5 Ways to Nail Your Engagement Session

One of the questions we get asked the most by our brides is “What do we wear to our engagement session?” We’ve totally got you covered! However, when we answer just that question, we always feel like we are leaving important information on the table. “What to wear” is just one of the important parts of your engagement session. So today we are opening up about what, from our experience, we consider to be 5 things that can make or break your engagement session. If you follow these 5 things, you and your fiance are set up for an amazingly successful session!

A Cohesive Look

First, try to coordinate with your fiance. This is not to be confused with matching. Please, whatever you do, do not wear matching white shirts and khaki pants. Hopefully we didn’t need to say that. When we say coordinate, that just means that your outfits should look like they belong together. For example, if you are wearing a classy cobalt blue dress, make sure that he is wearing something that compliments that color or even has a little bit of blue in his outfit too.

Second, as a general rule, lighter solid colors and pastels are going to be better than dark colors and busy patterns. We want the focus to be all about you and solid colors tend to be much better. And we just love light colors! It makes your images seem so much more dreamy! Keep it light, simple and classy. Classy never goes out of style.

Finally, layering is always a good option. In Greenville, the weather is known for being totally unpredictable. We could get 30 degrees in the morning and 75 degrees in the afternoon. But even if it gets a little warm, try to use some layers. For example, you can try a solid colored top and finish it off with a cute blazer, light sweater or patterned scarf. And for the guys, we always love seeing a solid sweater or a sport coat involved. Totally classic! You may get a little warm, especially during the summer, but it’s totally worth it for images that will last a lifetime! If you want more inspiration on styling your outfits, check out Alyssa’s fabulous Pinterest board of engagement session outfit ideas.

A Little Extra Sparkle

Accessories, accessories, accessories. Oh yeeeah. That little extra sparkle can pull your whole look together! Ladies, a statement necklace, a pair of matching earrings or a set of shiny gold bracelets can take an outfit from gorgeous to BAM! And for the men, sometimes a nice Fossil watch or even a handsome pair of dress shoes can take his look up a notch.

We always say we want you to be the best version of yourself on your engagement session, just like you want to look your best on your wedding day! These are the photos you will want to put on your wall! We still want you to be you. But we want you to be the version of you two that dresses up a little bit to go out on a special date or see a Broadway show! And a little bling can be an easy way to take it to the next level.

A Finishing Touch

Another small touch we recommend for our brides is to set up a professional hair and makeup appointment before your session. This can make a huge difference in how you feel about your images. It all goes back to helping you to be the best version of yourself. Do we think you need makeup? Totally not! You are beautiful just the way you are! We truly believe that. But we want you to look at your images and see an absolutely gorgeous side of yourself that you have maybe never seen before. A little professional touch can help you do just that.

Also, almost all of our brides have their hair and makeup professionally done on their wedding day. Hair and makeup artists have a lot of experience in what will look good on camera. They can make little adjustments to give you the best possible look. And if they are doing your hair and makeup on your wedding day, then this is the perfect opportunity to do a practice run! These images will be so important to you guys as you head into your marriage and especially later in life. Spending a little extra in this area can make a big difference in the long run.

A Stand Up Guy

Well ladies, the bottom line? This one is important. There is no doubt your fiance is the best man there ever was! But most guys are not super thrilled about getting their photos taken. Ryan is totally right there with them all the way! In our experience, most guys have just had a bad experience in the past that has caused them to think this is going to be a long day of pictures when they would rather be watching football. We can’t blame them! But if you ask our grooms, they will tell you it actually turns out to be a lot more fun than they thought after all. Ryan is their best friend. He is watching and making sure that your guy is enjoying himself. Alyssa would keep taking pictures forever. Girls are just like that. But guys are different. Ryan knows that and he always makes sure that the guys are having a good time as well!

Now, we will absolutely do our best to make it an amazing experience. However, we need you to do a little bit of homework as well. We know how important these images are to you. You have spent all of this time picking your outfit (maybe even shopping for it if you’re anything like us), choosing accessories and scheduling hair and makeup. The other thing we know is that, since your fiance is the best man there ever was (reference above), he would do anything for you. So here’s what you can do to help make this an amazing experience that you guys talk about forever.

Sit down with your guy. And with all sincerity share with him how important these images are to you and that you need him all in on this for you. You need his help to make this a success for you two and for your memories. Being the standup guy that he is, he will be there for you. Guaranteed.

A Lot of Fun

If you have the first 4 items on this list, then this one will be absolutely no problem. We will take it from there! When you show up to your engagement session, just be ready to have some fun. Be ready to get a hug from us. Be ready to try some new things that will make you laugh but will look amazing. Be ready for Ryan’s same jokes over and over and be ready to laugh even though they aren’t funny at all. You guys are so ready for this!

Relax.

Have a good time.

Make some memories that will last a lifetime. We will be there to guide you every step of the way. And the best part is that when you have fun together, it shows up in the final product. You guys are amazing! We will see you there!