First of all, I'm am SO EXCITED for my fellow blogger brides who have their weddings coming up just around the corner! Kate is getting married first, in just a few days!! Then Christina! Thinking of you guys :) Now that we've booked our to-die-for photographer, Sequins and Candy, we're starting to think about some engagement shoot ideas! Engagement shoots are awesome for many reasons. So many, in fact, I was easily able to convince my camera-shy fiancé to get on board... so to speak. They allow you to capture some "real" photos of you and your beloved doing somewhat normal things (I mean, we all hang out in fields wearing cute heels and holding giant balloons all the time, right?), but most importantly, they allow you to get to know your photographer, and do a photo session run through. This is really important, as the last thing you want is to be uncomfortable with your photographer on the day of your wedding!

Since Kyle and I met sailing in Long Beach (he was my sailing instructor), we thought it would be apropos to do an engagement shoot on a sail boat. More specifically, a classic wooden schooner he sailed for many years. Now, this is just an idea for now, but that doesn't stop me from searching for inspiration! So here's some of our vintage nautical themed engagement shoot inspiration photos.

top left: 'After Glow' by Brent Lynch, source; top right: The Cherry Blossom Girl, Glamour; bottom: Jasmine Star

The Nautica perfume ad on the right was shot on the boat Kyle used to sail in Long Beach. Now I just need to master how to look like Katherine Heigl...