As you start to plan and prepare for your engagement session you’ll start to realize just how much there is to think about. Where and when should we have our session? What should we wear? What does the day of look like? If you’re getting ready to plan your own engagement session, you’re in the right place! Here are my top 8 tips on how to prep for your own engagement session.
1. Trust Your Photographer
Trust is one of, if not the most important aspects of preparing for a successful engagement session. My clients book me for those sweet moments, the moments where you’re showing off your true selves, and your relationship in those images. Capturing you and your love exactly as it is requires a level of comfort and trust that I love to build with my clients. Trust the process, lean into every step of the experience and I promise you’ll be good to go for your engagement session. In addition, your photographer is an incredibly valuable resource, so use them to bounce ideas off of and help you plan your session. While this is likely your first engagement session
Preparing for Your Engagement Session
2. Decide on a Location
Location is a huge part of planning your engagement session, and we want your engagement session to not only look good but also provide a great experience for your session. If you really want to have a one-of-a-kind engagement session with photos you’ll love looking back on, choose a location that reflects your relationship and what you enjoy as a couple. Think of the things you love doing, whether it’s hiking, exploring the streets of Denver, or hanging out at your favorite brewery, and let’s plan and prepare for your engagement session built around that. And if you really like to be adventurous and want to try somewhere new I can help you plan a location that’s both new while still feeling like you.
3. Choose a Time
When it comes to choosing the best time for your engagement session it depends heavily on your location of choice. If you’re looking to have your session in a more popular location, avoiding the busiest times is incredibly important for your session. Not only is having others in your photos much less likely, but you’ll also have a much more intimate experience for your session. In terms of lighting, the best times of day are early morning or later in the afternoon are ideal. And if you do plan to have your session in a more popular destination, weekdays are typically less busy for these locations. As you prepare for your engagement session, discuss your plans with your photographer for their input on your plans for when and where to have your session.
4. Choose and Prep Your Outfit
Once you have a time and location nailed down the next step in preparing for your engagement session is to pick out your outfit. Choose something that actually reflects your personality and something that makes you feel as good as you look! Be sure you either buy the right bra for your outfit where your straps won’t show, or you choose an outfit that doesn’t show your bra straps at all. Once you have an outfit in mind be sure to try it on and make sure you like how you look in it from all angles. Lastly, if you have new shoes for your session be sure to break them in prior to the day of your session. We will be doing a lot of walking and moving around so make sure you’re comfortable.
5. Pamper Yourselves
In the weeks leading up to your engagement session, it is so important for you to take care of and pamper yourselves. Not only will it help you to make sure you look exactly how you want for your session, but you’ll also be feeling your best which is huge for your photos. Get your nails done the week of, but be sure to have your hair cut and or colored, and your beard/mustache trimmed how you want it about a week or two before your session. Accidents happen, and the last thing you want is to show up to your engagement session with your hair color off a bit or crooked bangs. Looking and feeling your best for your engagement session is the best way to prepare for a successful session.
6. Take the Day Off
One of the biggest tips I have as you prepare for your engagement session is to take the day of your session off from work and other responsibilities you have. Remember that stress shows. If you’re thinking about work, whether you were there before your session or have some to do after, it’s going to be distracting you from your session. Your engagement session is a celebration of this exciting part of your lives together, so relax the day of and plan a day you both can look forward to!
7. During Your Session
Once your session starts you’re going to want to be present and engaged with your partner. Engagement sessions are so much fun, and celebrating the love you two share for one another is such a beautiful experience. Try to be loose and enjoy yourself with your partner, the beautiful moments will happen naturally then so leave it up to me to capture those. Holding poses is not something I’ll have my couples do as the moments where you’re having fun and loving each other are where the magic is.
Pro Tip: I recommend putting your phone away an hour before your session starts. Take the screen time away, put on your favorite playlist in the car, and daydream about your session and your future together to get yourselves psyched for the session!
8. Plan Something for After Your Session
Once your session is over it’s time to celebrate! When planning and preparing for your engagement session, set aside some time afterward, whether it’s lunch or a date night, and spend some quality time together. Having something to look forward to after your session is over really keeps the energy high throughout your session. Plus it’s so fun to talk about the session immediately afterward get excited to see your final photos!
As you can see there’s a LOT that goes into planning and preparing for an engagement session, I wrote a whole article on planning a Denver winter engagement session alone. You’re not alone in this though. Talk through these 8 points with your partner and your photographer so you have the perfect plan in place for your session. Speaking of your photographer, if you still need one for your session I’d love to work with you. Head to my contact page and let’s get to planning.
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