While wedding photography is crucial and something you want to get right, that doesn’t mean you need to ignore the milestone of getting engaged in the first place. Some people are fine with the casual photos taken by friends and family nearby or the video evidence that an engagement even happened. However, you should consider an engagement photoshoot to take advantage of the moment. I’m going to share some engagement photo tips to ensure you have the most comfortable and flawless engagement photoshoot. Let’s get started!

7 Engagement Photo Tips For The Perfect Engagement Session

There are 7 engagement photo tips that I think are downright essential for making the experience just perfect. 

Tip 1: Don’t Overthink the Outfit; Wear Something Comfortable

We have a tendency to overthink what we wear. This is especially true in situations where we know we will be photographed. But the last thing you want is to spend the entire photoshoot self-conscious about your clothes! Don’t just have one outfit, have multiple outfit options ready to go. They might all be killer, and we’ll find out as we take your photos if we want to change it up and do something new in a new style. Having options makes playing around easier. 

Wear something that you know you look amazing in and feel amazing in. Test it out in the real world. Wear it on a date night or some event where you can see how you feel throughout the day or night. This is how you will ensure it’s the right outfit for your photo shoot. My personal recommendation is something that compliments the environment but makes you stand out. So something more neutral, with a pop of color!

Tip 2: Prep The Outfit In Advance & The Night Before

Picking out the outfit is one part of the process. The next step is to prep it before the photo shoot the next day.

You want to ensure there are no stains or imperfections on your chosen outfit before steaming or ironing it ahead of time. This means rocking up to shoot in an outfit that looks as great as the happy couple. 

Tip 3: Maybe Get Some Professional Help On The Day

This is one of those engagement photo tips that’s entirely optional. If you believe you can get your hair and makeup done perfectly, the way you like, then don’t worry about it.

If going the extra mile sounds like fun to you, hire a pro. You can easily find a local hair and makeup artist to get you looking sensational on the day!

Tip 4: Make The Location Special

When you decide to do your engagement photo shoot, don’t settle for some random place. Somewhere beautiful is a must, but it’s always extra special if the location has some significance for the two of you. Try to incorporate things that are meaningful to you as a couple. For example, maybe your first date was at a movie theater, or you’ve got a favorite sports team or a favorite band. It’s about making it personal and about your history together.

Another one of our engagement photo tips that work with making the location memorable is to make a day of your engagement photo shoot. This means choosing sites that maybe aren’t nearby or are harder to get to, and turning the shoot into an adventure. For some ideas, take a look at a blog post I wrote about some great destination engagement photo locations! You’ll be able to see some of the best places across several states.

Tip 5: Schedule The Photoshoot Around The Weather, and The Sun

This is probably the best of all the engagement photo tips, and that’s to chase the golden hour. Having a sunset engagement photoshoot is guaranteed to make your photos look incredible. It adds that golden glow to your photos and gives off radiance and warmth.

Plan your photos not only around the sun but the weather in general. You don’t want to have it being too windy, dark, cloudy, or anything else that might ruin great photos.

Tip 6: Get a Professional Photographer!

These may not be your wedding photos, but they’re still important. You don’t want just anybody taking the photos. You need a professional photographer to help you. Being engaged isn’t the longest period you’ll have in your relationship. You were dating for a while, engaged for a little while, and hopefully married for a lifetime. Nevertheless, this is an important moment, and it’s worth celebrating!

This is one of those engagement photo tips that’s almost non-negotiable. To further build on one of our engagement photo tips, I recommend booking your engagement photos with your chosen wedding photographer. This means you are building a relationship from the start with someone who will be pivotal to your big day. 

Tip 7: Practice Before The Shoot 

This may sound ridiculous, but a little practice never hurt anybody. You want to have a feel for how you might react to getting professional photos taken. So you and your partner should basically do a test shoot with a friend or family member taking some photos. Work on some poses and see what might work well for you. Your chosen photographer will be an excellent guide on the day, but for your own sanity and comfort, get a bit of test work out the way to make sure you’re 100% ready. 

Pro-tip: when in doubt, kiss it out! That’s right, if you’re feeling a little shy, pretend the camera isn’t there and just act normal with your partner, which means planting a kiss here and there. 

Conclusion

There you have it! 7 engagement photo tips to get you started before you and your partner capture some incredible photos together to commemorate your engagement. This is a great opportunity to capture your love before the coming stressful months of planning a wedding. It’s also a great start to a relationship with your potential wedding photographer!

Speaking of photographers, let me introduce myself! Heyooo, to the happy couple, my name is McKenna, and I might just be the photographer you’ve been searching for. I’m a Nebraska gal who loves traveling and capturing people’s happiest moments in pictures. My approach to engagement photo shoots is to get the couple to fill out a questionnaire. I want to get to know you a bit better and get a feel for the relationship, like your favorite type of music, what kind of vibe you’re hoping to achieve in the session, and your love languages. 

If you want to know more about me, check out my portfolio! Once you’re ready, let’s chat about how I can help make your engagement photo shoot amazing. 

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