Engagement Session Planning Tips
WHY DO AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION
The engagement session is one of our favorite parts of our time together because it gives you both a chance to be in front of our cameras before you get married, which is going to make your wedding day experience feel so smooth, seamless and comfortable. Not only that, but we get to create something so special together. You’re going to be married for over fifty years, but you only get to be engaged for this short period of time. We’re so excited to capture the only time in your life when you get to be each other’s fiancés. We created this guide for you, and packed it with all our best secrets for getting the best out of your engagement experience, so let’s dive right in!
Selecting The Right Location
The location of your engagement session is up to you! Most of our couples want to showcase the natural beauty of the mid-west to give their out-of-town guests a fun preview of what to expect when they travel to your wedding. We especially love shooting in the beautiful fields and woods of Michigan or Indiana because it can feel so adventurous and the light is divine. If an urban look is more to your style, we have some amazing locations in a few of our favorite local towns, as well as downtown Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, or Detroit, that we can always explore together with fantastic results. There are also other great options around the state (such as the beaches of our Great Lakes or iconic locations like Pictured Rocks), and we’re always up for traveling and exploring a new spot together.
Destination Engagements
Your engagement session includes our travel time anywhere within 100 miles of Fort Wayne, IN. If you’d like to go somewhere outside of that area, we are SO up for the adventure! We love traveling and are actually on the road quite a bit. We do have a small travel rate to help cover the cost of our travel, but we’ve done sessions all over the country from coast to coast, and everywhere in between, so if we’re already going to be in or near an area you’ve always dreamed of doing your photos, and we can coordinate our schedules, let’s set it up. We’d love to make it work! Check out our travel page to see if we are coming to an area near you! If you’d like us to meet you in a destination outside of Michigan/Indiana for your engagement session where we don’t already have plans to visit, just let us know and we can get you a custom quote.
Go Pro: Hair + Makeup
Professional hair and makeup is on the top of most of our brides’ checklists because it looks amazing and removes the stress of getting ready on your own. Whether it’s lash extensions or blown-out hair, professional hair and makeup will give you an extra boost of confidence in front of the camera, and it always photographs like a dream. If you’re working with a makeup artist, have her apply your makeup in natural light, if possible, so that it looks fresh and not too heavy. Plus, that’s the type of light we’ll be shooting in, so it’ll give you the best expectation of how it will translate on camera. Most of our brides feel like their makeup is “too much” at first, since it’s more than you would wear on a normal day, so if you feel that way at the beginning, don’t worry! Good makeup artists know how to get it just right for the camera — and our brides always love the final result. If you need a recommendation for hair and makeup, we have a few favorites we can always recommend! They’re sweet as pie, talented as heck, unbelievable professionals and wonderful people. You’ll LOVE them! Just let us know and we’ll send you their information. We know they’ll take good care of you!
QUICK TIP: Confidence. It’s always the best accessory.
A Little Extra Polish: Don’t forget, your ring will be center stage, so give yourself permission to get it cleaned and your nails done, too!
QUICK TIP: If you don't have time to get your ring professionally cleaned, grab a fresh tooth brush, a little gel or liquid soap, and water. Give it a good gentle brushing on all sides and rinse it well. Your ring will shine like new!
Choosing A Date + Time
We’re natural light specialists because we believe that natural light, from the sun and its reflections, creates photographs that feel fresh, timeless and true to you as a couple. We begin all engagement sessions (whenever possible) two hours before the scheduled sunset during “the golden hour,” when the light is the most magical. Use a sunset calculator online to determine the scheduled sunset for the date and location you’d like to do your session. Then, just subtract two hours to figure out your start time. Remember, the sun sets much earlier during the colder months of the year and much later during the warmer months, so make sure to factor that in when choosing your engagement session date, especially if you’re taking off work or have evening plans afterward. To get the most out of your session, please plan a buffer when getting ready so you can arrive a few minutes early to your session and be ready to start on time. We’re only able to shoot when natural light is still in the sky, so we’ll want to take advantage of every minute we have together before the sun goes down. If you’re wearing two outfits, save your favorite one for the second half, and if you’re wearing one, arrive in that.
QUICK TIP: Our weekends fill up fast and far in advance. You can get a Fast Pass to the front of the line by scheduling mid-week.
Think Outside The Box
This is the time to think outside the box! We encourage you to brainstorm unique locations that you might have special access to that most people don’t. For example, maybe you, or someone in your personal or professional network, can secure permission to a location that would otherwise be off-limits, like a beautiful private estate, country club or resort. Maybe it’s a family ranch, upscale hotel or even an airplane hangar. The sky is literally the limit! Spend a few minutes thinking about it and checking around. You’ll be surprised with what you come up with. Plus, if something seems out of reach, just remember: you never know until you ask! Our couples have secured permission to some pretty amazing places in the past. If you get stuck or need inspiration, just let us know what your style is, and we can go from there! We have some great go-to locations around town that we can always hit, too. Easy. Peasy.
Styling Your Session
Want your engagement images to look more editorial? Bring a little extra something with you! A freshly-picked bouquet for you to hold, or fresh flowers to put on something else, like a bicycle basket, tree swing, picnic basket, car bumper or rowboat, is a fun way bring a little extra romance to everyday objects. Whether it’s larger items like classic cars, or smaller ones like blankets or hats, even incorporating just one extra styled item, could be a fun way to make your session more unique.
One Final Note
Don’t forget to plan a dinner date. You’re already going to be all dressed up! Why not take advantage of it? We know the wedding planning process can feel all-consuming, so take some time after the session just for the two of you to relax and have some fun together.
We know we just gave you a lot to think about. We created this guide to help make your engagement session experience something you’ll look back fondly on for years and years to come. At the end of the day, though, the location you choose and the outfits you select won’t matter nearly as much as the memories you make together. Your future marriage is the most important thing to us, and we want your engagement session to be a time for you to just be yourselves and enjoy it.
Have fun together. Laugh a lot. And we’ll take care of the rest!
x Olivia
Engagement Session Checklist
1. Set date, time, and location with Olivia
2. Review guide for style tips
3. Schedule hair and makeup appointments
4. Choose your outfits
5. Get your nails done
6. Clean your ring
7. Pack a bag with:
Flats or flip-flops for walking between photo spots
Outfit two (including shoes and accessories)
Touch-up makeup
Water bottle (for warmer sessions)
Coat or cover-up (for colder sessions)
Pick a fun post-session date night spot