Engagement Sessions - What to Expect | Couple Resources | Calgary Wedding Photographers
Okay, so you’re engaged and you’re beyond excited! Wedding planning is going well and things are coming together. You’ve narrowed things down to your favourite photographer and then you look at each other - do we want/need an Engagement Session? It’s a good question and truthfully Engagment Sessions aren’t exactly a ‘requirement’. That said, there’s a lot of benefits as well and we’ll get into that below.
Engagement Session - Basics:
First things first, here are the basics that we always pass on to couples when they inquire with us:
an Engagement Session is typically 1-2 hours
you can expect around 75+ edited images in a personal online gallery
the session is very relaxed and informal (you’ll likely leave thinking ‘that was actually a lot of fun!’)
Engagement Sessions aren’t just dressing up and standing in a pretty spot. It’s an opportunity to document an exciting time in life. Getting engaged is a pretty big deal and a unique life moment - why not capture that? It's a chance to capture those memories of ‘normal’ life and who you are as a couple outside of your wedding day.
It’s also a nice way to get rid of any sort of nervous energy that you might have about photos on your wedding day. As long as your photographer is the right fit (tip - don’t hire any weirdos), you’ll find that all the nervousness dissapears after about 5-10 minutes. Instead you can focus on the things that matter and simply be excited for your day!
Engagement Session - Timing:
The time of year plays a big role in how your Engagement photos will look. Do you want a winter wonderland or a glowy summer evening? Each season has it’s charm and it just depends on personal preferences. The weather obviously changes a lot in Alberta and so the month of the year is a good place to start when planning out your session. This can help guide locations, outfits, etc.
You’ll also want to try and plan your session during the best lighting conditions - this can change depending on other factors (location, weather, etc), but generally shooting around sunrise or sunset is best.
Engagement Session Locations - Where to take your Engagement Photos?
Once you know the timing of your session, you can figure out where (+ what) you’ll be doing during the shoot. We always suggest to our couples that they incorporate somewhere (or something) special into the session. Where did you have your first date? What do you like to do as a couple? Hiking is a popular example and works perfectly for adventure sessions but it could literally be anything - floating down the Bow on a hot summer day, grabbing a drink at a local brewery, walking your dog on your favourite route around home, etc. The more personal the photos are, the more meaning they will have and the more comfortable you’ll be during the session.
Engagement Session Outfits - What to wear?
Speaking of being comfortable, this is a good tip when deciding what to wear. It’s a special occasion so you want outfits to ‘match the moment’, but you also want to wear something that you feel your best in! Think about a 2nd or 3rd date, you’re dressing to impress (but maybe just coordinate a bit more with your partner).
Neutral, earthy tones are safe bets and try to avoid bright colours and complicated patterns. Also avoid being too ‘matchy-matchy’. If you’re on the fence and can’t decide, bring a couple outfits along (often there’s time to do a swap half-way through).
Engagement Sessions - What happens at the shoot?
Okay so planning is all sorted, you’ve pulled up in the parking lot and you’re just waiting for the shoot to begin. You both have that nervous excitement energy - so what happens now?
Honestly the hard part is over. The shoot itself is just like hanging with friends. We chat, make bad Dad jokes and have some fun. We might boss you around a little (make you walk from A to B, kiss a little, maybe do a spin or two), nice and simple. The biggest thing you can do is relax, be in love and be yourselves. Gauranteed you’ll love your photos afterwards :)
Engagement Sessions - Tips :)
Bring walk-able shoes (chances are you’ll be moving around)
Bring 2 outfits if you can’t decide
Make the day of your session into a date night (grab dinner + drinks before or after)
Try to be vulnerable and trust your photographer
Have fun with it!
