Engagement Sessions! Two words that can bring on a sudden surge of excitement and overwhelming anxiety at the same time. The engagement session basically is transcending into the ‘OH MY GOODNESS, THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING’ mode. You’re excited, you’re happy and you can’t wait to spend the afternoon taking photos with the love of your life.
And then you realize you have no idea what to do, what to wear, how to stand, what to bring…
For some folks, the engagement session can quickly turn into a stress session. And it’s not unnatural to be nervous about it. I mean it’s not like we do this every other week. But we want our couples to be nervous about the shoot for the right reasons. We want to ease the anxiety concerning other factors leading right to the shoot so when the day comes, you are set to have the most spectacular shoot ever!
So what do you do? Well for one, watch the video below.
So that is it! Four simple things to do:
1. Right Location – Choose a place that instantly makes you relax. Ever hear people refer to their ‘happy place?’ You know the place the minute they get to it makes them instantly alive and happy – bring us to your happy place. Whether that place be your favorite park, vineyard or your home…bring us! Try not to mentally critique it in your mind and wonder what will we find to photograph with you there. Just lead us to it and we are confident we will find everything in it we need.
2. Right Clothing – Select clothing that both of you like, and that make you feel comfortable wearing. You will be moving quite a bit in those clothes, so make sure you are not constricted or constantly having to adjust your attire. Choose silhouettes you’ve worn before and you’re going to feel good in. In regards to colors, you can add accents of color from each others outfits so that you compliment one another without being too ‘matchy-matchy.’ One last quick tip is to schedule your bridal makeup trial the day of the shoot!
3. Right Time – Stick to a season that you love. Shy away from times of the year that are extremes for you in terms of weather – too hot or too cold. Besides causing perspiration, excessive heat can quickly kill energy and you might become fatigued midway through the shoot. On the other hand, being too cold means red noses, ears and the inability to move around easily. So pick a time of the year that again you will be comfortable in.
4. Let It ALL Go – The day before the shoot, get a good nights’ rest. Resist the last minute urge to go shopping for the outfits, browse Pinterest for ideas, or visit the location of the shoot. Focus your energy on doing something for yourself to help you relax and be restful. Come day of, let is all go! Don’t worry about your outfits, the wind, your pets no cooperating – we will take care of it. Give yourself seven minutes of awkwardness and then after those first seven minutes, stop thinking about it all. Enjoy the location, tell us about your week at home/work, take some deep breaths of air and let’s just have a good time.
The engagement shoot is a prelude to all of the excitement that is coming leading to the wedding day. Be prepared to enjoy every moment of it as much as all other special days on the way. We hope these four tips can help anyone out there who is completely lost in regards to planning their engagement shoot. And if you have other tips or questions, we’d love to hear about it. Join the conversation!
