Preparing for Your Engagement Session

Woo hoo! You have booked your engagement session but now what? I know there are a million questions going through your head and probably a decent amount of nerves regarding getting your picture taken. But don’t fret! I’m here to help you feel prepared and make you comfortable during your session. Here’s a few things to get your started:

What to Wear

I’m a huge fan of movement in my images. That being said, l recommend at least one flowy dress that we can play with. Find something that is complimentary to your body type but that has a longer loose skirt that we can get moving. For your partner, they should dress in colors that are complimentary to that dress, but not too matchy matchy.

If you’d like to do a second outfit, you can either choose to go more casual (think jeans and a cute top) or you can choose another dress. If your locations include water and you are open to getting your dress wet, plan on having something you can change into easily (usually changing in the car or woods is involved haha.) A second outfit for your partner can be completely different or as simple as a shirt change. I also have couples where only one person changes.

If dresses aren’t your style, that is totally fine! This is session should be authentic to you, so don’t feel like you have to conform to my portfolio. I’m also open to themed sessions, making them feel more boho, urban, or stylistic in some way. Hit me with your ideas!

Colors: Because Vermont is so green and colorful, I generally recommend staying away from anything super stark white, especially men’s dress shirts. I find white (or white with plaid) dress shirts are extremely reflective and tend to overpower the image with brightness.

Winter: If wearing a dress pick a bright color that will pop against the snow. Wear a base layer on your legs and snow boots, and bring a big jacket and gloves to wear when we aren’t shooting. For your second outfit I recommend more traditional winter gear (beanie, sweater/jacket, jeans, etc.)

 

Hair & Make Up

Ultimately, whether you choose to get professional hair and make up done is totally up to you. The reason I like it is because it’s one less thing for you to stress about and when looking back at your images there is a less of a chance you are upset with how either of those look. Whether you choose to have it professionally done or do it yourself, I love hair down for the movement of it. Make up should be natural or a tad more than normal to bring out your eyes.

Locations

Vermont has no shortage of beautiful locations! First, consider if there is a location that means something to you or carries some importance. I love to include anything that is especially meaningful whether it be the hike where you got engaged or the cafe that you had your first date. Second, consider what type of landscape you’d like to include. Mountain views, rivers or lakes, rustic barns, covered bridges, an intimate indoor setting, or an urban feel are some considerations. Another factor to take into consideration is season. My winter locations are often different spots than what I will recommend for Summer or Fall.

Other Notes

I know that getting your picture taken is stressful! I find it is especially common for men to be hesitant about getting their photo taken. That’s totally normal! I’ve never had anyone show up to their session with 100% confidence (more often with 0% confidence.) Just know that the more fun you can have with your partner during the session, the better the pictures will come out. So think of it more as an accompanied date than a photo session.

Generally there will be a warming up phase in the beginning where you become comfortable with me and my camera. If you are nervous you may consider having a drink prior to your session to help loosen you up. Don’t take this overboard, you don’t want to show up to your session drunk (those pictures might not turn out that great haha.)

I usually do engagement sessions before sunset, which is often dinner time. Make sure to eat something beforehand and/or bring snacks. We don’t want hangry engagement photos. 🙂

Do you have a great and unique idea for your session? I want to hear it! Here are also some engagement session ideas that I have not done yet and would LOVE to do:

• Mountaintop sunset (would involve hiking up before sunset and hiking down after sunset with headlamps)
• Indoor intimate session
• Canoe session
• Fair grounds

Click here to see more engagement images or visit me on Instagram.