Engaged
Your engagement session is all about YOU, and we will plan a session based on your personalities.
These are probably the only professional photos you will have for many years (outside of the ones we take on your wedding day). They’re a great way to create beautiful content for your wedding website and Save the Dates, and also a wonderful opportunity for you and your partner to get comfortable with your photographer.
This really depends on how you plan to use your engagement photos. If you’re planning to feature them on your Save the Date cards or your wedding website, then the sooner the better. If not, then consider planning them based on the season and weather. Hate to sweat? Then wait for the winter! Love the beach and want to wear a sundress? Let’s shoot for summer! Regardless of when you choose to take your photos, we recommend going ahead and scheduling them with your photographer as soon as possible, even if the session date is several months away. During our peak seasons, we often book every single evening and you will be more likely to get your chosen day if you plan in advance.
There are so many wonderful options available for your engagement session. Downtown, the beach, a park - take a scroll through our portfolio and see which type of engagement session appeals to you. Most of our clients let us know a general “feel” they want (for example, “something green and garden-like,” “something urban and city,” or “beachy!”). We can then work with you to suggest a location that matches your style, is in season, and is convenient for you. If you want something really unique, then think about places that are meaningful to you - we have photographed engagement sessions in breweries, bedrooms, amusement parks, horse farms, cocktail lounges, private backyards, and more!
First and foremost, wear something that makes you feel amazing; your confidence and comfort will shine through in your photos. If you love dressing up, then consider a cocktail dress paired with a tailored suit. If you’re super casual, then maybe cut-off jean shorts and sandals. In general, softer colors photograph better than bolder colors, and solids are preferable to patterns. We also recommend choosing outfits that complement each other without “matching.”
Absolutely. Let your photographer know that you are interested in two looks, and we will work with you to schedule your session with the time for you to change. This is a great way to get two, totally different looks in a single session.
What to Expect
We know you probably don’t have professional photo shoots every week, and we are here to answer your questions and guide you through the process. While every couple and session is different, there are many general guidelines that seem to apply to almost every engagement session we photograph.
Engagement sessions generally last one to two hours, depending on how many locations and outfits you choose to incorporate.
Once we determine a location, we will suggest a start time that allows us to maximize the light so we can take advantage of the locations you choose! In general, the most flattering light is just after sunrise, and just before sunset. Most of our clients opt for the sunset option (after all, who wants to start a session at 5:30am?), and we generally start anywhere from one to three hours prior to sunset, depending on your choice of location. If your schedules require that you do your session in the middle of the day, then we can certainly suggest locations that are beautiful at that time.
You will receive your finished images about two weeks after your session. If you are in a time crunch and need them faster, let us know!
Every session is different and this depends on how many different locations and outfits you select. In general, you can expect 50-75 finished images from your engagement session.
We schedule engagement sessions on weekdays only - on weekends, we are busy photographing wedding celebrations! For clients traveling from out of town, we recommend Friday evenings or Monday mornings, to take advantage of a three-day weekend. For local clients unable to take an afternoon off from work, we suggest scheduling during the summer, when sunset is late and sessions often won’t begin until 6 or 7pm.
Seriously. NO ONE has taken engagement photos before, and I promise that you aren’t the “least photogenic person ever” (no matter how much you insist this is true). Our entire team is relaxed and friendly and we will make it an enjoyable experience for you in addition to creating gorgeous photos - we promise.
Yes, most of our clients do opt to include an engagement session. It’s a great opportunity to get comfortable in front of the camera, and to get to know your photographer a little bit better before your wedding day.
Almost all of our clients arrive nervous and anxious and awkward, and yet our portfolio is full of gorgeous images of happy, relaxed couples. This isn’t a coincidence! We intentionally structure our session flow to help make you increasingly comfortable, and often our clients leave the session with a big smile, saying, “That was actually pretty fun!” All of our photographers are comfortable giving detailed posing instructions, so you don’t need to worry about anything at all - we’ve got you covered!
Absolutely! Whether you are a two-hour drive, or a four-hour flight, we can come to you. Let us know when you book and we can give you a custom travel quote.
If you have chosen to include an engagement film in your collection (which you definitely won’t regret because they are beautiful!), then your filmmaker AND your photographer will be a part of your engagement session - no need to schedule two different sessions. With video, we like to allow an extra 30 minutes or so to make sure we have plenty of time.
Aislinn talks about when to schedule these, what to wear, and where to go!
