A Guide to Planning Your Engagement Session

Engagement sessions are more than just a photo shoot, they're one of the first major milestones on your wedding journey. This fun and low stress session is a great way to learn what it feels like to be in front a camera prior to your wedding day. It's also a fantastic opportunity to get to know one another while learning what types of photos and posing best suits your style. 

Read this guide now, and go over it again a week or so before your engagement session. Hopefully it offers some useful info to help you rock these photos!

PREPARING FOR YOUR SESSION


Properly preparing for an engagement session can help alleviate the nerves that accompany being photographed. 


For most couples this will be the first time they're ever photographed professionally, which can feel pretty daunting. It's also common for one member of the couple to be more excited for the engagement shoot than the other.

I'm often told by couples that they're awkward in front of the camera or they're not photogenic. I promise this isn't true, and I have all the tricks and tools to give you the confidence you need to feel great in front of a camera.


WHAT TO EXPECT


My engagement sessions are fun and relaxed. I try to avoid posing, while instead offering prompts that allow you and your partner to share organic moments together. That doesn't mean that I won't offer suggestions, ask you to move a hand or to look in a certain direction; it simply means that I won't micro manage your every move, resulting in photos that are more natural.

We'll spend our time together exploring and creating, which will provide you with a beautiful set of images that you can use for save the dates, guest books, or simply to have as a keepsake of this special time in your life.

Vibes & Themes


It can be a fun idea to go on Pinterest and make a board of the types of photos that appeal to you. Can you find a vibe or a theme?

Another way of doing this is to think about hobbies and interests that are important to you as a couple and incorporate that into your session.

Some theme ideas could include romantic European, retro, edgy urban, romantic urban, after dark, wildflowers, summer evenings, cottage core, etc..

Some activities you could lean into include a trip to the beach, playing guitar together, a picnic, picking apples, hiking, breakfast at home, swimming, having a camp fire, visiting your favourite brewery or coffee shop, a romantic boat ride, getting a tattoo together...please always feel free to get creative!

When couples come to me with a vision for their photos it really helps me be able to provide a curated gallery specific to you.


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SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION



01.   HAVE YOUR OUTFITS PLANNED WELL IN ADVANCE AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING FITS AS YOU'D LIKE IT TO.


You'll want to wear something that you feel both comfortable and confident in. Choose outfits that coordinate (without matching) and make sure you're going to be able to walk, sit, and maybe even lie down in the clothing you choose.

Make sure you wear practical footwear for the location. If you're super comfortable in heels and we'll be walking exclusively on flat surfaces then go for it! If you're wobble in heels, or if you've chosen an outdoor location where we'll be walking on grass, sand, rocks, etc.. then heels may not be the best choice. You could, however, bring along a pair of heels that you hold as you walk barefoot down the beach, for instance!

Feel free to bring two outfits, starting off with a casual outfit and then changing into something more formal (make sure to consider where you'll change if you're taking this approach).

Please also make sure to dress for the weather. If it's the middle of winter and you're out in a summer dress it's not only going to be uncomfortable for you, it's also going to look out of place. Likewise, if you've planned a cozy fall outfit and it ends up being 25C on the day of your session please consider a different outfit. It will absoluetly come through in your photos if you're feeling hot or cold.

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SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION



02.  DON'T PLAN YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION AT A TIME WHEN YOU'LL HAVE TO RUSH FROM WORK THROUGH HEAVY TRAFFIC.



If you have to rush to get to our session you'll arrive feeling flustered and stressed, which is absolutely not he vibe we're after! Plan to give yourself a little extra travel time, and arrive a few minutes early so that you can touch up your makeup, finalize your outfit and pull out the lint roller.



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SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION



03. HAVE YOUR HAIR AND MAKEUP DONE PROFESSIONALLY.


You're being photographed professionally, so why not have your hair and makeup done professionally as well? Many people use this day as an opportunity to have their hair and makeup trials done.

One thing to consider is what you'll want to do if the weather ends up being less than ideal on the date of our session. I'm happy to move foward under most weather conditions, but obviously a dark and rainy day will offer a very different set of photos versus a clear and sunny day. It's good to think about how you'll want to proceed (prioritizing weather, or prioritizing professional hair and makeup) as it's not often possible to reschedule your hair and makeup appointments last minute.

Please also make sure to leave ample buffer time between your hair/makeup appointment and the start of our session. Sometimes we're able to change the start time of our session to avoid rain, but only if you're available to do so. These appointments can also sometimes run longer than anticipated, and you don't want to be rushed.

A manicure (for both of you!) is always a great idea, too. Make a fun pre-engagement shoot date out of it!

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SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION



04.  Make a rain plan


Is a little bit a drizzle a romantic touch, or a deal breaker for you? Plan how you'll want to approach a rainy day, and remember to consider how that affects your hair and makeup appointments, too.

If the forecast is calling for rain or if it's exceptionally hot/cold we can definitely reschedule your session. I keep a date open every week for this reason, typically we're able to reschedule your session within the current or following week.

While I know everyone wants a beautiful sunny day with that classic golden hour, I'm not typically able to reschedule sessions because of overcast skies, wet grass, etc.. The logistics of optional rescheduling simply becomes too complicated during the busier seasons.


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SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION



05.   choosing a season

All seasons offer their own unique mood, as well as pros and cons. Spring and summer are warm and romantic, but bugs can be bad and sunset is also quite late. Fall is gorgeous, mild and sessions can happen earlier in the evening, however locations are typically busier and you do need to make sure you secure a date earlier in the year to avoid disappointment (October typically books right up). Winter is absolutely stunning and unique, but it is also cold.

Couples also sometimes prefer to choose a season other than that of their wedding, although I don't think this is especially important. Your engagement photos and wedding photos will be very different, regardless of the season, so I wouldn't let this weigh on your decision too much.


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SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION



06.   Choosing a location

Are you outdoorsy people or are you into a more urban vibe? The location you choose should reflect your relationship and who you are as a couple.

Whether you decide you want your session to take place outdoors, in the city or at your home, your engagement photos should reflect the love you feel for each other and what makes your relationship unique to the two of you.

Again, I don't feel that it's important to try to match the mood of your wedding/wedding venue (nor do I think it's important to try to choose a location/theme that's distinct from your wedding plans). Do whatever makes you happy!

Keep reading for tips and location ideas for outdoor and urban sessions below.


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SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION



07.   Don't bring anything extra.

We'll be taking a lot of photos in the moment, so try not to bring anything that you wouldn't want in your photos (bag, purse, coat, etc..). Please also make sure that your pockets are free of items like phones, keys and wallets. I'm always happy to carry a bag for you or put your purse in my camera bag while we shoot.

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SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION



08.   Consider accessorizing.

There are so many fantastic accessories that will elevate your photos and give you more variety in your final gallery.

  • Consider a bottle of champagne. Popping the bottle and sharing some bubbly will always make for some great engagement photo content.
  • Picking up a bouquet of flowers (even just something basic) for your session will add a ton of romance.
  • Clothing accessories such as a hat, jacket, scarf, a cozy blanket, etc.. adds a more diverse style to your gallery.
  • A box of pizza, ice cream, a couple of beers, a bottle of wine or even a bag of your favourite chips can be very fun in include in some photos!
  • If you have a special vehicle (motorcycle, vintage car, bikes, skateboards, etc..) please definitely consider including them as well.


Feel free to get creative! Anything from a guitar to balloons to a polaroid camera can really take your photos to the next level.


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SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION



09.   including your pup.


Many couples have a fur baby who is a very important member of their family, and you should definitely always feel free to bring them along to your session for a few photos!

I typically recommend planning to only include your dog for part of our session. Plan to either have a friend/family member come pick them up or bring someone along who can take your dog for a quick walk after we get the photos we need. The reason for this is that keeping an eye on your dog throughout our time together can be very distracting, and it's also not ideal to have a leash in your hand the whole time as it really limits our posing/prompt options.

You know your dog best - if you think they'll be able to hang out and be chill while we shoot then a handler may not be necessary. Consider their temperament if we end up running into another dog, cyclists, people/children...you'll definitely want to be calm and focused on our session, not worrying about the whereabouts and behaviour of your pup!

Please be sure to let me know ahead of time if you'll be including your dog in our session as many locations are, unfortunately, not dog friendly. I've literally had a dog kicked out of a session by bylaw before, so it's not worth the risk!