Pop the champagne! You’re engaged, and planning your dream wedding.
There are so many fun celebrations leading up to the big day, one of which being your engagement photos. If you haven’t prepared for your engagement session yet, don’t sweat it. I created an engagement session checklist so you can come as prepared as possible for a great shoot, and let your photographer handle the rest.
#1: Set the session date, location and time well in advance with your photographer. As wedding photographers, we book up fast, especially in the busy season so reach out to your photographer to set a date, time and talk about different location options well in advance.
#2: Review session guide for style tips. Review the engagement session guide to get advice on what colors and textures will photograph best, and general tips for outfits and styling. In general, I usually recommend bringing two outfits – one formal and another a little bit more casual. But regardless, make sure they both fit with the vibe of the location & setting!
#3: Map out the location and plan how long it’ll take you to get there. Look up the route beforehand and build in a little buffer for traffic or parking so that you aren’t late for your session!
#4: Get your nails done, clean your ring (and skip the spray tan 😉 Having your nails done and ring sparkling will just go that little extra mile to making your engagement photos look polished and chic. Definitely skip the spray tan which can leave you looking orange and uneven!
#5: Pack a touch up kit. Prior to your session, put together a little touch up makeup and hair kit and stash it in your car so you can easily touch up your makeup halfway through when you change outfits.
#6: Send your photographer a favorite playlist. I always ask if my couples have a favorite playlist, genre, or artist because I love to queue up some of their favorite songs for our time together and create a vibe that resonates with you.
#7: Bring a spare pair of slide on shoes. If there is lots of walking at your location and you are wearing heels that are not the most comfortable, having a quick option to change into can make worlds of difference for ease and comfort. In that same vein, in the colder months, bring a jacket that goes with your outfit and have it on hand in the car if it happens to get way colder than anticipated.
#8: Brainstorm any fun details or activities you could include that feel like you! Whether that’s your favorite food or drinks, your love for being on the water, the spot where you first met, or riding city bikes together – whatever it is I’m always down for anything that speaks to your story together.
#9: Plan a fun post-session date night spot! You’re already all done up, why not make a fun date night out of it?
#10: Get out of your head and trust your photographer. For some, this is the hardest part of all! But trust me, it will make worlds of a difference in your engagement photos if you can just breathe, relax, and trust.
That’s all for my engagement session preparation checklist. Feel free to download the checklist above and share with your partner or engaged friends!
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