Enjoying your engagement session should be a top priority for all couples! Up until this point, you are planning for a day that is still months maybe a year away. Your engagement photos are the first major wedding planning experience you will have. Before you schedule your engagement session with your photographer, be sure to read through our tips on how to make it a personal and enjoyable experience that you will remember for years to come!

1. Choosing a Location: Around the city, there are plenty of stunning locations to have your engagement photos taken, such as Spring Grove or Devou Park, however choosing a place can be a daunting task. While talking with our couples, we recommend choosing a location that is special to your relationship. For example, if you met in a café… go back to that café for your engagement photos! A great photographer will make magic happen in any setting. We understand some couples feel like they do not have a special spot, then we suggest choosing a location that will compliment your wedding style. For a rustic themed wedding, a beautiful country field surround by hay barrels around sunset would look amazing on the wall next to your rustic wedding photos. Be creative and be true to your relationship!
2. Choosing a Season: Once a location is chosen, the next major decision is when. Each season brings its own challenges and benefits! A summer engagement session may be on the hot side, but you will have the ability to do them later in the day… the sun doesn’t set till almost 9:30 on some summer days! This is perfect for couples who need a later session. On the flip side, in the winter it can be on the cold side of things but an engagement session in the snow brings so many possibilities, hello snow ball fights! Of course, we cannot forget about fall and spring engagement session (Which is our favorite seasons!). The COLORS and WEATHER is amazing! But there is the risk of TONS of rain and shorter days. Our professional recommendation… choose a season that you, as a couple, enjoy and plan for that.
3. Appearance: For most people, your wedding day will be the fanciest you’ll dress but that doesn’t mean your engagement session can’t be a second! This is the perfect time to splurge on getting your hair and makeup done (maybe even do your wedding trials). Hello New Clothes!!! (Like an excuse for new clothes is needed). While choosing your outfit, remember matchy/matchy went out with the window a few years ago and has not come back. We do recommend finding outfit that complement each other in color and style. Trust us… you DO NOT want to be wearing a very sexy cocktail dress and the further hubs shows up in gym shorts. By Keeping patterns to a minimum and avoiding logos/wording, you will just create a timeless look. Ladies… real tip here… keep an eye out for the girls. Avoid super low-cut shirts because that will limit our angles. Don’t be afraid to make your outfit your own by adding bold accessories! Bonus… if you bring a second outfit!
4. Drive Time: When leaving for the engagement session, add extra time! If the drive is only 30 minutes, it wouldn’t hurt to give yourself at least 45 minutes. The last thing you will want is to be late. While traveling, anything can happen, and it will! Plus, if you get lost, having a buffer will prevent unwanted tension in the air. Your engagement session if the first major thing you do in preparations for your wedding and should be a stress free and fun experience, not one where you bicker and fight over whether you should have turned back at that light.
5. Make a Day of It: Talking about the drive time, leads us to our next tip. Make the whole day about you! If your engagement session is during the work week, take a vacation day (if possible). Spend the day together and remembering why you’re getting married! Wedding planning can be extremely stressful and honestly there are times you will wonder why you decided to have a wedding. However, taking time to reconnect and decompress during the wedding planning world wind will ensure an amazing engagement session! This day is about your relationship, your future marriage, not about the actual wedding.

Your engagement session will be as successful as you make it! Trust us, by putting in a little extra effort, it will only make this time even more amazing!

Have an Amazing Day!

Nicole and Ryan