Ben and I are thrift store people. Always have been. Our apartment is full of flea market finds, reclaimed wood furniture and lots of little artifacts we’ve found throughout the years together. In fact I found that shirt I’m wearing in the photos below at a thrift store in Tucson, Arizona. So when our photographer Mel Barlow pulled us into a nearby antique store in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to snap a couple photos, we were totally in our element! (Later, we changed it up and took engagement photos in a retro airstream trailer — also featured today on Brooklyn Bride!)

After getting kicked out of the thrift store, we made our way to a nearby diner where Mel had found a retro airstream trailer. We changed our outfits and captured an entirely different vibe.

More!

> Retro Airstream Engagement Photos

> Engagement Photo Basics

> A Bridesmaid Proposal Video

]]> http://blog.theknot.com/2013/04/30/thrift-store-engagement-photos/feed/ 6 http://i1.wp.com/xotheknot.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/thriftstore4_650.jpg?resize=214%2C148 http://blog.theknot.com/2013/04/30/thrift-store-engagement-photos/ http://blog.theknot.com/2013/04/29/airstream-engagement-photos/ http://blog.theknot.com/2013/04/29/airstream-engagement-photos/#comments Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:28:16 +0000 Anja Winikka http://blog.theknot.com/?p=29090 ]]>

I’m a huge fan of fashion photography-inspired engagement photo shoots. So when it came to finding inspiration for my own, I found it within the pages of a Jon Hamm and Rebecca Hall W Magazine photo shoot. Moody, sexy and real all rolled up into one — total engagement photo shoot material. That in mind, our crazy awesome photographer Mel Barlow scouted in and around Brooklyn until she found an authentic silver air stream parked in the back of a nearby diner. Ben and I love diners and we’re a big fan of cross-country road trips, so the fact that we got to have our photos in an airstream trailer in the back of a Brooklyn diner was beyond perfect. Enough of my rambling though — onto the photos!

Fun right? Before we shot here in the airstream, we popped by a local Brooklyn thrift store for an entirely different style of photos for our album. Check out my engagement photos in a thrift store here. (PS – These and more are featured on Brooklyn Bride today!)

Want More?

> Engagement photos 101

> 8 Tips To Getting The Wedding Photos You Want

> A Will You Be My Bridesmaid Video

Even though we are getting married back at home, it was important for us to have a little touch of California in our wedding. We have started a life out here, adopted a dog here, were engaged here – and it seemed only right that we gave it a little of the recognition it deserved.

I did a few hours of research (mainly using the suggested vendors from theknot.com) to find the perfect photographer and finally decided on hiring the adorable Jordana from Hazelnut Photography. We liked her work for so many reasons, but all of her pictures picked up on lots of natural light, didn’t include too many kitschy props, and she fit the budget. She had a great spot in mind to serve as a our backdrop and so off we went to  El Matador Beach in Malibu, California on one windy, Saturday afternoon.

I had spent weeks picking out my outfits, trying to brighten my teeth, and making all of the necessary beauty appointments. It gave me a glimpse of how crazy I am going to be when my actual wedding gets closer, but the anticipation of the whole event was so fun.

When “the” Saturday got here, I took a long run in the morning to clear my nerves, and had a few mimosa’s while we got ready so that I didn’t feel like an enormous dweeb during the photoshoot.

It took me about 15 minutes to loosen up with a camera in front of my face, but Jordana was patient and kind — and two and a half hours later, she had collected enough pictures and we were on a merry way.

I haven’t gotten the disk of the 800 pictures that she took just yet, but I thought you may enjoy seeing a sneak preview of some of the goods…

Diane Von Furstenberg dress, Tory Burch Shoes, Tiffany Co. & David Yurman jewels

Banana Republic wrap sweater, Gap tee, Paige Jeans, Tory Burch sandals, David Yurman jewels

Pretty fancy, huh?!

Ben and I have zero experience behind the camera, but we immediately felt at ease with our wedding photographers Shannon and Andrew Horton of  Fox & Owl photography. I made the flower crown myself and I absolutely love the way our engagement photos turned out! (Check out the rest of my photos on my blog Ruffled Romance.)

Here at The Knot, we’ve seen our fair share of beautiful engagement photos. Heck, if I ever get engaged (don’t jinx me!) I’ll wrestle my to-be-fiancé into getting them. But as it turns out, engagement photo sessions just aren’t for everyone. Here are some tips to avoid the photo faux pas these couples made.

> Find more awkward bridal portraits here

> Here’s how to nail an engagement photo session

> Find tons of themes to inspire your shoot here