Everything You Need to Know for Your Engagement Session!

Journal and Imagery by Florida Wedding Photographers Popping Champaign Photography.

Congratulations on your engagement! This is an exciting time for you and your partner, and you're probably looking forward to your engagement session as an opportunity to capture some beautiful photos and memories of this special time in your lives. Scroll down to hear 7 things you should know to make the most of your engagement session.

7 Tips for Planning Your Engagement Celebration:

1. This is for YOU!

Every couple is unique and brings their own special sparkle to the table, and we wouldn't it any other way! This time is to document this special time in your lives and in your love story, and we are here to celebrate You! Take the time to think about what would best reflect you or your love story and we will be your creative director to help put the pieces together and set the perfect scene!

2. Practice Makes Perfect

Booking an engagement session before your wedding day is such a good call! We’ll be spending a lot of time together on your wedding day, so choosing to do this session beforehand gives us a chance to get to know each other before your big day and is also the perfect opportunity for you to practice getting comfortable in front of the camera. This will ease the nerves of the big day and get you amazing images to document this beautiful time in your lives!

3. Pick the Perfect Place

One of the best ways to make your engagement session special is to choose a location that is meaningful to you and your partner. Maybe it's the park where you had your first date, or the beach where you go on vacation every year. By choosing a location that has personal significance, you'll feel more comfortable and relaxed, which will come through in your photos.

4. Pick the Perfect Time

If we’re shooting outdoors, we almost always set the time to being during Golden Hour because this is the most magical lighting! It is going to occur closest to sunrise or sunset as that is when you'll get the most beautiful hues in the sky, and the most romantic vibes! Keep in mind, we're not one for hard and fast rules for anything, so if you have your heart set on something, let's talk about it!

5. What to Wear

It's important to coordinate your outfits with your partner for your engagement session. You don't have to match exactly, but you should aim for a cohesive look that fits with your chosen location and style. Think about the colors and patterns that will work well together, and consider bringing a change of clothes if you want to have some variety in your photos. If you would like more guidance, here are a few more helpful tips:

• What we LOVE to see:
• Something that’ll keep you cool in almost all of Florida's warm months or bring something extra warm and snuggley on our few winter days!
• Textured, sheer, or billowy fabrics that flow turn out so beautifully in photographs because they capture snapshots of movement!
• Complementary outfits that showcase a controlled variety of textures and colors so you can look good together without looking the same.
• We can discuss color palettes that will help you stand out beautifully against your environment if we believe they may be a factor.

• What to avoid:
• Starchy, stiff-seeming garments that get crumpled in weird spots and need constant adjusting.
• Clothes that may be too tight or restricting, or are fabrics that just rub you the wrong way. If you are feeling uncomfortable in your clothes, there is a chance that it may show in your facial expressions and we want you to both look and be happy, comfortable, and in love!
• Matching to keep from blending together into one monochromatic shape.
• Prints, logos, and bold & bright colors as these can often detract from the most important parts of the photograph – you!

6. Hair and Makeup

If you feel like getting a little glammed up, why not get your hair, makeup, and nails done?! We definitely recommend considering this time to schedule your hair, makeup, or even a trial run for your nails. This will give you a chance to see how your hair and makeup will look in photos, and make any necessary adjustments before your wedding day. Just remember, there is nothing wrong with having your hair down, blowing in the wind. In fact, it can actually look more in place at national parks or beaches, and we love the motion that is captured when your hair is swaying!

7. Extra Details to Consider

We've discussed picking the perfect place and time, what to wear, and how to get into the right headspace... But there has to be more!?!

There is. Here are a few last details to consider!

• Get your ring cleaned beforehand! We're going to get some great, up-close images of your ring, so we want that beauty to SPARKLE!
• Try to avoid getting sunburnt or having intense tan lines. (I know, it's soo hard to do living in paradise!)
• Skip the spray tan! Spray tanning can often result in an unnatural, orange-looking complexion that is bolder in images than they do in person, so you will most likely look more orange than actually tan in your images.
• Consider your save-the-dates and wedding invites when planning! If you have a specific theme or color scheme in mind and you know you want to include your engagement photos on them, let's plan your session to complement them!
• If you have any sentimental items, such as your family's heirloom wine glasses, bring them along! We'd love to incorporate any important elements into your session.

Setting the Scene Before Your Session

Unless you're professional models or influencers, there’s a chance you might feel a little bit apprehensive about the idea of a camera following you around for a while. This is totally normal! Before your session, we recommend for you to make some time buffers around the day, so that you aren’t rushing from one thing to another, and to go out and treat yourselves to one of your favorite activities. This will set the tone for a fun session as all of those romantic vibes will be flowing! Remember to also allow yourself plenty of time for showers, grooming, and forgetting things. You will thank yourself latter!

What to Expect During Your Session

You can expect to have a wonderful time! An engagement session is a great excuse to have some proper quality time together, invest in your relationship, and be present for this uniquely special time in your lives. You are free to be you while we capture your love through our lens, and you can rest easy knowing that this is our passion, so we are going to keep you feeling natural and at ease during your engagement celebration.

What to Expect After Your Session

We'll send you some sneak peeks within 48 hours after your session, and the full gallery within 4 weeks through your own private online gallery! You’ll be able to create favorites lists, share online, or download your images for your Save the Dates or framed prints to decorate your home.

To Conclude...

Above all, your engagement session will be a fun and memorable experience that is a reflection of you two! Enjoy this special time with your partner while we capture the love and joy you share. This document is just to be used for guidance to make your session flows as easily as a freshly popped bottle of champagne! Now that you have reviewed our guide, there will be nothing else that you have to do other than show up, focus on your spouse, and try to feel as authentic and comfortable in front of the lens as you can while we make the magic happen!