Mr. W and I had our engagement photo shoot today. It was at a makeup/photography studio that also rents and sells wedding and special occasion clothing and accessories. I had so much fun! The hair/makeup lady is the woman I’d already booked my wedding day hair and makeup with for both myself and my bridesmaids. She looked at my face and said that she feels I’d look great in the newest trendy “funky” messy updo. What she did was reserve some hair in front for long side-split bangs, and the rest were knotted up in sections with the ends sticking out like a little fobby singer. She’d left a few thick curls on the bottom like in the Victorian days for the evening gown and bridal dress shots but put everything up for the traditional Chinese dress shots. The below isn’t a great depiction but it’s the best I can find online.

My mom and her good friend, our realtor’s wife, came directly from Tai Chi to watch us take photos. The photographer and makeup lady (who are husband and wife) were very sensitive to Asian parental interference. The makeup lady asked me discreetly whether having my mom in the photo studio with me during the photo shoot would distract or bother me. I told her it’s fine. Mr. W said that he saw both the photographer and makeup lady put their fingers to their lips, signaling to my mom and her friend that they are not to butt in or criticize. I think it went well, with minimal criticisms from my mom.

The first dress I put on was an incredible spaghetti strap corset-top ballerina dress I saw on a mannequin. It looked kinda like this but with vertical corset panels and pink accents. I asked if I could try that one, and the makeup lady said thoughtfully, “I think it will fit.” It fit to a never-before-experienced T. The waist was narrow enough for me but still accomodated my bust and usually the two are never right on the same outfit. The shoulder straps were the perfect length when usually they’d be too long since I have a short torso, and the side panel was high enough to go right under my armpits without cutting off and creating armpit fat like so many sleeveless tops do to me. My mom was even agape when I walked out with that dress on. Mr. W winked at me. “You’re the first to ever wear this one for a photo shoot,” the makeup lady said. With my odd proportions, I’ll bet that if it fits me this precisely (and the fabric and style did not have much give), it doesn’t fit many other people. Seeing that I was aglow in this dress, the photographer took extra photos of me wearing it. Mr. W was my accessory in a handsome classic black tux.

Next was the classic white wedding gown with a giant ornate train. My real gown does not have a train, so it’s nice to have these photos. This off-the-shoulder dress was wide for me in the middle, but they must’ve sensed it because they mostly had me standing with my side toward the camera, or sitting in this dress. It was ai’ight. The cut was something like this, but beaded and not corset-top. Mr. W decorated these poses by changing to a red bowtie and cummerbund.

The last outfit was the classic overly sequined traditional Chinese dress. It’s cut similar to this, but pink and beaded to death. It was SO beaded that not only can you not see fabric, but it hurt to put my arms down. If I hugged someone wearing that and pulled away kinda fast, the huggee would be shredded into ribbons. No one would ever be successfully raped wearing that dress. It took two tries to find this dress in a size that fit me. The first one that the makeup lady brought to me fit so baggily that the sleeveless part hung over my shoulders and looked like cap sleeves. I walked out and said that I think this dress is too loose. My mom looked at it and said, “It IS?” I pulled three inches of excess fabric out from my side. She said, “Oh. And I told her when she brought that dress out that it would be too small on you.” Of course she did. Mom looked at me again. “Did you lose weight?” she asked.
“No. I’m just not as fat as you always think I am.” My mom looked a little hurt yet thoughtful, but any further discussion was squelched as the makeup lady brought me the same dress in a smaller size and pulled the curtain closed, separating us. This second dress was skin tight, hugged every curve and had the leg slits cut scandalously high, but my mom kindly only said complimentary things as I walked out in it. Mr. W was already changed to a grey old-fashioned tux with a tail, looking pretty swanky. Together we looked like East meets West 1920s.

The photographer and makeup lady consistently complimented us throughout the shoot, telling us we’re naturals, that they got perfect shots in the first try and hence didn’t have to reshoot the same pose or take multiple shots, raving about my great smile and great teeth. I think my mom was impressed at the shots, too. The photographer kept running back to my mom and her friend and showing them the digital image he’d just taken on his camera, involving them enough to make the shoot interesting for them. I would’ve liked to take shots where my expressions were different, but they just kept telling me to do my teethy smile, which they loved. There was one pose where they had Mr. W on his knee offering me flowers and jewelry, and I jokingly did an eye-rolling “not good enough” expression with my hands on my hips, followed by a Southern belle swoon with the back of my right hand on my forehead as if he were offering me the prize of a lifetime, and everyone laughed, but the shot the photographer took was one of my peering over my shoulder at the jewelry box with a happy smile. Mr. W said that the guy’s used to taking photos that you’d want to pay extra to blow up and have on display, and goofy shots don’t sell in the same way. I guess that’s true; I wouldn’t blow up and frame a giant photo me looking like a greedy gold-digger to hang over the fireplace mantle of our new home, and it wouldn’t be an appropriate engagement photo for display at the wedding venue.

…or WOULDn’t it be just so ME to have untraditional goofy shots?!