One of my favorite things to do with all of my couples is photograph their engagement session. It’s my favorite form of third-wheeling (I should include that in my bio: professional third-wheeler! haha), and it’s a great opportunity for me to get to know my couples. There are lots of other reasons why I always include an engagement session with my packages, and if you’re curious why, you can read about it here!

Anywho, while I send all of my couples a guide to help them prepare for their engagement session, I thought I would share my top 10 tips for prepping for your engagement session with all of you!

1. Don’t try to MATCH… instead try to pick outfits and accessories that coordinate. If couples wore the same exact color at their engagement session, how boring would those images be?
2. Don’t be afraid to be BOLD! Accessorize and make your out to reflect your personality! Scarves, bold necklaces and fun shoes are encouraged! As always, I’m a big fan of color! Also, bringing a prop with your wedding date is a fun way to personalize your session!
3. Most patterns are actually ok… however, graphics are not favorable for portraits. If you’re wearing a pattern, make sure it’s not overwhelming or distracting. Also, try to avoid extremely small patterns if you can!
4. Empty your pockets! Literally. You don’t want to have key chains or phones showing through your pockets. (This is for the guys especially!)
5. Clean the ring! I love to take a few rings shots while you change outfits! The cleaner, the better!
6. Most often, couples like to wear one casual, everyday outfit and then one dressier outfit! This will give your shoot two totally different “looks.” I recommend beginning with the dressy outfit first!
7. Make sure you’re comfortable in what you’re wearing. And ladies, a super low-cut top will limit the number of angles I can shoot from.
8. Be mindful of what undergarments you wear – bra straps can be distracting and are difficult to edit out.
9. Be on time! The sun is only out for so long! The later you arrive, the less time we have to shoot, and nobody wants that! I usually start all of my sessions about 2 hours before sunset. Once the sun is gone, it’s gone!
10. RELAX! You don’t have to be a pro at this! I’m going to help you along the way and it’s going to be a blast! Enjoy this time together, and make a date out of it! Plan dinner afterwards or get ice cream and celebrate!!

Alright, those are my top 10 tips for preparing for your engagement session. Don’t have one planned? I highly recommend it (here’s why!) and encourage you to reach out to your wedding photographer to get one scheduled. I promise you won’t regret it!