Engagement Photo tips:
everything you need to know
Your engagement photo shoot is the perfect way to celebrate your upcoming wedding. Your engagement session is meant to be a fun, stress-free experience that marks the beginning of the wedding planning process!
Your engagement photos can be used for several purposes. It’s always a good idea to have some professionally taken images as a couple to use during the wedding planning process. You can use these photos for things such as your save-the-dates or your wedding website.
It’s also a great time to practice poses that you might want to incorporate into your couple’s portraits. We understand that many people feel awkward taking pictures, so our photographers try to make you feel at ease in front of the camera. Within the first few shots, you should start to feel more confident, and we try to take candid shots that make you feel as if the camera isn’t even there.
Many couples choose to make the day of their engagement photo session a romantic date experience. Once you are finished taking photos, treat yourself to a date night at your favorite restaurant while you are all dressed up!
Our photographers love to get to know you during the engagement photo session and we encourage you to ask them questions, as well as discuss certain shots that you want to make sure they capture on your big day. It’s a great time to try out any ideas for poses you might want to use for your wedding portraits too!
Make sure you wear something that you are comfortable with. If you feel your best in a dressy evening gown, go for that. If you feel the comfiest in a t-shirt and jeans, then you should wear that. It’s all about what makes you feel like the best version of yourself.
We recommend wearing pastels and neutral tones because you want to be the focus of your photos, not your outfit! If you have a wedding color scheme picked out, it might be a good idea to incorporate some of those colors into your outfit to create a cohesive look.
Make sure you dress for the season because engagement photo shoots can last anywhere from 60-90 minutes. If you are taking your engagement photos in fall or winter, opt for long sleeves, darker-colored clothing, and layers. If you are taking your photos in spring or summer, wear breathable fabrics and light pastels or neutrals.
If you already know who is going to do your hair and makeup for your wedding, a great idea is to plan to have your trial done right before your photo shoot. This may take some planning ahead of time, so make sure you communicate with both our team and your hair stylist/makeup artist. If you like getting your nails done, make sure they are freshly painted so your photographer can get some close-ups of you two holding hands and your gorgeous ring!
There are many ways to make your photo shoot unique, but the most important part is being you! Try to act naturally and interact as you normally would as a couple. These shots are candid and really show the real you!
Some of our favorite engagement photo props include bottles of champagne that you can pop, save-the-date signs, picnic baskets, or even a bouquet of flowers! Another idea is to include your dog in your photos for a cute and personalized cameo.
Many couples have never taken professional photos together before their engagement session. That being said, you may have no idea where to stand, whether you should look into the camera or not, etc. To put your mind at ease, our team at New Pace has worked with hundreds of couples and helped them go through this process many times before!
Worried you look awkward in photos or you’re unphotogenic? Don’t worry— you’re definitely not alone! The key to looking confident on camera is acting like it’s not even there. Be in the moment with your partner and interact as you normally would. It’s also a good idea to share anything you might be insecure about with your photographer. If you prefer a side of your face or you want to highlight your long legs, let your photographer know and they will work to highlight your preferences in the photos.
ARMS AROUND YOU
THE TRUST FALL
CANDID LAUGHTER
THE EMBRACE
WALKING SHOTS
FACE TO FACE
It’s best to have your engagement photo session locally so that you have the same photographer for your engagement session and wedding day and you avoid having to pay any additional travel fees.
Usually, we recommend that our couples choose either one or two locations to take their engagement photos if they want to get the most out of their session. Keep in mind that your session lasts only 60-90 minutes, with travel time included.
YOUR FAVORITE HIKING TRAIL
THE PLACE YOU MET
YOUR COLLEGE CAMPUS
Your engagement photo location doesn’t have to be somewhere that means something to your relationship. It could just match the vibe of the type of shoot you want to have. If you are having a rustic wedding, you might want to have a more country feel for your engagement photo shoot.
If you are looking for more natural outdoor engagement photo location ideas, here are some of our favorites:
BEACH VIBES
AUTUMN WOODS
BLOOMING GARDEN
CASCADING FALLS
18th Century Gardens, Philadelphia
Hershey Gardens, Hershey
Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square
Wildflower Lookout, Lancaster
The Shore, New Jersey
White Cliffs of Conroy, Lancaster
After you book your photography with us we’ll start getting everything set up for you and your wedding team! Behind the scenes we’ll be planning right away and working on the logistics for your day.
We know that you’ll be excited to get your session scheduled, but we do need a few weeks to make sure everything will be picture perfect planning wise! But not to worry, when we’re all set we will reach out to help select the perfect date and location for your engagement session.
Your engagement photo session is usually tied to when your wedding is taking place and the deadline for sending out your save-the-dates. If you’ll be using your images for save-the-dates, those are usually sent out to your guests approximately 8-12 months before your wedding.
If you really want fall engagement photos with the leaves falling in the background, make sure it works with your wedding timeline before planning the session. Something to also keep in mind as you plan is that during peak wedding season our photographers are shooting weddings on the weekends so engagement sessions are scheduled Monday through Thursday.
You may think that the best time to take your photos is during the brightest time of the day, but it’s actually the last hour before sunset. This time is called the “golden hour.” This is a magic time when the lighting is perfect outdoors for photography.
Contact us today to book your engagement and wedding photography. Our team of dedicated photographers and videographers will make sure your day is captured in a fun, modern, and epic way!
