Jen and Paolo's engagement shoot was a successful--though impromptu--effort. Paolo, who was based in the United States, came home to Manila last September for three weeks to accomplish wedding-related tasks. The couple initially planned to have their prenuptial shoot on Paolo's next visit in December, but they found out that their photographer, Bryan Yap, was already fully booked for that month. Jen and Paolo had to act fast and squeeze in time for the shoot during Paolo's September trip.
The couple scheduled their prenup session a day after their pamamanhikan (and three days after they found out about Bryan's December bookings). Luckily, their photographer and their makeup artist (Argie Lingat of The Body Shop) were available on such short notice.
For the shoot, Jen and Paolo went back to the locations of their initial dates. Their first stop was University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, where the couple feasted on street food that the campus was known for: isaw and dirty ice cream. Of course, no UP Diliman food trip would be complete without a visit to Rodic's, so the couple also stopped by the famous tapsilog joint. In the afternoon, they headed to Casa Xocolat, a quaint little cafe near Katipunan where Jen and Paolo went when they started dating.
Jen says that at first, she and Paolo regretted not having props for the shoot. However, as they were shooting, they realized that "love was the best accessory," Jen shares. She adds, "Go with the flow and make the best of what you have." By doing just that, the couple's photos succeeded in telling their love story.
