The Importance of an Engagement Session - Southern Illinois Wedding Photographer

Now that you have picked a date, a photographer and probably venue as well, you can celebrate!  Those are some of the toughest decisions in wedding planning and you can cross them off of your list! HOORAY!! Now on to the fun stuff.... like your engagement session.  I truly believe that they are a VITAL part of the entire process.  During your engagement session you’ll have the chance to get to know me, experience how I shoot and how I handle posing and lighting.  This session will make a HUGE impact  on how the wedding day flows.  I’ll arrive on your wedding day already knowing how you two interact, what your best poses are and how to photograph you in a genius way!  What I will learn about you during your engagement session is invaluable.  You will feel like such a pro on your big day because of the great practice you had during your engagement session and that’s how it should be.

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Your engagement session can be scheduled anytime before your wedding day.  I normally suggest booking at least 3-6 months in advance to avoid stress.  If you are planning to send out save the date cards, you may want to consider scheduling at the 7-8 months in advance to get those out on time.  Because my weekends are filled with weddings, I shoot engagements on weekday evenings, normally from 5-7pm depending on the light and the time of year.  In the winter months, 3-5pm is a normal time frame for a shoot.  As you start to plan for your engagement shoot, you will need to start brainstorming about some location ideas.  I LOVE it when couples pick a location that is special or sentimental to them in some way.  If you can’t think of anywhere specific that you would like to shoot, I can help you decide on a location.  As long as the light is great, I can make ANY location look awesome.  I shoot on farms, campuses, and downtown alleyways.  The more creative, the better!  Be sure to keep reading to find out more about outfit ideas and inspiration.

TIPS!!!

- Don’t try to MATCH....try to pick putfits and accesories that coordinate instead.  If everyone wore the same exact color at their engagement shoot, how boring would thos images be?

- Don’t be affraid to be BOLD!  Accesorize and make your outfits your own.  Scarves, bold necklaces and fun shoes are always welcome.  

- MOST PATTERNS are actually ok...however, graphics are not favorable for portraits.  If you’re wearing a pattern, make sure it’s not overwhleming and distracting.

- Be sure to check out my pinterest board  for more outfit inspirations if you’re having trouble. 

- Clean the ring! I love to shoot a few ring shots while you change outfits.  The cleaner the better.

- Most often, couples like to have one casual, everyday outfit and then one outfit that is dressier.  This will give your shoot two totally different “looks”.  I recommend beginning with the dressy outfit first.

- Make sure you’re comfortable in what you’re wearing.  And ladies, if the top is super low cut, that will limit the amount of angles I can shoot from.

- 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.

- RELAX!! You don’t have to be a pro at this.  I am going to help you.  I will coach you along to get the best poses that compliment you and your personalities.