Yay! Your’e engaged! The question was popped, you answered Yes and now you’re here. Where do you even begin? What do you wear? What do I ask my photographer for? Heard it all before.
I have come up with 9 tips for rocking your engagement session. I have listened and polled my previous clients about how they felt prior to booking me so I thought I’d make a post about it! Hope this helps you!
1. Wear Something You Are Comfortable In.
This is very important, especially if you are doing a more adventurous shoot in the mountains, or anywhere outdoors. Its very important that you wear clothes that are not too tight, revealing, or just don’t fit. If you choose to wear something brand new, definitely try it on and move around in it before a shoot. What you don’t want is to be adjusting, pulling up pants, trying to cover up throughout the shoot because it will most definitely show in your face, and your mannerisms. Also, if you wear things that are uncomfortable, they may not photograph well. I highly recommend for my ladies to wear something flowy, as it creates movement and allows you to move around freely.
2. Steam or Iron Your Clothes in Advance.
So many times, clients say to me “hey, can you photoshop these wrinkles”. Although it can be done, its a VERY difficult, time-consuming thing to do, and it will cost you per image. Highly suggest steaming/ironing before arrival or change on location so they don’t wrinkle during your commute.
3. Location, Location Location.
Find word that best fits you and your fiancé’s relationship and think about locations that will compliment that. We necessarily don’t want to put two outdoorsy people in some high end skyrise or two city people out on a mountain cliff. Before you just go to your local park, think outside the box. Your location should best reflect you and your fiancé ; it will make them that much more special and it will show in your photos.
4. Hire a professional Photographer
Yes, this should be a given. but it is extremely important to have your photos done by a professional. They will be the best, and they will showcase you in your best light. I highly recommend hiring your wedding photographer for your engagements. This way you will have a “trial run” with them and get to know your wedding photographer and how they shoot. This can help your wedding day run extremely smooth.
5. Consider Professional Hair and Makeup
If you’ve never had your makeup done and don’t know what to with with your hair, I highly recommend getting it professionally done. You want to feel and look your best and even have your bae with the heart eye emoji all over their face. Photos require a little more than just your everyday wear because you want it to show up in camera and not look flat or washed out. Many women coordinate their trial run with their wedding day makeup artist for their engagement shoot. This way, you can knock two birds out with one stone and get a feel for your makeup artist for your big day.
6. Plan your engagement around the Sun
There are certain times of the day that are better than others for shooting. You may have heard of the term “golden hour”. All that means is the time of day where the sun is about to set and he sky appears golden. This is a photographers dream really. Its important to know when the sunset is happening that day and when daylight savings happens if you are planning your engagement session months out. Lighting is the most important element to an engagement shoot so plan accordingly. Give yourself time to commute, shoot, change clothes, etc.. Highly recommend early morning sunrise, or after 5pm for the summer, and early morning and after 3pm for the winter months.
7. Relax.
At the end of the day, the purpose of this shoot is to showcase you and your boo. You are comfortable with each-other right? Be in love, be all over each-other, enjoy each-other, its okay! So many people say to me “ ahh, this is so awkward!” Communicate with your photographer so that your photos reflect your relationship in its most natural form.
8. Coordinate your outfits.
Coordinating outfits doesn’t mean being “matchy”. Wearing they same white shirt and blue jeans, or the same exact color blue isn’t really ideal and can convey that you are trying to hard. Your photos should reflect your relationship. Find colors in the same color family or play with neutral and earthy tones. It fits almost any scenes and can be dressed up with pops of color.
9. Have a Special Song? Play it.
You should feel comfortable at your engagement session. Sometimes playing your song that is special between you and your boo can spark up some real natural emotion and can help ease those nerves.
I hope these help you in this new chapter in your life! If you have more questions, I would love to chat with you
Contact me
Share this story
