mattnnat

What should we bring? This question accompanies nearly every conversation we have about an upcoming engagement session. So, we thought we’d take the time to share with you a few tips on how to prepare for your engagement session.

The biggest thing we want you to remember from your engagement session is that you had fun! It’s a great time to get to know us as your photographers, to see how we work and for us to see who you are as a couple. We LOVE engagement sessions and getting to know our couples before the wedding day, so our goal is to help you have as much fun as we are. After all, the best way not to have cheesy smiles is to smile for real.

Here are some practical things you can do to prepare:

1. Clothing – you want it to match who you are. If you’re a jeans and t-shirts kind of girl, make sure you bring at least one outfit that’s jeans and a t-shirt! On the other hand this is a great time to dress up as a couple and look you’re best. You want to compliment each other, but personally I would avoid perfectly matching outfits (ie. jeans & white t-shirts). I would also avoid loud patterns (big stripes, flowers, crazy patterns) as they tend to draw the focus to your shirt rather than the emotion in the picture. We encourage all of our couples to bring at least 2 different outfits and often times they come with choices.

A couple of examples of outfits complimenting each other.

2. Makeup – YES! Even if you don’t normally wear makeup, I would at least wear some foundation and mascara. The camera picks up even the smallest blemish and although Matt works magic with photoshop, we want your images to show who you are as naturally as possible. If you are getting your makeup done for your wedding day, your engagement session might be a good time to have your trial done. Bring along some makeup to touch up between changes and locations.

3. Hair – This is a great opportunity to get your hair done professionally. It will truly show in the pictures! However it is completely up to you if you want to get your hair done or if you want it to look like it does in your day to day life. We do deal with weather and wind, so thinking about your hair is important. The only thing we suggest is to make sure it’s brushed, clean and that you bring along a hairbrush, hairspray etc. in case you need to fix anything along the way.

4. Accessorize – We love it when you’ve put a little extra time into the details. Of course the main attraction will be your engagement ring, but don’t forget about the shoes (ok, I love shoes and think they are important in any circumstance), other jewelry, watches, purses, hats etc. Really this is your time to shine, to show your personality and maybe even buy something new :) And not that this is an accessory, but you may want to get a manicure/pedicure since we will be getting shots of your rings and shoes.

These patterns are pretty loud, but work so well for this couple! If you have any questions or doubts about your outfits we’re here to help.

5. Rest – We’ve been talking about what we can do to look our best and I think this is the most important part. You want to be rested and relaxed. Get plenty of sleep and drink plenty of water, your body needs it!

6. Location – The possibilities are endless. Really they are! The place you first met, or where you were engaged. A beautiful park, the city, a random field. Sometimes you will know right away where you want to go, but if you don’t we can help you choose the perfect place. Often we will do two locations that are close together. Once the location and date are picked for the session, we will let you know what time of the day is best, usually in the late afternoon. Props can also add to the location if you so wish to add something more to your session. A classic car, fun chairs, balloons, ice cream… the possibilities are endless!

7. Practice – Practice smiling and practice posing. Yes, we guide you during the session, how to stand or if a piece of hair has fallen out of place, but you know better than anyone when the expression or movement is natural. We talk to you throughout the shoot, Matt cracks jokes and we grab those moments that are real. Practicing just helps you feel more confident and prepared. Also practicing posing. Yes, posing. Even though our photography style is natural, there is still some art to the way you stand, lean, kiss etc. Knowing what you are comfortable with will make the session that much more enjoyable. (hint, you don’t have to look into the camera for every shot)

8. Don’t Stress – this is a fun time! We seriously love getting to know our couples during these sessions and always have a great time. Even if you feel completely unprepared, we don’t and we’ll help you have the time of your life! You probably won’t even realize you’re being photographed ;)