Hi There! I am Krista and I am a wedding photographer. I am also married so I know how stressful it can be when planning a wedding or trying to navigate the journey to your big day.
CONGRATULATIONS on your ENGAGEMENT! What an exciting time in life. I think one of the best parts of being engaged is the anticipation of the wedding day! It can be anything you want it to be. You can have a destination wedding, a farm wedding, a traditional church wedding, or a cityscape roof wedding. The possibilities are wide open.
The good news is, if you are reading this you have probably already chosen one of the most important parts of the wedding, the photographer. If you haven't yet, that's okay too. Here is some advice. Pick a photography that you like and trust. Pick someone that has a style, feel, and vibe that speaks to you. Photography in an artistic profession and each photographer has a distinct style. Look through the photographer's gallery and make sure their style matches the vision you have for your day. It is never a good idea to hire a photographer and ask them to change their style to match your vision. You will both wind up frustrated and disappointed.
If you have already chosen your photographer, that is awesome! I am super pumped for you and I hope you chose me :). I kid...kind of. No really, that is great but WHAT NOW? How do you prepare for the next step with is the engagement session.
WELL, you are in the right place. Here are a few tips to get you started.
1) Start thinking about locations for you engagement session. Are there any sentimental places that have a special meaning to you and your significant other. If you are not sure, your photographer can help. Photographers can literally take photos on the side of the road and make them look amazing!
2) Start planning outfit choices. I am sure you have scoured Pinterest and photographer's sites for ideas. Think about how you want your images to look and how you want them to look in relation to the locations you chose? If you want a classy elegant vibe, make sure you choose clothing that reflects that vision such as a blazer for him and a tulle skirt or a chic dress for you. Avoid any and all wrinkled clothing! * Your photographer can edit a lot of things but wrinkles is not one of them!!
Go for 2 dressy looks and 1 more casual look. This will allow you to use the photos for different purposes and it will give you a variety of images.
3) Consider doing a hair and makeup dry run. Your engagement session is a great opportunity for you to do a dry run with hair and makeup. If you are hiring a stylist for your wedding day, having them do the hair and makeup for you engagement photos will allow you to see how it will look in portraits and it will give you a base point to make sure the stylists is a good fit for your big day!
4) What time of day do you want to take your photos? If your vision is of dreamy sunset photos, then 2 pm probably is not going to be the right time of day for you. Again, your photographer can help and they probably tend to shoot at a certain time of day to achieve the look and style you see in their portfolio.
5) Get your ring cleaned. You can take your rings to a local jewelry store or where you purchased them and they will typically clean them for you as a complimentary service. Or you can always purchase a ring cleaning kit from your local drug store. This is an easy way to make sure that your engagement ring is camera ready!
6) Relax! You've got this. I believe that all people are photogenic. Some people are just more comfortable in front of a camera than others. Your photographer will provide guidance and posing tips to make you look your best. Don't sweat the small stuff and enjoy the experience.
XOXO,
Krista