5 Things to Get The Most Out of Your Engagement Session

Engagement sessions are one of my all time favorite parts of the wedding process. They’re a wonderful opportunity for couples to get in front of my camera and get used to what it is like to work with me as their photographer! We’re able to go through all of my base poses and work through the flow of the session together! Having an engagement session before the wedding is SO CRUCIAL because it allows you to start feeling comfortable and familiar in front of the camera. Trust me, come the wedding day, you’ll be happy you had an engagement session beforehand!

So now that you’re newly engaged, you realize you’re ready for the Engagement Session! YAY! So exciting! I put together a few tips to help you get the most out of your engagement session, so that it can be one of the most memorable parts of your engagement!

1.) Do Your Research for the Perfect Photographer

Make sure you take the time to look through the photographer’s work to make sure their style is one that you love, and one where you can picture yourself in their images. This may seem like common sense, but many people will book a photographer based on recommendation alone without looking at their work! Photographers are not a one-size-fits-all kinda deal! We all have different styles and work hard to establish our brand. Make sure you find the right style for you! For more on this topic, refer to my other blog post, Three Tips on How to Pick Your Wedding Photographer!

2. Get Your Hair & Makeup Professionally Done

One way to feel extra perfect in front of the camera is to treat yourself to hair and makeup. When you book a makeup artist for your wedding, most give the Bride a free trial before the big day! I tell all my brides to use their free trial for their engagement session! That way, it’s technically “free” and you get to have your makeup done to your advantage! As for hair, I recommend to all my brides to either use their free hair trial, OR schedule a hair appointment for earlier that day! Let’s be honest, everyone LOVES their hair when it’s freshly done at the salon! So why not schedule a trim, have your hairdresser curl it before you go, and voila! You’re ready to go! Having you hair and makeup done is just one way to up your engagement session game to a whole new level!

3. Go Buy Yourself a Knock-Out Outfit!

I’m gonna steal some wonderful advice from Gerry in P.S I Love You, “And remember, a disco diva must look her best. Go buy yourself a knock-out outfit.” Seriously. Go do it. You will not regret spending some money to buy an adorable outfit for you and your man. Do you know how I know this? Because this is one thing I wish I did for our engagement pictures! I truly believe what Oscar Wilde said is true, “You can never be overdressed, or overeducated.” Your outfits help set the tone for the gallery that will be delivered! Dressing up never goes out of style, so don’t be afraid to change it up and buy you and your man something nice!

4. Add Some Detail!

My last trick to making your engagement pictures look more editorial?! Add a prop! Some great examples are a fresh bouquet, flower crown, or statement jewelry. These things bring an extra “WOW” factor to the images! Also, vintage bikes or baskets with flowers look adorable as well! (This Pinterest Board has some amazing flower crown inspo!)

5. HAVE FUN!

Last and most important, don’t stress yourself out too much! It is so important to relax and HAVE FUN! You want your images to reflect you and your true relationship. So don’t get all caught up in Pinterest images and stressing about what you hope they look like! You’ll be happiest knowing you and your sweetheart were yourself!

XOXO

P.S. Be sure to follow me on Pinterest! I post some of my favorite wedding inspiration pictures as well as all my bridal tips! You can follow me here!