I love to photograph engagement sessions.  You have more freedom to choose a personal location than you would on your wedding day.  There’s no time constraints or reception you have to get to soon.  It’s also the best time to really get to know your photographer and for your photographer to get to know you and your story together.  I highly encourage you to open up dialogue with your photographer.  I’m always asking questions about how you ended up in a particular job or city, how you met and got engaged.  The story fascinates me and knowing it will better help me capture all that you are together on your wedding day.  An engagement session is so important, I call it our first date.  We all know how important a first date can be!

Assuming you have your photographer selected, the next part to planning your engagement session is choosing a location.  Regardless of where you’re located, these 4 tips will help you decide on the best place to formally announce your engagement and produce beautiful artwork for your home, Save-the-Date cards or show off your gorgeous self online!

Personalize it!

When choosing an engagement session location, I like to first look at locations that mean something to you as a couple.  Where did you meet?  Where do you hang out?  Where did you get engaged?  Is there a location that is special to you?  Choosing a familiar place will only assist in keeping your engagement session natural and comfortable.  If something jumps out at you but you don’t think it’s the norm, ask your photographer and tell them why it’s special.  I will always try to make this location work over any others.

Light it up

We schedule sessions around that golden hour of sunset (or sunrise) light.  Choose a location that has plenty of natural light if you choose an indoor scene.  When I location scout indoors, I look for light and neutral colors to naturally bounce the window light back onto you.  In real estate is all about location but in photography, it’s all about the light.  Even outdoors, the light available, the direction it’s coming from and how high or low the sun is in the sky plays a huge role in how your images will turn out.  Also, don’t just assume some shade in the trees will work.  Trees can cast some very green tones.

Do something

Activities are a good way to choose your location.  If you both love to golf, drink coffee, read a book or cook together, this would be a great way to incorporate something you’ll continue enjoying throughout your marriage and therefore treasure the moments captured even more.  If you’re not into posing or super nervous to get in front of the camera, giving  yourself an activity is the best way to loosen up and not even notice I’m there!

Style

Staying true to your wedding style is another way to look for locations on your engagement session.  If you’re getting married at a winery, choose to have a more intimate session with just the two of you at that winery on your engagement session.  Going to the same location as your wedding day has it’s perks for your photographer as well.  We get to scout your location, in the preferred lighting hour, with you!  Also, if you’re having a Fall wedding, incorporate some of the fall aspects into your session.  This gives your guests a taste of what’s to come on your wedding day if you use the images on your save the date or invitation.

 

 

Most of all, remember what matters most is you have a great time, take some beautiful images and get to know your photographer better before your wedding day.  Celebrating your love and commitment is the season!  The next step is planning what to wear to your engagement session and we’ve got all you need to know on that as well!

If you’re searching for a Kansas City or destination wedding photographer, call Heather at 913-948-3918.