Nail Your Engagement Session
Over the last several years, of all the photos I have had taken of my family and I, my engagement photos are my absolute most favorite photos of my husband and I. It was our first time since having our child that we had photos taken of just us. Our engagement photos simply captured the essence of who we were, without all the frilliness, and the hustle and bustle of the wedding day.
We were all smiles and just, simply us, in the midst of some serious fall forest-y magic. (Major thanks to one of my second shooters-Liv!) Here is what I learned from my engagement session and what I always tell my clients to watch out for when prepping for their engagement session.
Research Your Poses + Practice!
If you haven’t already, scour pinterest for some photo ideas and poses you like. And yes, PRACTICE! Even if you’re a natural in front of the camera, your fiance may not feel so comfortable. My husband always looks like goof when we take pictures, and I think because he feels so awkward in front of the camera, he does it on purpose sometimes. So take the time to stand in front of the mirror, practice the pose, and close your eyes to see how it feels. (Tip: do this with your smile too! I always hate how I look in other peoples pictures with that fake smile, but love my selfies with my husband. I nailed the perfect photo smile with practice. You can thank America’s Next Top Model for this secret.) You guys might feel a little silly, but by the end of the your little pose session, you will both notice how more natural you will feel when you’re posing for the real deal.
No Major Appearance Changes
And this goes for anytime you are preparing for a photo session or a big event. That means, no new eyebrow treatments, no tanning (especially if it would be your first time), and for the love of a good photo, please don’t try a new hair-cut or color. If you are looking to get highlights, go with a tried and true color with your favorite stylist, and no less than two weeks to your session. That way if something goes wrong, you at least have some time to fix it if needed. Although I love our engagement photos, some of them make my husband cringe because (his words not mine) he has an “egg-head”. But hey, I warned him–getting his hair cut shorter than the norm, the week of our engagement photos, was a bad idea. Wife-1 Husband-0
Are Your Hands Ready for a Close-up? Not everyone considers how up-close and personal my camera is going to get with your hands. But hellooo, everyone is dying to see that pretty ring shot (and they are my favorite). I would highly recommend getting a mani a few days before the session (at a salon you are familiar with at that) and choose a neutral color for your nails that fits in with your outfit for the day. Also, if there is anytime to drag your boo into the nail salon, this would be the time. Unless your going for a beauty and the beast look, there’s no reason for your hands to be primped and his to be scruffy and peeling!
Speaking of Outfits,
This may be one of the most important considerable aspects of your engagement session. You want to dress appropriately, but also comfortably. This one may be obvious, but dress for the season. If you are having your photos done in winter, definitely dress in layers, especially if you’re wearing a dress! No one likes their photos when their smiles are frigid. You want to ensure you are representing yourselves in your style choices as well. With that being said, however, yes, please force your almost-husband out of his t-shirt and into a nice dress shirt. When he is done complaining, he will thank you! When choosing your outfit colors, I highly recommend sticking with neutral colors and minimal patterns. White, tans, and black always look stunning in photos, and you can totally throw in a pop of color, like navy or even red! Bonus points if your colors correspond with your wedding to create a cohesive look!
Be Yourselves
Please, please, please be yourselves! I meet so many people every year, from my job at David’s Bridal, to my job as a photographer, and let me tell you, everyone's a little quirky and weird. But that’s what makes each person I work with so unique, is their own personalities, as individuals and couples. I work hard to capture people, not poses and photos. So please, talk, laugh, tease each other, and let me in, just a little bit. That is what is going to make your photos natural, memorable, and oh so special. And if you’re photographer is really good, (I’ll honk my own horn on this one) he/she will pull out some funny one-liners to make your posing more fun and natural, if you get the photo-jitters. My favorite line for couples is “nuzzle her neck like a cat and then purr”, and it works like a charm. Every. Single. Time.
