As proposal season is starting to wind down, engagement season is just around the corner as spring starts in 45 days.  During these times, our calendar begins to fill up quickly as there are only so many dates available. Not to mention, the Cincinnati weather is constantly changing.  However, there is an amazing alternative to waiting for the weather to warm up (or cool down depending on the time of the year).  You can always choose to do an in-home lifestyle engagement session!

At this point, you may be wondering, how would you know if doing an in-home lifestyle session would be ideal for you.  First you may want to check out our top 3 pros and cons for this type of engagement session to help you decide.

If you decide doing an in-home lifestyle session is a fantastic idea, we have a few tips to help get the most out of your session:

1. Bright Locations:  We recommend choosing 2-3 spots in your home for the session.  As you chose your locations, think about the light and find the brightest areas possible.  Rooms with windows (especially larger ones) are normally the best bet. Yes, we can bring in lighting if necessary, but if you have naturally bright spots, we would rather make that work! Plus…. if it’s natural sunlight BIG BONUS POINTS! 
2. Declutter:  Myth: when doing an in-home session, you’ll need to clean up everything.  Truth: Since you’ve narrowed it down to 2-3 areas in your home, you’ll only need to declutter those areas. Honestly, a home is meant to be lived in and we don’t really care if there are dishes in your sink if we’re not going to be in the kitchen. By decluttering we mean things like hiding the extra blankets that don’t match your living room decor or the laundry baskets full of clothes in the bedroom. We want to be able to highlight the pretty stuff… not the necessary stuff!
3. Time of Session:  As you’ve already done your due diligence and chosen the brightest rooms, your next step would be to find out the best time of day to schedule your session.  Depending on where your windows are, the spots you picked out may get more light in the morning than the evenings or vice versa.  Since we’ll be inside, we do not need to schedule around where the sun will be but when the spots get the most light!
4. Outfit Choices:  Think flattering… especially when sitting down as you pick out your clothing.   During our in-home lifestyle engagement session, you will be sitting down majority of the time (just think about what you do most around your house…. such as chill on the couch or lounge in bed).  Yes, we’ll grab photos of you standing up but honestly, they’re not as natural as cuddling on the couch together if we’ll be handing out in your living room.  A few things to look out for, shirts fitting a bit snug around the mid-section, super tight pants that do not allow you to move around easily, and as a woman, the cut of your shirt, as it may be more sexy/revealing than you want.
5. Showcase Your Life Together:  Our fave tip of the entire pots!!!! When you are home together, what sort of things do you enjoy doing together?  Are you a Netflix & Chill kind of couple or maybe you’re the type of couple that enjoys cooking together?  We want to capture you doing these things together!!!  Your space together is what makes your house or apartment your home and we want to showcase that. 

Engagement sessions are all about capturing your love story and maybe your love story does not fit the outside/park feel and would thrive during an in-home lifestyle session!  If that is the case, or maybe you’re the type who doesn’t want to fret about the weather, we hope these tips will help you prepare and rock your in-home lifestyle engagement session!

Happy Planning,

Nicole & Ryan