Woohoo, you’re engaged! You’ve booked your venue and photographer, and engagement photos are officially on the schedule… now what? This post is here to learn how to prepare for engagement photos!
As Sioux Falls photographers, we’ve photographed many weddings and gained insightful tips to help you get the most out of your engagement photos without the advice you’ve probably heard a million times before, like doing a test run of your wedding day makeup during your session.
Keep reading to learn all about preparing for an engagement session!
How to Prepare for Engagement Photos
ENJOY the Time!
Engagement photos with your partner only happen once, so if we could share one piece of advice with you, it’s to enjoy the time together. Soak up this time in your life and be present!
Take a walk with your new Fiance or even plan a dinner date. Go to the movies or visit where you had your first date together. This is a FUN time! Some couples even love making an entire day out of their engagement photos, going on a date before or after their session. You can make this day your own.
Showcase Your Personality
Your engagement photos are all about the two of you, and that’s the fun of it. So, get excited and look for ways that you can showcase your personality as a couple. Whether you’re super laid back as partners and would rather have an in-home session, or you’re both adventurous and love the outdoors, this is the time to show off what makes your relationship unique.
If you can’t think of anything, don’t worry; your photographer will gladly help you. The goal is to have photos that feel like the two of you.
Some fun ideas to help you see the possibilities:
- Play games at an arcade to let your fun, competitive sides out
- Go on a cozy coffee date at your favorite cafe in Downtown Sioux Falls (we have recs!)
- Have a picnic at your favorite park in the city
- Enjoy a shared milkshake together at an ice cream shop
- Pop into a record shop or bookstore for some fun candid photos
- Drive a few hours outside Sioux Falls to see the beautiful Badlands for a dramatic landscape
Connect with One Another
Engagement photos are the perfect time to get in tune with one another and deepen your bond even more. What do each of you want the engagement to look like? Take the time to connect and talk about it. Hear each other out; you never know where the conversation will go.
This period of life is about more than just planning a wedding; it is the perfect time to build even more of the strong emotional connection you have, which will carry you through the years ahead. We know how easy it is to get caught up in wedding planning, but during this time, focus on what truly matters: your commitment to one another.
Use this time to connect on an emotional level and ensure you’re both aligned as you move toward your wedding day. Your connection will show through in your engagement photos, too.
Reflect on Your Love
This won’t be the first time you do this in your relationship, but reflect on your love for one another. Think back on how far you’ve come as a couple because this engagement session truly celebrates your relationship through the years and where you are now.
Connect and talk about the moments that have defined your love story, and find ways to weave those into your photos if you want. This can also be a great time to look back through old scrapbooks if you have any with one another!
You can also use this to have some deeper conversations. What are your hopes, fears, and dreams for the future? Use this time to connect on an emotional level as you approach your wedding day.
Chat About the Future
Similar to looking back on the past, chatting about the future is just as essential. Use this time to dream big about your future together. Where do you see yourselves in the next 5, 10, 15, 20 years? What kind of energy do you want to bring as you start this next chapter of your life together?
Whether you are planning where you want to live or the adventures you’ll take, these conversations can be very exciting as you prepare for your wedding day. They can also show a shared purpose in your love, bringing you closer.
Talking and dreaming about the future like this will naturally show throughout your session and bring a deeper connection and meaning to your photos.
Embrace Imperfections
One of our top pieces of advice on how to prepare for engagement sessions is to embrace your imperfections. Let go of the pressure to be “perfect,” whatever that is. Real, genuine moments like spontaneous laughs and quiet glances are what will make these photos feel so much like the two of you.
The key is showing up as you are because that makes your relationship REAL. Focus on genuinely enjoying the engagement together, and trust us when we say that the authenticity in the photos will happen naturally. (Psst – want to get a good laugh out of your partner? Come prepared with a good joke to crack partway during the session for candid laughs!)
Many of our couples haven’t even been in front of a camera for a while, too, so you can use this time to get comfortable with each other in front of the camera. This is a great time to break the ice so that you’ll feel a bit more natural when your wedding day comes around.
You’re Now Prepared with Engagement Photo Tips!
This time of your life is one that you’ll remember forever. Don’t let that scare you, though; embrace it, have fun, and truly take the time to connect. There’s no wrong way to celebrate with your partner. Your engagement photos will come out best if you are both just being your honest selves!
Did you find this post before booking a photographer for your engagement? We’d love to learn more about the two of you and how we can help you photograph this exciting time. Couples shoots are some of our FAVORITE sessions to do because… well, we love love. Click here to get in touch.
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