Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Stephanie Fay - Romantic engagement shoot

Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Recently an amazing opportunity presented itself to have the chance to work with Arizona photographer Stephanie Fay. Stephanie was due to visit Ireland with her husband and in-laws and always loves to shoot a couple when she visits different countries. She put the word out via WeddingsOnline.ie that she was looking for a cool loved-up couple to photograph!

The lucky couple Deirdre and John, got to spend an afternoon with Stephanie in Killruddery Estate in Wicklow. Deirdre happens to be a talented florist - check out her beautiful floral arrangements, and is also one of the partners in The Bridal Lounge. Make-up artist Aoife Callaghan who worked on this shoot, runs this exciting new venture with her. (I should probably explain here that a couple of our 'real' engaged couples were unavailable for the date chosen and Deirdre saved the day for us - not that we had to twist her arm)!

You won't need to read my gushing descriptions to appreciate how amazing these pictures are. Both Deirdre and her husband John, (who are only recently married), confided that they almost love these images more than their wedding photos! I think this explains the charm of an engagement shoot. It allows you to be photographed in a really relaxed setting whilst getting to know your photographer. Secondly it's about having lots and lots of fun and being super-romantic with your partner. It's up to you to put your own stamp on the style for this day - choosing lots of props and and gorgeous outfits to wear...

Aoife and Deirdre styled this engagement shoot and I loved hearing all of their ideas. The four of us enjoyed working together and Stephanie's enthusiasm inspired us too. Below Deirdre wears my 'Secret garden' cuff bracelet which is made from fine crochet.

For some reason, engagement shoots have not really caught on in Ireland yet. This shoot is certainly an inspiration. Here are a few words from Stephanie -
During this photo shoot, we wanted to convey to all our blog readers around the world just how beautiful and memorable engagements can be. As photographers, it helps us get to know the client on a more personal level. In turn, as a client, you walk away with even more images of you and your fiancé to keep forever. Why not enhance your engagement shoot with props and outfits to bring together a more creative photoshoot? Every girl wants to feel beautiful and an engagement shoot is the perfect excuse!

Think about your personality and possible props that might enhance your engagement shoot to be specific to you and your fiancé. No matter where you live, you can always find a special place to have your engagement session. Because this shoot was at the beautiful Killruddery Estate, we felt it was appropriate to have a more sophisticated look. The outfits, the shoes, and the props all seemed to fit with the location. Think about where you want your shoot and what you want it to look like, and convey that to your planner or photographer to pull together your dream engagement session.
Both of Deirdre's outfits and shoes were hired from Covet, an Irish company who hire clothes and accessories from leading world designers. I will give details of both dresses soon.

Here Deirdre is seen wearing my 'Secret Garden' headband, featuring a variety of Swarovski crystals and semi-precious stones. These headpieces are made to order and can be customised in a number of ways.

I love the soft romantic feel to this entire shoot. The floaty feminine dresses are perfect too! Below, Deirdre wears a Rangoli crochet bracelet with freshwater pearl and blue topaz drops.

This montage shows some of the beautiful props sourced by Deirdre including vintage books, champagne glasses and a rug which was a wedding gift for Deirdre's parents!

The colour palette is so gorgeous here with the greenery making the colours pop.

And finally - the perfect end to a lovely afternoon with Stephanie! To see more of this shoot visit Stephanie's blog or take a look at her website.

A big thank you to Stephanie from Deirdre, Aoife and myself - we hope you'll return again some day!

Credits:
Photography - Stephanie Fay
Couple - Deirdre and John
Jewellery and headpiece - Rangoli
Makeup - Aoife Callaghan
Hair - Lorraine Browne
Dresses and shoes - Covet (The Borrowers Boudoir)
Flowers- Deirdre Hynes at Ruby & Bloom

Shot on location in Killruddery Estate, Wicklow.

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