You got the ring, the date has been set and the invitations (along with the other finer details) are slowly falling into place perfectly. Then you realize, with all the wedding planning you have made the same oversight as many other wedding couples. You forgot to consider your look and style for your engagement session photos! How many outfit changes are you expecting? Is my outfit clashing? Maybe I should cut my own hair, wait, is that a good idea? There are a million and one things you haven’t even begun to consider. It’s going to be ok, put the scissors down, there’s no need to panic. We have already sifted through the chaos and made a friendly easy-to-follow guide to prepare you for your upcoming engagement photos!

1. Start Thinking of a Theme and Location

First, let’s take a look into what ideas you have for your engagement session. Have you already considered what images you want recreate or was there any you absolutely love that you are interested in attempting? After all, your engagement session is essentially the first glimpse of your love that family and friends are offered prior to the wedding. So if you haven’t already gone online, hop onto Pinterest and Instagram, discover what engagement session images stand out to you most. Why do they stand out so much? Is it their location? Could it be the colors they’ve decided to wear? Take notice of what speaks to you and ask yourself how would you approach that exact moment. Whether you’re going for a glam engagement session in an upscale neighborhood or a laid-back session in the forest, the possibilities are endless. It’s important to also try and incorporate something that highlights your relationship with one another. Huge baseball fans? Consider having a baseball theme engagement session at a baseball field, include jerseys if you want!

2. Choose Your Outfits

Your personal appearance should speak true as well. If you aren’t comfortable in a ballroom gown and tuxedo, chances are you won’t be very comfortable taking photos in them, and sadly it will show. You should definitely have at least two outfits (depending on how much time you have available). The basic rule of thumb is one (business) casual outfit and a formal one should do the trick. Avoiding logos and patterns will provide a clean and polished look to your photos. However, as mentioned, you should always feel comfortable being yourself and if you absolutely love a certain look, don’t be afraid to include it. Chances are, your photographer may also have clothing suggestions based on the location you choose should you struggle choosing an outfit.

3. Make Your Hair and Makeup Appointments

Hair and Makeup is also one of the most overlooked items on the list. Ladies, consider this the perfect opportunity to try out your wedding day hair and makeup artists. In our experience, it helps put our brides at ease and provides peace of mind knowing that you look and feel your best. Gentlemen, avoid getting a fresh haircut the day before the photos. The all too familiar “fresh fade” skin tan will be easily noticeable in images. Try to schedule an appointment at least 3-4 days ahead of the session. This should allow ample time for your skin and hair to be photo ready.

Closing Notes

There are many things to consider when prepping for your session, but keep in mind that these images are for you to cherish. It’s important that you both look and feel great, but MOST importantly just remember to have fun and don’t be afraid to put your love on full display. When you get into your groove, you’ll forget the camera is even there. Have fun and good luck!

Bonus Tip for Pro Photographers!

We aren’t fashion experts by any means, but we might know a thing or two about what types of clothing photographs well! And sometimes, sending your clients a simple Pinterest Board is not enough for them to know exactly what to expect during their time with you. So, we’ve created a Style Guide Showit Page for engagement sessions that will help put your clients mind at ease. This is the exact page we send our clients to prepare for their photos! We’ll give you the guidelines so that you can easily customize your Style Guide using your fonts, colors and photos that seamlessly go with your brand. In our style guide, we cover everything from Clothing, Location, Wardrobe Inspiration, Color Theory and so much more. Trust us, your clients will show up to their session looking like rockstars every time! And you’ll elevate your brand to new heights while you’re at it.

Purchase the Showit Style Guide HERE