right now. You hold outfit after outfit up to your bewildered fiance, whose sighs are growing more and more audible with each passing color combination. The brown definitely brings out his eyes…too bad it also brings out his hair, which he forgot to get cut this week. You tousle it in the front because, y’know, that messy look is in right now, and race out the door pulling enough luggage behind you to backpack through Europe. And all the while. all you can think is, “I hope these pictures feel like…us.”
The engagement shoot can be a stressful time. We get that. You want them to look great, but you also want them to look natural. You’re not too big on being in front of the camera, but you want it to look like you didn’t even know (or care) that a camera was there. You have no idea what to wear or what to do, but all you really want at the end of the day is to look back at the pictures and go “wow, that’s so us.” And fifty years from now, you hope you’ll still be saying the same thing.
Enter, the “Themed Get to Know You Shoot.” Rest assured, this is no ordinary engagement shoot. It starts with the GTKY sheet where we ask all sorts of questions aimed at getting to know our clients better, and ends with a theme based all around what makes each of our couples unique. Maybe it’s a place you love, maybe it’s something you love to do together, maybe it’s just an overall feel. But whatever it is, at the end of the day it’s…you.
We’ve compiled some of our favorite Get to Know You shoots from over the past year, along with the original entry from each blog post explaining the theme. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did!
GTKY**A: When Julia & Mike sent us their “Get to Know You” sheet, one theme instantly jumped off the page at us. Actually, it jumped off the page, slapped us a few times, and shouted “HELLOOOOO.” But you get the idea. Under the question, “What do you think is unique about you as a couple,” these guys put that they love to share equally in the chores of taking care of their new 1950s style ranch…everything from the gardening to the vacuuming. So we thought, “Hey, we’re down with equality.” And what could possibly stand for equality more than a 1950s take on housework? Right?! Makes sense to me! Okay, so we put a slightly modern twist on this shoot to bring it into SOMETIME this century, but seriously how fun is this theme?? And Julia & Mike totally ROCKED it!! They went out and hunted down all the outfits you see to get totally in character. I LOVE it!!
Meet: Julia & Mike
Their Theme: A five page spread for the 1952 Better Homes & Garden Summer Issue.
GTKY**B: Stonington calling… Nothing beats the cool salt air and open road of a crisp New England day. The timeless tailoring of our luxurious cable cardigan Fair Isle sweater, our patterned grosgrain flip flop….. and him. This season, it’s all about the perfect fit. Grab a mug of your favorite clam chowder and join us for our latest collection. They’ve been specially treated for an authentic vintage feel.
Meet: Katie & Colin
Their Theme: The J.Crew catalog of course! Just take one look at these two, and I’m sure you’ll see why!
GTKY*C: “I turn on my computer. I wait impatiently as it connects. I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words: You’ve got mail. I hear nothing. Not even a sound on the streets of New York, just the beating of my own heart. I have mail. From you. ” – Kathleen Kelly, You’ve Got Mail The first time he saw her, it was only a picture. A snapshot that hung on a co-worker’s wall. But sometimes a snapshot, a small moment in time, is all you need to somehow…know. The first time they met, it was only a one liner. A crack about an old computer. But sometimes a laptop, even an old one, can bridge the miles between two hearts that somehow just…know. Natalie is a high fashion NYC girl. Chris is the laid back Californian. But for just one day, their paths crossed and nothing has ever been the same. For months they emailed back and forth. With her on the east coast, him on the west. Going about their days, living parallel lives, they were joined by the promise of just three little words. You’ve. Got. Mail.
Meet: Natalie & Chris Their Theme: You’ve Got Mail
GTKY**D: It all started with a pony tail. A pony tail, and a summer camp over a decade ago. It was one of those quick fleeting, almost trivial moments that could have easily been lost in time. Trivial, except that it would change everything for the rest of their lives. She had just casually pulled her hair back into a pony tail as she walked out of her cabin, but that was the moment that Josh looked up and saw Beth for the first time. Sure he had seen her before, but this was the first time he really *saw* her and knew his heart would never be the same. “It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.” Over ten years later they were reunited in San Francisco… and he’s still saying the same thing.
Meet: Josh & Beth
Their Theme: My Heart’s In San Francisco
Knowing the stories behind the faces makes all the difference in the world! Doesn’t it? Thanks, Mary & Justin, for sharing.
PS: LBB readers, do check out their blog and website!