Planning Your Engagement Sitting

The first question I get regarding this special day is timing.  There are no hard and fast rules here. I love to do the engagement sittings soon after the engagement because there is so much excitement and energy between the couple.  Translating that energy into highly personal images which are a reflection of the bride and groom is an art in itself.  

Give some thought to your identity as a couple- who are you?  What do you enjoy doing?   Where do you like to dine?  What hobbies do you partake in together?  The more information you can impart to your photographer, the better chance you have of the images being a lasting reminder of the journey you are beginning.  Have the photographer photograph you sharing a bottle of wine on the patio of your favorite hang out.  Do the shoot at your family ranch on the grounds on ATVs, on the porch of your parent's home on a bench in front of the fire.  It's a special day which will create images you will cherish for decades to come- give it some thought and personalize it.  

Clothing seems to be a stumbling block- here are some rules.  No patterns, no prints and no styles which will date the images.  You don't want to look at it in five years and think- I can not believe we wore that!!  Keep it simple.  Basic styles and colors which are complementary to one another- they do not have to match, but they must blend well.  Whether you prefer a casual look or a dressy look is a personal preference.  Be comfortable- do not force your fiance who prefers to be in a suit to show up in jeans and boots and not feel like himself.  If you loooove heels and jeans- do it!  If he likes to be dressy- let him!  A great photographer will turn it into something spectacular.

Finally- try to take some time for the two of you after the shoot.  Plan a nice lunch where you can share the experience, relax and reflect on the marriage.  After all, it's a marriage- NOT A WEDDING.