How To Have The Best Engagement Session Ever

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Congratulations, you’re engaged! You’ve found an awesome photographer and you’re ready to move forward with getting engagement photos done, but you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into; what do you wear, what should you bring, where do you put your hands?!
To alleviate any anxiety and get you prepared for your fun session,we’ve put together a list of all of the questions you want answered; read on below, and get in touch if you’d like to chat more about planning your dream engagement session!

1. What’s the point of an engagement session?

I always refer to engagement sessions as the “warm-up” to your big day. I almost always recommend that my clients have an engagement session before their wedding or elopement because it’s the perfect way for us to get to know each other, and find a level of comfort that will be reflective in your photos. If you feel comfortable, you look comfortable in photos, aka: AMAZING. The engagement session is our first date; it allows us to have a purely fun time where we can take it slow and learn how we can capture your most genuine and real moments.

2. When is the best time to do them?

The timeline of when you complete your engagement session is totally up to YOU! If you’re looking to add the photos to your save the dates, get them done earlier than later. If you’re just looking for a fun experience, choose your favorite season! Are you in love with Colorado summers and want to hike up to a thawed Alpine Lake? Late summer it is. Do you want to have a backdrop of towering, golden aspens? Let’s do the fall. Are skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing one of your love languages? Let’s get out in the powder for a dreamy winter session.

3. Where should we go?

Again, your choice! I’ve done engagement sessions on mountaintops, in City Park, on a frozen lake, on Colfax after dark..the list goes on. When it really comes down to it, the location of your engagement session should speak to your heart and inspire you. Perhaps we start at the small mountain-town ice cream shop where you two had your first date, and then move on to a hiking trail leading up to a beautiful vista. Or maybe we begin at Denver Bicycle Cafe for a beer or a latte, and then head over to City Park for sunset. Maybe we get up at 4am, pack our headlamps and Yaktrax, and starting hiking before the sun comes up to catch the alpenglow on RMNP’s peaks at Sky Pond. Another option is to just stay at home! Home is absolutely where the heart is, and intimate sessions in bed, cooking dinner in the kitchen, or sitting on your porch can provide a truly genuine and fun experience.

4. What should we wear?

Deciding on what to wear for your engagement session can be tricky, but just remember: comfort is your best friend. Now that doesn’t mean donning your favorite pair of sweats (I mean, unless you really want to) but finding outfits that make you feel comfortable and beautiful from the inside out. Chose easily pair-able clothing: stay away from loud colors, and stick with neutral tones that you can mix-and-match depending on what your partner is wearing. I suggest bringing at least two outfits; one on the snappier side (think wedding guest attire), and one on the more casual side (think date night attire). I’m a big fan of visual aids, so I’ve put together an inclusive (every person, every body) Pinterest board that shows some of my favorite all-season engagement session outfits. Check it out!

5. Should we bring anything?

Definitely! Bringing props is totally optional, but highly recommended. The items you bring can add an even more personal and “you” touch to your photo session. Some of my favorite props that couples have incorporated into their engagement photos are: a whole dang picnic, a cozy blanket, your furry bffs (pets are ALWAYS welcome on engagement sessions unless location prohibits it), a little liquid courage, masks or costume accessories (think matching storm-trooper helmets), etc. Your session can be whatever you want it to be, so let’s get creative!

6. We haven’t had photos done before, what if we look awkward?!

I get this question a lot, and the truth is that most couples have never had any professional photos taken of them before. What I like to tell all my couples is this: every person and every couple you see on my Instagram, website, etc, has said almost the exact same thing. All of my couples are real humans that have the same awkward feelings around getting their photos taken that you may have; I’m here to make this experience as fun and comfortable as possible! We will take amazing photos of you, and eventually you’ll loosen up; possibly at the end you’ll even say that you had a really fun time 🙂