We are so excited to work with you!! Here are some tips to help get ready for a successful engagement session with us.
The purpose of an engagement session is you to have a chance to work with us before your wedding and so you have your engagement documented. What's great about engagement photos is they can be used as part of your wedding decor for things like guest books or wedding invitations!
It takes approx 1-2 month for your engagement photos to be ready so we suggest booking your engagement session no later than 6-8 weeks before your wedding. The best time to book is
4-5 months before your wedding, especially if you want to use the photo for save the dates or wedding invitations.
It is important that you arrive on time for your engagement session. The reason is that we are natural light photographers so the sun dictates when we can shoot. If we schedule your engagement session two hours before sunset and you arrive and hour and half late that means we have 30 minutes to shoot your session.
When choosing your location we suggest checking to see if permit and/or parking fee is required in order to have photos taken at that location. If a permit and/or parking fee is required we suggest paying for it before the session.
This is the most important expectation that we have! We want you to just be yourself and be ready to for fun! Don't forget to bring your beautiful smile!
We are natural light photographers so timing when your engagement photos are is important. For engagement and family sessions we love to work outside. The best time to do your session is during golden hour. Golden hour is the last hour before the sun sets or rises. We recommend doing sessions as close to this time as possible!
We love when our couples choose their own location. For engagement sessions we always recommend choosing a outdoor location. If you know of a location with a beautiful backdrop that fits you and your fiance, that would be a great place!Keep in mind that some locations need a permit, have parking costs so its a good idea find out about costs for your locations If you need help choosing a location we are hear for you! You can contact us or check out our Instagram, Facebook or Blog for some ideas.
Looking for a rocky beach with a beautiful sunset?! Look no further! Ainsley Wood is perfect during golden hour and a beachy vibe.
If you are looking for a sandy beach with beautiful long beach grass in Bruce County, we highly recommend the Southampton Beach! At this location there is a place to grab some food like ice cream at Gerry's Fast Food and a playground for kids.
We love doing photos at MacGregor Point in any season! During the fall there is the beautiful colours of fall, winter an open field with lots of snow and a sunset behind the trees, spring and summer the beautiful greenery with the many trees and a beach area with a board walk bridge.
This is another beautiful green location that is perfect for any season. At this location you will find trail that leads to a board walk with lush greenery and a bridge over the Orangeville Reservoir This is path and does require walking to each location on the trail so we recommend wearing shoes that you can walk comfortably in!
When choosing your outfit for your engagement photos we suggest making sure it something you are comfortable wearing. Make sure you can move well in the photos because during your session you will be asked to do a lot of movement shots like twirling.
Questions to ask yourself:
1. Am I comfortable in this outfit?
2. Can I move and lift my arms in it?
3. Do I love it?
We always suggest choosing an outfit that fits your unique style and personality. We want you to be at ease and happy in what you wear. You can choose something you would wear on your date night and even take it up a notch!
It is best to choose an outfit that also goes with the location you have chosen. We do not suggest wearing stilettos on a beach! If necessary, you can bring different shoes or go barefoot once we are the main location.
The engagement/couples session is about the two of you, so you'll want to make sure that your outfits compliment each other and be a reflection of your individual personalities!
Here are some tips:
1. Wearing complimentary colours is always a good idea! Don't wear the exact same colours, but instead, pick colours that contrast perfectly. An example is one of you wearing blue while the other wears white.
2. If you are bringing multiple outfits, make sure that your outfit choices match. an example. If you are planning on wearing a dress, ask your fiance to put on a suit or nice button up shirt.
3. It's important to choose your colour palettes and then pick your outfit. You don't want to show up wearing the exact same colours. We want your outfits to reflect your individual styles. If wearing a suit jacket isn't you then we suggest avoiding that and maybe instead wear a nice button up shirt
We discourage our couples from wearing logos. Why? Because we find they are a distraction in the photo and we want the focus to be on you.
We always recommend our couples bring things that will help them be more comfortable at their session.During the colder months we recommend you bring warm clothes such as mitts and a warm coat so inbetween photos you can warm up. Bringing a thermos of something hot to drink wouldn't hurt either! Some couples like to bring blankets as a prop. This not only looks cute in photos but also can warm you up and/or be used to take sitting photos on damp ground.
During the warmer months helpful things to bring are water, bug spray (location depending) and an extra pair of shoes that are comfortable. Some fun ideas of things to bring are picnic baskets, bubbles, champagne, etc. We are game for anything!
We love when our couples bring their pets to their engagement session! If you have a fur baby you would like to include we highly recommend it as these babies are apart of your family and make great additions to your engagement photos.Remember to bring poop bags, extra yummy treats and even a squeaky toy if that grabs their attention! A suggestion for pups, depending on energy level, is to take them for a walk before the session.
Have you thought of having your hair and makeup done professionally? Your engagement session is the perfect time to schedule your trial bridal makeup/hair style! It works out so well because you have a purpose for the makeup. Another reason to have a pro do your hair and makeup is because it removes the stress of getting ready on your own. This is the time to treat yourself! If you working with a makeup artist or applying your makeup on your own we recommend doing it in natural light, if possible as that is the type of light we will be photographing in.
For a list of our favourite Makeup Artists and Hair Stylists please visit our vendor page on our website.
We are so excited to work with and get to know you! If you have any further questions you can contact us anytime. We are happy to help!
See you soon,
Megan and Chris
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