Hey there!
If you’re looking through this, I think it’s safe to assume that you’ve booked an engagement session.
First off, if I haven’t said it a hundred times already, congratulations!!!
We are so excited to be doing an engagement session with you. These are some of our favorite sessions to do for so many reasons!
If we don’t know you already, an engagement session gives us a chance to meet you for the first time outside of email/phone correspondence. (Finally!!) We love getting to chat a bit and learn about who you are together before your big day.
As newlyweds ourselves, we know that the engagement season can be both exciting and also really challenging. Engagement sessions can be one of those exciting pieces of the planning process, but it can also be a little nerve-racking if you’ve never been in front of a camera before.
That is exactly why we made this guide. We want to make sure that you feel as prepared and ready for your session as we are. Ok so, we’re not going to pop quiz you on camera settings and honestly, you’ll learn most of the posting process during the session but we are going to make sure that we answer some frequently asked questions before the day.
This is definitely not a rule book. At the end of the day, the location you choose and outfits you select won’t matter nearly as much as the memories you make together. We want you to relax and enjoy your engagement session. Laugh a lot. We will take care of the rest!
HOW DO I POSE?
This session also gives you a chance to learn our posing process! We get asked all the time, how do I pose?
The posing method I’ve developed is a mix of formal and silly prompts to give you the maximum variety of images possible. We are here to guide you through the entire process and put you in place. The best part is, you literally can not mess it up!
With that said, relax – move around – and have fun!
CHOOSING YOUR DATE
Your engagement session can be used for so many different purposes! Some couples use their photos for “save the dates”, guest books, or just to have and hang in their future first home. A lot of times the use for the photos will determine when we take them!
If you need your images for a save the date then let’s book your photos a month or two before you’d like to send them!
Sometimes being engaged happens over the majority of a specific season like fall, winter, summer, or spring! If you’d like to showcase a specific season, it’s important to take the photos when the season is at its peak! (ie leaves on trees etc.)
LOCATION
Every couple is unique and has a story. We always encourage our couples to think outside of the box when it comes to engagement photos. Here are some questions to ask yourselves to find a location that’s as unique as you are!
Who are you as a couple? Do you like flower fields or downtown vibes?
Where did you first meet?
Where was your first date?
Where was your first kiss?
Sometimes these questions can spark inspiration and make your shooting location all the more special.
Personally, I’m a mother nature lover so if these questions aren’t your jam we can talk about other options! Usually, local parks give us a lot of flexibility and were able to walk around, take our time, and get great shots in nature.
Quick Tip: Our weekends fill up first. You can get a Fast Pass to the front of the line by scheduling mid-week.
NATURE: If we’ve settled on a location out in nature (i.e. woods, river, beach, etc.), be sure to come prepared for that specific location. If we’re heading out in the woods, be sure to bring bug spray and even shoes you don’t mind getting dirty.
TRAVELING: We love to travel and are on the road quite a bit especially in the around PA, NJ & NY. Destination engagement sessions are unique and fun! If you want to shoot somewhere that isn’t local to PA, just let us know and we can discuss travel info. Keep in mind that travel fees will apply.
HOW SHOULD WE DRESS?
If you’ve ever wanted to wear a long flow-y dress, a James Bond suit, or a flower crown, this is your chance! Wear clothes that represent you as a couple and make a day of it. You can be as dressed up or as dressed down as you’d like.
When picking out your clothes, try to choose complementary colors. Avoid wearing a lot of stripes and think about what you’re using the photos for. If it’s to go on a save the date and you are following your wedding color scheme – then stick to those colors! If you want to hang them up in your living room, stick to your living room colors, if they’re just for you, wear whatever color you’re feeling!
If you’re really stuck with colors or clothing, stick to neutrals! They are really versatile to background colors and never go out of style.
We’ve had so many couples make their engagement shoot a date night! Dress to the 9s and then visit a fancy restaurant afterward.
Ladies– there is usually at least one thing we’re all self-conscious about on our bodies. Don’t forget to think about what you’re wearing and how it compliments you beforehand. If arms are your problem area, try a three quarter length sleeve as strappy shirts tend to do the opposite of slimming. Heels provide a great elongating effect for the body as well.
Don’t forget to do your nails and get your ring cleaned before the session!
GO PRO! Professional hair & makeup is on the top of most of our brides’ checklists because it looks amazing and removes the stress of getting ready on your own. From lash extensions to blown-out hair, professional hair and makeup will give you an extra boost of confidence in front of the camera, and it always photographs like a dream. You could even schedule your wedding trial the day of your session so you can get a practice run with them for the wedding day, plus you will be able to see what it looks like on camera! If you’re going for makeup, we highly recommend Talitha Collado from Collado Cosmetic Lab.
A FEW MORE TIPS…
-Get your nails did
-Have your ring cleaned
-Skip the spray tan
-Avoid clothes that might show bra straps or tags. It is very limiting and stifling when we have to keep ensuring that these are not showing
-Avoid clothes with logo or branding
Men – Don’t forget the power of a fresh haircut. Avoid hats, heavily branded clothing, baggy clothing, and white socks. These things all tend to take attention away from you.
There are a lot of elements that go into creating a beautiful photograph. One of those is confidence. Be sure you’ve tried on your outfits multiple times and seem them both together so you know you’re going to look great. What you choose to wear has to be comfortable! You don’t want to be fidgeting the entire session so be sure to wear something you can move around in and lastly, something that makes you feel awesome!
LADIES, PREP YOUR MAN!
Most men aren’t overly excited to take photos for 90 minutes, because they don’t have an expectation of what’s to come and why it’s so important to you. Take fifteen minutes to educate and empower your guy. Tell him why you chose us and our style of photography. Show him a favorite session that we’ve done, explain why you love them and express to him how much it means to you. Trust us, once he knows it’s important, he’ll light up the camera for you! The most common thing we hear from guys before engagement sessions is this: because of a bad experience in the past, they don’t like taking photos or don’t think they’ll be good at it. By the time we’re done, though, they can’t believe how fast it went and just how much fun they had!
WHAT IF WE’VE NEVER BEEN IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA?
Perfect! 99.9% of our couples are not models and/or have never modeled before. Remember, we are here to give you a lot of variety of photos and just have fun with it!
If you’rereallynervous, we recommend stopping for a cold beer or cocktail ahead of time. But really, there’s nothing to be nervous about. I am confident that by the end of our session you will feel like you’ve known how to do this your whole lives. Just be careful, by the end, the groom tends to start outshining the bride with his skills. 😉
HOW DO WE GET OUR PHOTOS?
As you know, we have a four-week turn around time on all of our engagement sessions. Usually, I (Em) get a little too excited and end up sending them over earlier. 🙂
Once your photos are edited and finished, we will send them to your email via pass gallery. This is the site I trust to get you your images.
HOW DO WE ORDER A GUEST BOOK ALBUM?
I LOVE guest book albums! This is essentially an album of your engagement photos used at your wedding for your guest book!! How sweet is that?!
If you’d like to do this for your wedding just let me know and I can get you more information on pricing and album options.
