ENGAGEMENTs
WHAT TO EXPECT + How to prepare!
First things first - I highly recommend sitting down with your significant other and discussing the vibe you want for your engagement session! This will help with all of the decisions to follow, like location + wardrobe. Here are some ideas:
-You might want to incorporate things you enjoy doing together, like hiking, riding motorcycles, skateboarding, surfing, or grabbing drinks at a fun bar.
Samples of sessions like that:
1. Zack + Natalia talked to me about their love of motorcycles and skateboards, so we incorporated those elements into their session.
-You might want to make it a weekend getaway!
1. Heather + Max love to go camping in their free time, so they met us in Big Sur for a weekend of camping and a very romantic session on the coast.
2. Garrett + Rachel decided to mix their snuggly side and their edgy side by booking a hotel room in Palm Springs for something more relaxed and intimate along with some golden hour desert goodness.
-You might have an aesthetic in mind and want a location that fits that vibe.1. Kevin + Marielle came to me with a very specific aesthetic of ‘post apocalyptic’ meets ‘Vogue’, I sent them a location that immediately came to mind for that contemporary meets end of the world vibe, and it was perfect!
2. Gus + Alyssa wanted a cinematic, Quentin Tarantino-esque session, so they literally booked the church from the Kill Bill movies.
3. Nichole + Joey wanted a midcentury vibe, so they booked an AirBnB and rented a classic car to make it happen.
-You might want to go back to the city you met and/or fell in love in, or go somewhere you love to spend time together.
Samples of sessions like that:
1. Sharmin + Greg’s Los Angeles Engagement Session - vintage meets modern Hollywood vibes
2. Derrick + Luiza live in the Bay Area, so we traveled to them and chose an iconic view of the Golden Gate Bridge for their sesh in San Francisco.
-You might want to incorporate a particular season.1. Danielle + Rodney embraced Winter with their gorgeous snowy engagement sesh.
2. Chelsea + Brandon originally wanted a Fall wedding, but they ended up needing to move it to Summer, so we chose a redwood forest location in October and they stylishly incorporated flannel into their wardrobe for an Autumn inspired session.
-You might want something closer to home, but still beautiful… I got you!
1. Wendi + Kenny knew they wanted something in the desert, so to keep it fresh and away from the crowds of Palm Springs or Joshua Tree, I chose this epic location for them for a little adventure, but no out of town stays.
2. Mark + Sarah live in the Bay Area but are planning a desert wedding in Joshua Tree, they didn’t want to travel too far from their hotel and wanted to stick close to their venue for a cohesive look to their wedding day, so we chose Palm Springs!
3. Cheyenne + Brett knew they were moving away from the West Coast, so they chose the beach near their house, and it was perfect.
You can see how figuring out the vibe you want really helps with location. If you have something specific in mind that’s GREAT! If not definitely discuss between you where you see your session taking place; mountains, beach, forest, city, indoors, outdoors,
Wardrobe:
I always suggest 1-2 outfits - anything more than that takes up a lot of time changing, breaks up the flow of the session and can become a little overwhelming. I want you two to be as relaxed as possible and settle into the poses and moments without feeling rushed. If you decide on two outfits choose one that’s more casual and another that’s a little more dressy, this will give you the best of both worlds and the most variety. I always suggest you come in the more casual outfit to start with and end with the more dressy one. Not all of my couples choose multiple outfits, and that’s okay! Don’t feel obligated to do that. If you’re getting overwhelmed choosing multiple outfits then by all means put your energy into finding one that you both feel good about wearing and focus more on just having an amazing session. Neutral color palettes do tend to photograph best in most locations so that’s always my suggestion. However, feel free to add some color if that suits your personality or vibe! Try to keep to solids, or choose textures over busy patterns.Wear things that are easy to move around in! Make sure you can lift your arms, walk, run, wrap your arms around each other, sit down, etc… It might sound silly, but it happens and trust me you’ll most likely regret wearing something so restrictive.
PRO TIP: Find a statement piece that makes you feel like a bad ass! A vintage coat, a leather jacket, a nice pair of shoes, something with texture like velvet, or one bright piece that you can plan the rest of the wardrobe around.