The most interesting things about tilt-shifts for me was not what was out-of-focus—taking the same photo you would anyway except with blurry feet—but what was in focus, especially things otherwise impossible unless you feel like shooting with f/64 or an iPhone.
More and more over the years, maybe as tech got better and maybe just as the "meaning" of it all sunk in more, I have made sure that any "trick" was done with the intention of the thing first -- is this actually the best way to shoot at this time?
Over a career and even longer days and certainly when shooting on your own, there may be things external to the individual photo that affect the answer. Is it increasing the variety you provide? Is it showing a unique and valuable way of seeing? Heck, even "are you having fun along with the couple?" can matter. But the more important the moment, the more the needs of that individual photo take over.