Engagement photos are some of my favorite photos to capture!
I love this time with my couples because it helps to build a more personal relationship. My engagement sessions are typically 60-90 minutes long and this is a great opportunity for us to get to know each other and have a great time together! There are five things that I like to have my couples consider when planning out their engagement photos. These include when and where to take them, what to wear and bring, and how to turn your session into more than just a photoshoot.
1. When to take your engagement photos
One of the first things I recommend to my clients is to consider when they want to have their engagement pictures taken. Specifically, what time of year to have them taken. I, personally, think it’s smart to have engagement photos that look like they are taken around the same season as when the wedding will take place! It helps create a cohesive vibe with wedding invitations, save the dates, and your wedding website. Not all engagement timelines work out to take the photos a full year in advance, but it’s something fun to think about as you are envisioning the feel of your wedding as a whole. Regardless, you’ll want to make sure that you schedule your engagement session well enough in advance so that you can have time to design and order any stationery that you plan on using your photos for as well as to enjoy the images prior to the big day.
2. Where to take your engagement photos
In terms of location, there are typically three options: rural, urban, or studio/in-home session. That said, the first thing I ALWAYS recommend when picking out locations is to make sure you are comfortable wherever you are. So, let’s not go take downtown photos if you are more into a beach scene with adventures. Additionally, it’s helpful to aim for a location that will let on a similar vibe to your wedding. Namely, having the location resemble where the wedding events will take place or with similar colors as you’ll use throughout your wedding. For example, if you are having a more industrial wedding in an urban setting, the engagement photos could be taken downtown. If you are going to get married in a backyard with an elegant garden feel, let’s take your engagement photos at a whimsical field at sunset! My goal in assisting my couples with their engagement photo location is to choose a place where you feel free to be yourself while also complimenting the rest of your wedding day.
3. What to wear for your engagement photos
Once the location has been selected, you get to do the fun part… pick out the outfits! This is another great opportunity to make sure that the colors of your outfits in your engagement photos match your wedding scheme snd style for continued cohesion. It doesn’t need to be a perfect match, but considering how your outfits will look with your wedding colors is definitely something to consider!
In addition to wearing colors that will blend well with your wedding colors, I like my couples to consider neutral tones, primarily solid colors, and layers. Neutral tones work really well in any lighting scenario as well as most backdrops. Finally, layering your clothes can add an extra dimension to your photos. Consider bringing along your favorite designer jacket, cardigan or hat. Any outfit can be enhanced with accessories that are simple yet beautiful as we don’t want to draw too much attention away from the you two- the main focus of the photos! I have a guide that I worked on with stylists to help you get the most out of our session together. If you want to gather some more inspiration, here are some ideas for him and her!
4. What to bring with you to your engagement session
I think it’s so much fun when my couples bring props to their engagement session. Of course, the engagement ring is the main prop, but there are always other things that couples can bring along! Some people have pets that they like to incorporate into their pictures (like who doesn’t love a good puppy picture?!). Instead of your pup, what if we turn your session into a cozy coffee date or an evening at your favorite rooftop bar? Let’s celebrate your engagement to the fullest! I encourage you to get creative and really personalize your engagement session.
5. How to treat your engagement session like a date night
Finally, something fun that I encourage my couples to do is to think of their engagement session as a date night. Instead of thinking of your engagement session as something you HAVE to do, think of it as a fun opportunity to spend time together in a way you typically don’t. My hope for my couples as they walk away from the session is that they will feel more bonded and more in love with each other than when the day started. A fun element to add to your moments is actually incorporating your “date night” into your session. So, let’s go to a winery or a vineyard, grab a box of pizza and watch the sunset at the beach, sip on some coffee in the cutest coffee shop, or grab your favorite cocktail.
I can’t wait to get to know you more and spend some time at your engagement session!
