7 Tips To Prepare For Your Engagement Session

Getting engaged is an exciting process full of looking at venues, writing vows, tasting cakes, and, of course, pictures! Whatever stage you are at, I first want to say: congratulations! Engagement is a wonderful, significant moment in your relationship that you are going to want to remember forever. When getting engagement pictures done, there are many things to consider to ensure that we can capture the love in your eyes and create memories that you will cherish forever. Here are some tips on getting the most out of your engagement shoot:

1. Picking A Location

While most people choose an outdoor setting, engagement shoots can also be done at home for a more intimate and personal look. This styled shoot is about capturing more day-to-day activities in a fun and authentic way, such as doing chores or playing a board game together. If you would still rather do an outdoor shoot, there are many places in the Toronto area to choose from, such as James Gardens pond, Graffiti Alley in downtown Toronto, or Trillium park, which offers an amazing view of the Toronto city skyline. Regardless of where you decide to have your session, we want to focus on keeping it meaningful to your relationship. Choosing somewhere where you have personal memories with your significant other is a great idea to guarantee that we capture some great photos and have fun while doing it!

2. What To Wear

Wear what makes you confident and comfortable. Try to steer away from clothes that are very tight, very baggy, or otherwise ill-fitting. Constantly adjusting, sucking in, and fighting with clothing is not what you want to be focused on while you’re trying to capture lasting memories.

3. Styling Outfits

When planning out you and your partner’s outfits, try to choose styles and colours that compliment each other. Avoid matching identically; it is better to focus on using accent colours that play off of each other’s outfits. Using the same colour in different tones, or taking one colour from a patterned article and using that as a tee-shirt colour, works well for this. It’s also a good idea to match styles with the setting, such as casual for at-home or indoor shoots, high-end dress for cityscapes, or earthy/boho styles for woodland settings. Try to match the vibe of the location, not the colours. We don’t want to blend in with our surroundings, just look like we belong there!

4. Keep It Candid

It’s easy to feel like posing for photos is hard work, but it’s actually better to catch those everyday, genuine moments with your partner. For this reason, I like to tell my clients to plan a favourite activity to do during the shoot, such as hiking, kayaking, walking the dog, or even washing dishes! Turning a photo session into more of a “hang-out” ensures that we can capture genuine laughter and those authentic, raw emotions that are essential to who you are as a couple.

5. Props

Bringing props such as blankets, picnic baskets, (and something I highly suggest, dogs!) enables us to better tell a story at the scene. Bring props that are personal and meaningful; something that tells YOUR story. Props can also help with the colour scheme, so think about setting and outfits when choosing props.

6. Interact With Each Other

Be open to flirting with each other & the camera! We can catch the most memorable photos this way, so feel free to blow random kisses, tickle, and be playful with your partner. Feeling comfortable in front of the camera and photographer is key in capturing genuine moments, so don’t be afraid to try something different! I, of course, guide and add suggestions, just remember to be open to these interactions.

7. Have Fun

Don’t think of it as a photoshoot, think of it as a date! When clients transform this session from simply taking pictures to having an experience, we are able to capture authentic smiles and amazing memories. To make it feel more spontaneous and genuine, go out for dinner or ice cream afterwards. Really focus on having a good time rather than worrying about the end result.