5 Tips to Help You Prepare For Your Engagement Photo Session
For most couples this is the very first time they’ve ever had professional photos done together and there is a lot of nerves when they start thinking about a camera in front of them. However, your engagement photos don’t need to make you feel nervous at all in fact they can be very fun, relaxed and exciting with a little preparation so you can enjoy your entire photo session experience!
Below I am sharing 5 tips to help you prepare for your engagement session…
1.) BE ON TIME! The sun is only out for so long! The later you arrive, the less time we have to shoot! And nobody wants that! There is also nothing worse than when a couple shows up late and they have been arguing in the car, they are both in a mood and don’t even feel excited for the photo session anymore. Give yourself plenty of time to get there to enjoy the whole experience.
2.) Empty your pockets! Literally. You don’t want to have key chains or phones showing through your pockets. (This is for the guys especially!)
3.) When it comes to your outfits, - DON’T try to MATCH...try to pick outfits and accessories that coordinate instead. If you both wore the same exact colour, how boring would those images be? Don’t be afraid to be BOLD! Accessorize and make your outfits your own! Scarves, bold necklaces and fun shoes are always welcomed! MOST PATTERNS are actually ok...however, graphics are not favourable for portraits (please, no logos). If you’re wearing a pattern, make sure it’s not overwhelming and distracting.
4.) Another great tip for figuring out what to wear is to think of your wedding colours, or maybe just the colours in your home - something that would look nice on your walls for when you print and frame those photos or use them as framed decor on your guestbook signing table or anywhere else on your wedding day. Just as long as the outfits you choose make you feel comfortable, because when you aren’t feeling yourself it will show on camera too.
5.) Make sure the ring is sparkly clean and your nails are done whether coloured or natural, have your cuticles and nails cleaned up and picture ready! Also helps to have your hair and makeup professionally done if you can, this is great if you can time it for your trial before the wedding as that way you can see how it’ll look in your photos.
And just one more bonus tip….and most important too… Relax! You don’t have to be a pro at this! Your photographer is here to help you along the way and it’s going to be a blast! Enjoy this time together and make a date out of it! Plan dinner afterwards or go out with some friends for drinks and celebrate!!
Having engagement photos done before your day will also make you less nervous on the day of the wedding as your wedding photographer shouldn’t feel like a complete stranger as you’ve had some time to work together and get to know each other better. It actually helps the wedding day run a whole lot smoother when couples opt for engagement photos, their photographer can easily place them into poses that’ll make them feel comfortable. On your wedding day you only have about 30 minutes of portrait time compared to 1-2 hours at an engagement session, so having everyone prepared and knowing what to expect makes it easier to get those portrait photos done in a timely manner to continue with the rest of your wedding day timeline and also to capture photos that you will truly love because you’ll already be comfortable being in front of the camera and your photographer will know exactly what prompts to give to help guide you both to capture the best couple portraits on your day.
I hope these tips helped you feel more relaxed and excited because your engagement photos are meant to be FUN! If you haven’t booked them yet, I highly suggest you do!
Tale a look below at some of my favourite engagement sessions over the years and some outfit inspiration for your upcoming photos. Also, your fur babies are more than welcome (as long as the place we do your photos at allows!).
And as always… I am available for your engagement, wedding and elopement needs on beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia, please feel free to click the inquire page above and let’s chat!
Xo,
Katie
