Throughout our engagement, Ryan and I have been introduced to incredible people who are all about making our experience as a couple truly fantastic, which includes those tricky Engagement Photos which seem a little daunting. Namely, you’re worried about what you’ll wear, where you’ll go, and which props would be cute and up-and-coming on Pinterest.
Last year, I met Abbie McFarland when taking portraits for my book launch. I immediately connected to her. Take away her whimsical vision and giant lens, she’s this beautiful free-spirit who’s all about capturing spontaneous moments from behind a tree somewhere 😉 It’s funny to watch her, still tiny in four-inch heels, burying herself behind shrubs and towering oaks. She doesn’t care – that’s a part of the job, and a part she enjoys. Some photographers are stiff, unwilling to take risks with their expensive equipment, but Abbie understands that beautiful photographs require risk – and many, many jumps, squats, barrel rolls. Not so much barrel rolls. Though she could get away with it. She is in crazy good shape.
So we started off with some photos inside my house. I liked shooting our engagement photos here because it was a part of me that I could now print out and post around our new home! 
Ryan and I figured it was only natural that some of our engagement photos look very prom-esque, so we did the typical hug from behind (as noted above).
Then, we sat on the stairs and posed like a very serious couple who was possibly running for POTUS.
Then Abbie suggested we take some solo engagement photos (maybe some I could slip in Ryan’s pocket as a little surprise one day before he ran off to work. So we asked him to leave the room while I channeled by inner, um, Aurora? Yeah, looks like I’m sleeping . . . 
Or not . . .
As a newlywed, I wanted to make sure my ring was up-close-and-personal in most of my engagement photos. Ha! Such a typical bride to be, and proud of it. So we took a few abstracts (which I totally fell in love with). 
Then Ryan came back in the room and took such a handsome photo. Ugh, swoon. Swoon a thousand times.
Then we got some photos of him and Mercedes, “The Lady.” 
Go ahead. Say it. Prettiest puppy ever. Yup, she’s one classy lady. Hence the reason why we call her “The Lady.” After Ryan and Mercedes had their photo shoot, we wandered around in the back, where the trees were cowering. 
And we found this great tree. 
Then, we strolled back to an open patch of grass where we kissed…
Then kissed again… 
Then caught our breath…
Then took a nap… (not really) 
Then Ryan kissed my forehead, and I swooned…
And all was right in the world. Yup, he’s my person y’all. And our engagement photos totally captured it. 
Love you forever RJN <3
If you’re interested in contacting Abbie, check out her site here.
Hey there! My name is Jordan Nettleship. I'm a Christian, an author, and a nutty health freak. I adore cooking, my husband Ryan, my puppy Mercedes, writing young adult fiction and being my weird self ;) I believe that "skinny" isn't about how you look, it's about how you feel.