Location. Location. Location. I personally believe this is the most important thing to consider when planning your engagement session. The best location is somewhere that really symbolizes you as a couple. Somewhere that has meaning to you. It could be the place you met, where he proposed, where you had your first date, or even a spot you just like to hang out at on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

If you are having trouble picking a location for your session, I am always happy to help. I will just ask some questions, we’ll chat a bit about your relationship, and I should be able to give you some great options.

The best time of day for engagement sessions is either early morning around sunrise or at the end of the day at sunset. The starting time will depend on the time of the year, since sunset times are always changing. We will get the most attractive and romantic lighting at these two times.

If for whatever reason we have to shoot in the middle of the day (work restraints, location hours of availability, etc) we will just need a good shaded location, because of the bright sun. That could be a brewery, your home, a cool warehouse, in the woods, etc. Great lighting is extremely important to great photography.

What you choose to wear is also a very important part of your engagement session. It really defines the style of your session. You can have one outfit change during your shoot, so that allows you to get creative.

Since every couple will have a different style for their engagement session, it is hard to give you a list of “things to wear”. It should be something you feel comfortable in and something that you would actually wear. Accessories are great too! Sunglasses, a cute hat, or some fancy jewelry all look great in photos.

There are some locations that you may choose that will cause you to have to be mindful of the colors and patterns for your outfits. If you chose a location that has a lot of texture, architecture, or colors, then you want to keep your outfit more simple. For example, if you chose an engagement session on Rainbow Row in Downtown Charleston, I would try to choose pieces that have more neutral colors, pastels, or jewel toned colors. Charleston is the city of pastel colored homes, so basic primary colors can look odd against them.

Some people opt for a natural look, while other brides have their hair and makeup done. Either is totally fine, but regardless of which way you go, take extra care to consider the environment you will be in. If it is a windy day on the water, you probably want to pull your hair back. If it is super muggy, like Charleston is know to be, curling your hair or wearing a lot of makeup may not work out well.

Bringing some makeup, hair ties, and a mirror to your shoot is always a good idea. Retouches will be your friend!

Send me those Pinterest pins! Email some sample photos that have caught your eye! Sharing with me what you like will help make sure you get the photos of your dreams. Do you enjoy the more airy and dreamy images? Or the more dramatic ones?

It’s always fun to incorporate your favorite activities to the engagement session. It really helps to make the shoot mere personal and interesting. Playing your favorite sport can be really fun. You guys enjoy hiking? We can incorporate that on your shoot. From taking dance classes to picking flowers, activities always add that little special touch to an engagement session.

Props can really help make your session more personalized and creative. The most popular prop that couples like to bring with them is a sign showing the wedding date. Those photos can later be used for “save the dates”, which I think is a great and easy idea.

Your engagement session should be fun. It should be relaxed and enjoyable. Unlike your wedding day, we will not be in a hurry or be at a bunch of places in a short time.

It is my job to direct you, pose you, help you feel comfortable, and make sure we all have a good time! Engagement sessions are a once in a lifetime type of thing. My goal is to make it memorable and fun!