Engagement Session Guide

As a Port Huron, MI wedding photographers, I created this engagement session guide because engagement sessions are one of my favorite parts of the wedding experience. This time as an engaged couple is a fleeting moment together in your love story. The time when everything is giggles and heartbeats. When your love for one another grows and matures and you get to call each other fiancé while you start planning the rest of your lives together.

I believe that the engagement session is the secret to creating joyful, romantic, and authentic portraits on your wedding day. Your engagement session gives you time in front of my cameras before the big day. The experience you gain from your engagement session will make your wedding day feel seamless and comfortable. I created this engagement session guide for you and packed it FULL of my best tips for getting the most out of your engagement session with me. Follow the advice detailed below and you will have gorgeous images that are fresh and intimate but also represent you as a couple.

There are a lot of tips here, please don’t let them overwhelm you. At the end of the day, the outfits and accessories you choose will not matter nearly as much as the experience you have. It is the memories you two make together that will matter most. So laugh a lot and just enjoy yourself, I'll take care of the rest!

Finding Golden Hour

I suggest scheduling your engagement session around golden hour to take advantage of the golden dreamy light. In Michigan, golden hour varies depending on the season. 
Be sure to take into account factors such as whether or not the horizon will be visible from your session location. If your location is either in the city where there are tall buildings or in a wooded area, sunset is generally 30 minutes earlier than calculated. The sun also sets much earlier in the winter months so make sure to take that into account when choosing the engagement session date. Especially if you plan to end the evening with a date after your session! If all of this seems daunting, don’t worry. After booking a session with me I'll figure all of this out for you.

I am always a few minutes early to engagement sessions so that I can scope out the location for the best background to compliment the golden hour light. I recommend leaving 15-30 minutes earlier than you originally planned to maximize our golden hour time! Also, if you plan on wearing two outfits, save your favorite outfit for the second half to wear it closer to sunset!

Selecting The Location

The best location is the one that means something to you both as a couple. Such as the spot where you got engaged or had your first date. I always ask my couples for their preferred locations but don’t worry if you cannot come up with a location, I have plenty of dreamy spots for you to choose from. I am constantly searching for new locations in East Michigan and Port Huron area.

After lighting, location is my second priority. I believe the location of your engagement session should reflect you as a couple. For instance, if you never go downtown, I’ll avoid the urban vibe. If you both dislike the beach, then we obviously won’t go there! If you love getting lost in the woods and flower fields, then into the woods we go! Getting to know you better as a couple allows me to recommend locations that will feel the most comfortable, which in turn means you will look relaxed and feel your best!

Things to Consider With Location

 The sky really is the limit and I encourage you to brainstorm unique locations that you might only have access to that most people don’t. For example, see if you can secure permission to a location that would otherwise be off-limits to the public, such as a private lake house, estate, upscale hotel, or country club resort.

Nature: Heading outside to shoot in the natural beauty of nature is highly recommended! I do advise that when traveling outdoors to come prepared. If you are considering that beautiful rocky ledge overlooking Lake Michigan, be sure to bring a change of shoes. Heels will look great during your shoot but your feet will thank you for wearing tennis shoes to get there.

Traveling: I love to travel! And not just around East Michigan. Whether on a destination wedding or engagement session, traveling to a unique location can really set your engagement session apart. If you would like to travel to a location that isn’t somewhere local to Port Huron, just let me know. Additional fees may apply depending on your desired location!

I get a lot of questions from our engaged couples about what they should wear to their engagement session. Fortunately for you and them, we have a LOT of advice!

To start, I recommend a maximum of one to two outfits for your engagement session to ensure that we have plenty of time to capture each look. During one of your outfit changes is when I will photograph your ring while I wait. Here are a few things to keep in mind while you pick your engagement session attire.

Formal and Casual

I recommend a formal outfit and a casual outfit for your engagement session. I recommend both to be dressy outfits so that you will have plenty of variety of classy portraits to choose from later.

Your Best Dress

If you are unsure what sort of dress to wear, I recommend a flowing, maxi-length dress or skirt. These dresses provide for a soft, feminine look and the movement of this type of fabric photographs beautifully.
 

My Best Advice for Her

Ladies, I recommend that you wear something that flatters the parts of your body that you love the most. Most importantly, wear something that makes you feel extremely confident! We love movement in my portraits and will capture your beauty from all angles, therefore select an outfit that will make you feel free of insecurities. I want you to be confident, REALLY CONFIDENT and if I may say, HOT, SEXY, because it will show in each of your photos. Besides the right outfit, other confident boosters include professionally done hair, makeup, and nails.

My Best Advice for Him

Guys,  Remember that a simple dress shirt and pants with a pair of closed-toed shoes go a long way. I recommend avoiding blue jeans, shorts, graphic tees, and tennis shoes.

Style Tips For Her

Your engagement session is one time you don’t have to worry about overdressing. There is no such thing as “too dressed up”! So don’t be afraid to have some fun and rock a tulle skirt, a sequined gown, or a flower crown! If you are hesitant to add new permanent pieces to your collection, consider trying out Rent the Runway for your engagement photos because you don’t have to spend a lot to feel like a million bucks. Most of my brides though love having the great excuse to add a few new permanent pieces to their closet! I recommend sticking to maxi dresses and skirts while avoiding pants and shorts for your session. This is your chance to say yes to a dress (or two!)

Most of my brides who choose two outfits will bring one stunning dress, and then another short casual dress, such as a sundress or cocktail dress. Keep in mind, you don’t have to bring two looks if that is too stressful or if you would rather stick to one fabulous looking dress. It’s better to have just one outfit you are in love with rather than one outfit you love paired with another you are not very excited about. So one or two outfits? Both are right!

Her Details

You can really bring some extra depth and dimension to your outfit by pairing an accessory or two with you “wow” dress! Big statement pieces like necklaces can really bring a lot of pop to the photo while the smaller details are not quite as noticeable. Bracelets, earrings, belts, and hairpieces can bring great visual interest, so choose one or two that complement each other

Every woman, regardless of her shape or size, has one area of her body that she is more self-conscious of. That is okay! The key is recognizing that area in advance and choosing items that compliment your natural features. By doing this you, you will love the way you look in your photos.

Your Arms: If you feel self-conscious about your upper arms, three-quarter length sleeves create an amazing slimming effect on any arm. So when you pick your dress, be on the lookout for dresses that include longer sleeves! Alternatively, if you have the perfect dress but it is sleeveless, you could pair that with a cute blazer, cardigan, or jacket. Ironically, strapless dresses or skinny straps have the opposing effect on arms in camera. So I recommend avoiding those!

Your Legs: One quick trick to making your legs look longer and slender on camera is to wear heels. A heel will elongate your legs making them look fabulous. Closed-toed heels are a particularly amazing look in photographs because they carry out the line of your leg all the way down to your toe. And if plan to wear open toe or peep-toe heels, consider scheduling a pedicure before your session so you don’t feel self-conscious of your toes showing! Trust me, it’s these little tricks and details that will make all the difference!
  

Relax and Have Fun

Relax! Don’t worry! You’re going to look amazing! There are a lot of elements that go into creating a beautiful wedding and engagement photos but don’t over think it. The most important element is confidence. If you both have outfits you look and feel great in and are comfortable, you have set yourself up for a successful engagement photo shoot. Remember what I said before, what you wear isn’t nearly as important as the memories you make together! I have worked with EVERY personality type and EVERY body type, and I always create images that our clients love, so get excited!

Engagement Session Guide FAQs

Weather – Rain or Shine

Trust me when I say, I am watching the weather long before your session. If I suspect rain or snow, I’ll connect a few days in advance with a game plan. When scheduling your engagement session, always dress for the season. Michigan winters can be unpredictable and if you plan to do a winter shoot, dress in layers. You can always peel off a coat for a few poses and hop back in between shots. As a East Michigan wedding professional, I know that rain or snow can come in and go any minute. I always take those weather considerations in before your wedding day and prep you accordingly. This is also why I bring a clear umbrella to every session (just in case!)
  
Dogs and Pets

Those of you who know me, know I am dog person. For that reason, I strongly encourage you to bring your dog or pet. I understand that they too are family and as a young couple they can feel like your children. That said I do suggest limiting their involvement. When it comes to pets it is best to have someone else bring them so that they can be included at the beginning or end of a session with the remainder of the session focused on you two as a couple.

After Your Session

After the session you both will be all dressed up, so why not take advantage of it? I always recommend our couples to plan a dinner date after their engagement session.  I know first hand how planning a East Michigan wedding can feel all-consuming, so take some time after your session for just the two of you to relax and enjoy each other company. Go back to your original date night spot or try out that new restaurant you have been eyeing. You deserve it!

Don’t Stress

Just like your wedding day, the more you plan to invest in your engagement session the smoother it will go and the more you will enjoy your photos! Don’t leave the session details until the last minute as the stress of rushing can take away from the enjoyment of the engagement session. Remember, much like your wedding, your engagement session is supposed to be fun! We hope you found this engagement session guide helpful! Please reach out to us, Leidy & Josh, if you have any questions! Even if you are not one of my brides and I  not your Grand Rapids wedding photographer! I would still love to hear from you!

Splurge A Little

When it comes to hair and makeup, this is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself a little by having it professionally done! You will cherish these images forever and so investing in professional hair and makeup can be an extra fun way to celebrate the occasion and allows you to be extra confident during your shoot! Not only does it look amazing, but it also takes away the stress of getting ready on your own. So go for the blown-out hair and lash extensions! If you are worried about looking tired or just want a little something special for your engagement photos, false lashes will make the most impact in your portraits! Who doesn’t like to have bigger eyes!

Tip: Consider having your wedding day hair and makeup artist do a trial before your engagement session. Not only does this give you the opportunity to see how things look before your wedding day, but you will also have an idea of what it will look like in your wedding photos!

Lastly, if you are looking for recommendations, I know some of the best professionals in the East Michigan wedding industry and would be happy to connect you with them!

The Finishing Touches

        Have your nails done
        Fake eyelashes compliment your eyes the best

        Have your ring cleaned (super important!)

        Skip the spray tan

        Avoid clothes that show tags and bra straps

        Avoid clothing with branding or logos

    Check your wrist for hair ties and empty your pockets before your session

The Perfect Time – Golden Hour

What is “golden hour”? Simply put, golden hour is the hour before the sun sets behind the horizon. You will love golden hour because it is the best light to compliment you in your engagement photos. This light enhances your portraits giving them a romantic, enchanting, and timeless feel. For that reason, I love to schedule my sessions just before sunset to take advantage of the “golden hour” because the light is at it’s dreamiest. These also tend to be my couple’s favorite photos from their wedding or engagement session.

The                Experience

Wedding