Our Engagement Shoot

Have I mentioned I'm planning my own wedding? 

I'm a bit of a control freak, but I have reasons behind it! My older sister hired an event planner and paid $5,000 of her budget on this woman. SHE DID NOTHING! She sent my sister contacts and made her book her own appointments and go alone...and while I know there are phenomenal planners out there, I preferred not to take a risk. I kept that same mindset with my engagement photos. I did them all myself. Not only does it save you mega $$$$ but you get to keep as many as you'd like and be in charge of your own shoot.

I went for four looks - spring, summer, formal and casual. We decided to take them at the beach (Pensacola, FL) because that's where I grew up. The beaches are gorgeous and the town is historic.

I have a few pointers for you all when creating your engagement photos.

Plan ahead! 

Pick 3-4 outfits for yourself and make sure they match your scene. I went with an old Hollywood style swimsuit and hat to match my wedding theme, a seafoam maxi dress, a blush pink skirt and a black dress. 

Next, pick your fiances outfits. 

Make sure they match your vision. For example: had I picked swim trunks to go with my black swimsuit, it would have taken the formality and old-school feel out of our image. Make sure you run the look through your head before you choose. Coordinate your colors but be sure not to be too matchy-matchy because it can come off as unoriginal and even quirky (not good for engagement photos).

Pick your props! 

What looks would you like to accomplish for your shoot? Is it beachy? Why not use shells! Is it formal? Use champagne! Have a thoroughly thought-out vision of your shoot to plan what props will work.

Get a ring shot. 

Your groom-to-be worked hard to get you that rock. Show it off!

Mix it up! 

Make sure you get a variety of different angles, perspectives and times of day. Having variety helps the photos stand out! When they all look the same, they don't draw as much attention. It's your day and your groom...you should have all eyes on you!

Make it fun! 

Headshots and smiles are perfect for frames and save the dates, but it's great to have fun photos of your significant other and yourself to remember the day. We did several shots of Garrett "chasing" me. While it felt a little awkward to do, the pictures came out great and serve as a fun memory.

Use architecture. 

There is beauty all around you. Play off of anything beautiful you see and don't be intimidated by people around you. In the above photo, we had an audience. We felt a bit awkward at first, but we sucked it up. If we turned the camera 90 degrees, you'd see 50 people standing around watching and a dead fish on the shore. Create that romance in your photos regardless of your surroundings.

Get a sunset image. 

Plan ahead and set your camera setting for the sky. They will always come out romantic. If your weather app tells you the sen will set at 7:52 pm, get there by 7:15. It takes a minute to set up, and in some cases the sun will set very quickly. We only got about 6 good pictures before the sun went down.

I hope these help you gain inspiration and some pointers to help your engagement photos be as wonderful as you! Please comment below if you have any additional questions.

Best of luck,