I LOVE engagement sessions. They’re such a fun way to connect and build relationships with new clients, and you have the opportunity to strut your stuff for my camera without the usual demands and pressures of a wedding day schedule. You can wear what you want, bring what you want, go where you want and spend as much time snuggling, laughing and enjoying each other as you want! I often receive emails from my brides asking questions such as what to wear, what to do and what to expect. With these questions in mind, I wrote the following suggestions to help all of my wonderful couples!
1. Wear outfits that make you feel sassy and fabulous and beautiful (or handsome, as the case may be)! Dress in your best. I’m not talking about your suit and tie or Sunday best. I want you to wear clothes that make you feel confident and comfortable. As you may have noticed, I am a fan of bright, bold colors, so don’t be afraid to clothe yourself in color! A flattering dress with a pair of killer heels or a fitted sweater with your favorite pair of jeans is usually a great choice for the ladies, and a complementary button down, pair of slacks, or graphic T and casual blue jeans is a great fit for the guys.
Don’t forget accessories! Bring your favorite sweater, belt, headband, necklace, set of earrings or stunning pair of high heels and get ready to show them off!
2. Get ready to snuggle, snuggle, snuggle! During your session, I will give you enough direction that you don’t feel awkward (“What do I do with my hands?”) but not so much that you feel rigidly posed. Many times, I will just tell you to snuggle and kiss and be cute. I want you to be yourselves! Your goofy, smiley, tender, expressive selves. So guys, wrap your arms around your girl and show her she’s the only one you want to hold. Girls nuzzle in close and show your man he’s the only one that makes you melt inside. Or if fun is more your style, guys feel free to grab yourself a handful of your girl’s booty and let me capture the ensuing look of shock and the belly-aching laughter. I like those photos, too!
3. Bring something that you love. Incorporating props into your engagement photos seems to be the “in thing” to do these days, and while I prefer timeless to trendy, it’s always fun to incorporate something into your session that shows off your personalities! Are you a closet singer/songwriter? Bring your guitar with you. Do you love to fish? I want to see your wellies and your fishing pole! Are you a champion calf roper? Avid dog lover? Twilight reader? Scrapbooker? Don’t be shy. I want to capture you in a way that’s true to life, whether you spend your time with your nose in a book or exploring the great outdoors, I want your photos to show off your talents, tricks and triumphs, so bring something you love!
4. Be prepared to be fierce. And goofy. And fiercely goofy. Laughter is by far my FAVORITE expression to capture. There’s something about the glimmer it puts in your eye and the smile it puts on your face that you just can’t fake. With that said, I find that that pictures that begin with a little spice tend to end in sweet laughter. If you’re anything like me, the process of trying to look fierce may just spin you into a fit of giggles. Whether you’re a trained stunner with a wicked “blue steel” expression or a giggle box who can’t make a straight face, I want you to have fun. Strut your stuff. Play along. Tap into your inner supermodel. Realize that your love and your connection to each other make you even more beautiful, and own it!
5. Trust me! Remember, you hired me because you connect with my style! So whether I ask you to lay on the ground, snuggle by a dumpster, stand on a pile of old bricks or put your faces so close together that your fiance looks like a cyclops, trust that it is because it will make your pictures awesome in some way or another. For me, engagement sessions are like mini-adventures with new friends. I have so much fun exploring new locations, trying out new poses and in general doing whatever I can to make you guys look flawless, and I want you to trust me. Your pictures will be awesome!
These just make me happy.