Photo by Wedding Photo House
He got down on one knee, you said "yes", he put that rock on your finger...now what? As professional wedding videographers for over ten years, who have heard it all on the bride's wedding day, we have picked up some tips and tricks along the way. We will discuss everything from locations to outfits, props, to-go kits, and everything in between.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, we just wanted to say that we absolutely think engagement photos are a must-have! Not only will it help to document such a fun and exciting chapter in your guys' story but it also gives you a chance to do a test run with your photographer. You will be able to work out all of the kinks that might arise before your big day comes. You can learn their style, see if it aligns with yours, and gain comfortability being in front of your wedding photographer. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's dive on in.
Choose A Location
One of the biggest things you will need to decide on is the location of your engagement session. This will determine almost everything else that will go into your engagement photos. From wardrobe to color scheme and mood, it hinges on where you decide to go. Consider picking a location that fits your personality. If you and your significant other are homebodies who love chilling, reading books, cooking at home, etc think about an at-home shoot. If you are more adventurous, go somewhere outside: beach, mountain, sand dunes, or a mixture of everything. You don't need to choose something completely on the nose but it helps if it describes who you are as a couple.
Another thing to take into consideration is the time of year. If you are wanting to have your engagement session in the middle of a flower field, fall to winter might not be the best time. With that depending on the time of year the sunrise and set will look different. If you want golden hour shots and are doing it in July, you could be out until 8:30-9 pm but if you're doing it in February, you might have to do it around 4:30 pm. Lighting can drastically change the mood and direction of the session so keep that in mind when planning.
Along with times of year and lighting, the weather will always be a factor. Even if it is the middle of summer, there could be a freak rainstorm. Make sure to check the weather leading up to the day, pack umbrellas, a change of shoes, jackets, etc just in case. However, don't get upset if bad weather comes out of nowhere, embrace it! Use it as a chance to get some great dramatic yet romantic photos. Our friends at Dina Chmut Photography were doing an engagement shoot when out of nowhere, it started snowing. The couple were troopers and didn't let it stop them from having an amazing time. It ended up being a welcomed surprise as the results were pure MAGIC!
How to Pick Your Outfit
The next most important thing to take into consideration is your outfit. First and foremost, wear something you feel confident and comfortable in! The last thing you want is to feel uncomfortable and awkward in what you're wearing.
Think about the colors that appear in your location. Say you're going to the desert, there will be lots of warm neutrals and some blue and green accents. Consider wearing warm browns, creams, oranges, etc maybe with pops of blue and green. We also suggest wearing something similar but not matching your partner. You want to compliment each other without looking look twins; let your personalities shine through! Trendy clothes are great but in a couple of years, you might look back and be disappointed. The classics never go out of style however if you're set on that one specific look/trend, you do you!
We are all about simple colors but don't be afraid of bold accent colors. Along with that, play around with fabrics and patterns! Whether you choose a satin, corduroy, houndstooth, or floral, have some fun with it. We also recommend sticking to 1-2 outfits. Don't get us wrong, we love a good outfit change but you don't want to spend your whole time changing between different looks.
As we mentioned with locations, be mindful of the weather. If it looks like it is going to be cold, rainy, etc bring a change of casual clothes. Layer up, and bring a rain jacket, an umbrella, or walking shoes. Sometimes the actual location of the photo shoot is a bit of a hike and we don't want you to ruin your outfit on the way there.
A couple of days before the shoot, test drive your outfit. Go on a date night with your person, and see how you feel after a couple of hours. Maybe it wrinkles easily or stretches out in a weird way that you weren't expecting. This gives you some time to find something else just on the off chance, it's not the way you remembered it in the dressing room. The final thing we recommend when it comes to outfits is to de-wrinkle! We want you to look your best and a clean, pressed outfit will go a long way.
Other Tips and Tricks
Now that we've gone through locations and outfits, let's chat about all the other tips and tricks we want to share. First off, make a day out of your engagement shoot day! If you're planning on having your engagement photoshoot towards the evening, get brunch or something leading up to it. It will feel more special if you guys make a date day out of it. If you are starting to feel awkward in front of your photographer, just look at your partner. They are your rock and when you get nervous, just remind yourself of that.
As there will be many close-up ring shots, we highly recommend getting a manicure. Pamper yourself with some nice nails and a good hand massage. This day is also a great time to test out your hair and makeup for your wedding. If you don't feel comfortable doing it yourself or you want to kill two birds with one stone, use it as a trial run.
If you're not sure where to go, what to do, or anything else, rely on the expertise of your engagement photographer. They are the experts for a reason, lean on them! They have done so many that they will have seen all the pros and cons of locations, times of day, and the works.
This brings us to our final two tips: bring props and pack a to-go kit. Whether it's a picnic basket and charcuterie board, fire and blanket, smoke bombs, confetti, surfboards, etc, it's always a fun addition and gives you something to do. If you are worried that you're not going to know what to do with your hands or might get too in your head, props (ones that you'll actually use) will help you to relax and just feel the moment. We love some good candid moments so props help in facilitating those. Our last tip is to pack a to-go kit. Fill it with snacks, water, a small makeup kit, blotting pads, comfortable shoes, a lint roller, bandaids, bobby pins, hairspray, and a small sewing kit (double-stick tape, safety pins, etc). On the off chance that something happens, we want you to be prepared! It may get hot, you might have to walk a bit, or something may rip. You never know but now you won't have to worry!
We hope these tips help! The biggest thing to take away is to feel comfortable and let your personalities shine through. Above everything, though, HAVE FUN! It's a day to celebrate you and your soon-to-be so have an amazing time and enjoy the experience! If this blog has helped, share it with your friends, pin it to Pinterest, and check out our other tip blogs here.