Engagement sessions aren’t necessary, but I highly recommend them! They’re a great way to get to know your photographer and to get comfortable in front of the camera. It’s like a warm-up for your wedding, and you can use those photos for your invitations, website, guest book, frame and display them on the welcome table at your wedding, and more.
In this blog post, I’ll share everything I know to help you prepare for from pre- to post- session so that you can make the absolute most of it and have the best experience possible. I want your photo session to feel more like a date than a shoot, and here’s how to do it!
Pre-engagement session:
- Communication with your photographer. Have a conversation (or multiple!) with your photographer at least a week or two away from your shoot. Get to know them, ask them all the questions you need, share your concerns, share ideas, share your story, ask for guidance. I love sending my clients questionnaires to gather as many details as possible about the couple’s personality and preferences. And I often find that answering questions will spark ideas for the couple, too!
- If you have any specific “must-have” shots, be sure to communicate that with your photographer.
- How do we pick a location? Think about what activities you already do together that have meaning. How do you spend time together? What are you doing when you feel the most connected? Do you take walks around your neighborhood, play with your pup, go on hikes, go out for coffee, or love to cook pizza at home? Plan your engagement session around an activity that you both are already familiar with. This will help you feel the most relaxed, create memories in addition to beautiful images, and you may even forget that it’s a photo session in the first place!
- What do we wear? When it comes to wardrobe, wear what feels comfortable and whatever makes you feel like your confident self. Wear shoes that won’t hurt your feet. I advise couples to avoid wearing clothing with patterns that are too busy or distracting. And at the end of the day, it’s your connection with your partner that will make the photos awesome regardless of whatever you wear 🙂
Day-of:
- Pack snacks and water, and anything you need for mid-shoot zhuzhing such as bobby pins, hair brush, chapstick, etc.
- I also recommend that couples make a rezzy at a romantic restaurant post-session!
- Side note: NO WRINKLES IN YOUR CLOTHING ALLOWED 🙂
- Set the intention of having fun and spending time with your partner. Be intimate with them in all the ways that you normally are. If stillness in that moment feels right, do that. If something more dynamic feels right, do that! And if you need guidance from your photographer, always feel free to ask 🙂 I will always have prompts and cues in my back pocket to keep the energy flowing for your photo session.
Post-engagement session:
- It takes around 3-4 weeks for your gallery to be delivered.
- In the meantime, decide how you’d like to use your engagement photos! Do you want to use them for your website, social media, email announcements, guest book, or have them framed for the welcome table for guests to enjoy? You can either endeavor on creating the printed materials yourself, or collaborate with your photographer.
- Be sure to tag your photographer on social media, and never use filters or tweak photos without their permission 🙂
I hope this blog post was helpful and enjoyable to read! Leave any questions in the comments below!
And have the BEST time on your engagement shoot!!!
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