Six Tips To Rock Your Engagement Shoot
Engagement season is here, so what better time to talk about engagement shoots! Engagement photos can play a major role in the timeline of your wedding planning. Whether the photos are used for save the dates or just as keep sakes, you’re going to treasure them forever.
No pressure, right? To help calm your nerves, I’ve compiled a list of six tips to help your engagement shoot run smoothly!
6. Get Inspiration For Your Shoot
Thank goodness for Pinterest! Getting your photo shoot inspiration is a breeze with all of the pins you can find online. Looking for outfit inspiration? Pinterest. Prop ideas? Pinterest. Our photographer even created a Pinterest board with examples of outfits that are ideal for engagement photo shoots. This was great for photo shoot prep!
5. Coordinate Your Outfits In Advance
When it comes to couples, sometimes it can be difficult to get on the same page. Once your photo shoot is scheduled, start mapping out some possible outfits that your fiancé can wear! You’re about to marry this person, so I’m sure you have an idea of what’s in their closet. After you’ve gone shopping for yourself, just regroup with them to make sure that they has all of their outfits ready for the day of the shoot!
4. Location Is Key
Once your photo shoot is booked, you should start planning the photo locations if you don’t already have them in mind. For our engagement shoot, Nick and I asked our photographer for some suggestions based on previous shoots. We knew that we wanted to take photos in the New Orleans area, and through her experience our photographer found some great locations for us!
3. Come To The Shoot With Ideas
This is one tip that I learned from my experience. It is so important to have an idea of what poses are important to you for your engagement shoot. Your photographer will be great at angles and letting you know what looks good, but you should try to have a vision for the shoot so they can help you create it! The last thing you want to do is waste your session time trying to remember a pretty post you saw on Pinterest. Come prepared!
2. Make A Date Of It
Taking engagement photos is an exciting experience! Try to take advantage of the day and do something different. I got this idea from our photographer and I totally agree! What other excuse will you have to get all dressed up and do something fun together? After our photoshoot was over, Nick and I went and got beignets in City Park at Morning Call! It was a fun treat after our two hour photo shoot.
1. Remember To Have Fun
The idea of a photo shoot can be stressful. With uncontrollable variables like the weather, you may find yourself obsessing over the little things. Picking out the perfect outfits and getting my hair and makeup done were my two biggest concerns on that day. It was a humid day in July, so I was very stressed about my curls falling. Somewhere between the 45 minute drive to New Orleans and the start of our lovey-dovey photoshoot I started to remember what the day was all about. I was getting to marry the love of my life and I was the happiest girl in the world. If that doesn’t make the day fun, I don’t know what will!
These tips may seem simple, but you can never be too prepared for a photo shoot! Photography is such an important investment in your wedding process, so you want to make sure to make the most of your scheduled shoots. So bring on the save the dates, engagement parties, and wedding countdowns! It’s all part of the engagement experience. Not to mention that an engagement photo shoot just makes it all that more real that you’re about to live happily ever after!
All photos by Jen Menard Photography.
Comments are closed.
Jennifer
December 8, 2016 at 2:46 amLove your tips for engagement photos! My husband and I haven’t had our photos taken in a while. I like your idea to use Pinterest for inspiration. There are so many great pin ideas for photography. And coordinating outfits in advance is a great idea!
Linh
December 8, 2016 at 5:13 amWhy are you guys so cute??! Love these tips and I could definitely use them for our upcoming Holiday Photos. With 2 little girls, I need all the tips and help I can get.
Ashley Stephenson
December 8, 2016 at 6:59 amThese are great tips!! We just took our 1 year anniversary photos and had to remind myself of some of these! The most important is definitely to have fun!
Belle
December 8, 2016 at 7:28 amThese are really great tips! I agree that location, outfit, and having fun are key to rocking your engagement shoot! And maybe doing something that tells the story of a couple too.
Belle | One Awesome Momma
Alexandra Yargeau
December 8, 2016 at 8:18 amThese photos are so beautiful! I love your coordinating outfits. It always makes me cringe when I see couples who match.
Marissa
December 8, 2016 at 9:44 amThis is SO cute! I love the outfit choices.
Mckenna Bleu
December 8, 2016 at 9:52 amThese photos are adorable! Love how they turned out!
Jasmin N
December 8, 2016 at 11:36 amThese are so great tips! We didn’t have engagement photoshoot when we got engaged, that’s not really a thing here but these fit so well to actual wedding photoshoot too 🙂
~ Jasmin N
littlethingswithjassy.blogspot.fi
Kintan
December 8, 2016 at 12:13 pmAmazing photos and so lovely both of you. Great tips and very inspiration. I love the location that you choose, it looks very natural background. Perfect…!!!
Kintan XO,
http://kintanfashion.blogspot.com
The Wandereuse
December 8, 2016 at 12:36 pmVery cute pictures indeed! In Spain we don’t have the same wedding culture as in the US, and we don’t put so much effort into all that surrounds the big day, but all this sounds very nice and sweet! I will pin your post in case I decide to go for it!
Carlota | TheWandereuse.com
Jess
December 8, 2016 at 1:34 pmGreat tips! I love your photos, especially the ones in normal places like the sidewalk because they just look so natural & adorable!
Misa
December 8, 2016 at 3:17 pmI love all your tips! I’m pretty sure these photoshoots should be well prepared (just like you described) because people then feel less stressed about it! And I really love your pics, romantic but it’s not overdone (like some we can find on Pinterest)! :))
Kelly
December 8, 2016 at 3:29 pmYou guys are soo cute, these pictures turned out great! Thanks for the tips they’ll definitely come in handy when the time is there!
nicole leigh
December 8, 2016 at 3:40 pmlove reading these tips! I’ve always contemplated what would go into planning an engagement shoot & your insight here was great. x, nicole // http://www.nicoleeigh.com
Mel
December 8, 2016 at 3:53 pmYour pictures came out great! I love your tips! My favorite one is about remembering to have fun. It really makes a difference when people honestly love each other. I can tell you guys do.
Greta
December 8, 2016 at 4:54 pmYour engagement photos are so cute! These are all great tips and wish I had them when I took my engagement photo!
Greta | http://www.gretahollar.com
Shane
December 8, 2016 at 6:49 pmSuch beautiful shots! You look so natural it’s obvious you’re meant to be together 🙂
Ashley
December 8, 2016 at 10:23 pmThese are great tips and beautiful photos!! I want to do an anniversary session with my husband next year!
xo Ashley
Vaishnavi
December 8, 2016 at 11:09 pmAwesome tips and great pictures. Completely agree with you on planning the outfits and location in advance. And to have some fun – that is something we’d totally forget when we are overwhelmed. This is a great reminder! 🙂
kittylimon
December 9, 2016 at 1:39 amYou two are so adorable together, great tips for engagements shoots, we never had one but these tips will be great for other photo opportunities 🙂
Sabine
December 9, 2016 at 2:45 amDifferent beautiful locations while
Wearing different beautiful outfits is really key I think! 🙂 great tips!
The Cornish House Interior Design
December 9, 2016 at 3:21 amAw, cute post and love your photos. We never had an engagement shoot but I wish we did now http://www.thecornioshhouse.com
Abby
December 9, 2016 at 6:21 amWhen we were planning our engagement shoot, we had a list of do’s and don’ts. One thing that we were particular about was that we will not use any props. I don’t like it when couples go all-out with props and it takes away the focus from them.
Abby of Life in the Fash Lane
Annaliese
December 9, 2016 at 6:48 amYour pictures came out just beautifully!! I can’t wait to have engagement pictures done someday (someday way in the future lol!)
xoxo A
http://www.southernbelleintraining.com
Laura Shaw
December 9, 2016 at 8:23 amAdorable!! I love these tips 🙂
Taylor Mobley
December 9, 2016 at 9:13 amAren’t you just the cutest? These are great tips!!
Chelsie Carr
December 9, 2016 at 9:58 amYour photos came out really well! I lived in Louisiana (Lafayette) this summer, so I loved seeing all the Southern landscapes in your photos. I actually dabble in photography (and have an engagement shoot in a couple weeks) and couldn’t agree more with your tips! Having an idea of what you want/like is so helpful to the photographer so they know how to tailor your shoot to you!
Tilley Hanson
December 9, 2016 at 10:57 amthese are beyond sweet!
Maegan Clark
December 9, 2016 at 11:16 amAwww these are so sweet! Love your photos and how happy you look!
Anna
December 9, 2016 at 3:02 pmGorgeous photos and great tips!
-Anna | http://www.fivefootandfabulous.com
Rachel Ritlop
December 9, 2016 at 3:11 pmThese are fabulous tips! And you photos came out great! Congrats on your engagement!
Rachel | The Confused Millennial
Bella
December 9, 2016 at 3:44 pmOkay y’all are so cute!!! its makes me so happy when I see happy couples .
Makayla M.
December 9, 2016 at 7:51 pmThese photos are sooo precious. You guys look so happy! Great tips 🙂
Xo Makayla
Fashionably Kay
Alix Maza
December 9, 2016 at 8:37 pmYou guys are adorable! Great pictures.
Alix | http://www.apintsizedlife.com
Sydney
December 9, 2016 at 10:51 pmAwe these really are great tips! I always laugh justin and I take photos so often, we will be pro by the time that comes around haha !
Atzimba
December 9, 2016 at 10:56 pmThese are so adorable! Congrats!
Manavi Siddhanti
December 10, 2016 at 1:32 amYou’ve beautifully captured these photos and look so happy on it. 🙂 God Bless.
Saranda
December 10, 2016 at 3:06 amIf and when I get engaged I definitely need to head back to your website for these tips! I am loving your photos! Thanks for sharing!
Katie
December 10, 2016 at 9:11 amOh my gosh, I LOVE your engagement pictures! So cute!
xoxo,
Katie
chicincarolina.blogspot.com
Ellie
December 10, 2016 at 5:55 pmThese are such great tips and such gorgeous photos. I never had an engagement photoshoot so we might have to do one soon!
Michelle
December 12, 2016 at 10:08 amWhat gorgeous pictures. They turned out so beautiful! These are great tips–I’m going to share them with some friends of mine who just got engaged!
Michelle
mikipetite.com
Jenny
December 12, 2016 at 11:15 amY’all are too cute! We did our engagement photos in the winter and I love how they turned out.
Summer @ Coffee With Summer
December 12, 2016 at 11:54 amAwh! So sweet! Engagement is such a fun time.
Anna
December 12, 2016 at 12:04 pmThese engagement photos are so cute! Great tips!
Hannah
December 12, 2016 at 12:05 pmAww I love all these pictures! So romantic:)
Hannah
Kirsten
December 12, 2016 at 1:51 pmGreat tips and such cute photos! I always love engagement photos and yours are lovely!
alex
December 12, 2016 at 4:28 pmMy engagement pics are coming up, so THANK YOU for sharing this!!! Going to make my fiancé read it tonight too 🙂
Kristine | My Little Box of Tricks
December 13, 2016 at 7:54 amThank you for these tips! I’m currently trying to convince my fiancee to have engagement photos (fingers crossed he comes around). Your photos are seriously adorable!
Silvia
December 13, 2016 at 11:19 pmThese are some wonderful shots! You guys look so happy! Congrats on the engagement!
Oksana
December 14, 2016 at 7:56 amAww these are so cute! Congrats!!! I can’t stress enough having researched inspiration for the shoot – it makes the photographer’s life SO much easier, plus the couple feels so much more relaxed when they know what they’re doing.
ricky
December 15, 2016 at 9:52 amKait, I think another great suggestions to pair with your “coordinate outfits” tip is to bring a change of clothes! When we did our photos we were lucky enough to have been wearing jackets and sweaters above our tees. If we had been unable to change the look of our attire then it would have been totally obvious that all of our pictures were taken on the same day… no matter how many awesome locations we went to! Nice post and congratulations!
-III
http://www.amodernvillain.com