In the wise words of Benjamin Franklin, “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” And this couldn’t be more true when it comes to your engagement session. I will be sharing how to prep for an engagement session and it is my hope that I will provide an easy (and helpful) way to prepare for your session.
Clean it ’til it sparkles!
1.Clean your ring. Get your ring professionally cleaned the week of your session. It photographs best when it catches the light and sparkles! Get a manicure that week too. We advise to go with neutral colors as they photograph well. Avoid bright and trendy colors as they will date your images and will take away from the timelessness of them.
Go for coordinating, not matching.
2. Choose your outfits carefully. I advise to have my brides choose 3-5 outfits and bring them all with her. For the guys it is usually 2-4. Make sure they are clean, pressed and hung. You don’t want wrinkles in your photos. You want your outfits to coordinate, not match. For more on what that means, I have a post here that is dedicated to just that. During your session there will be an opportunity to change your outfit. Think about what you want your final gallery to look and feel like when deciding on what to wear. I recommend one dressy and one more casual outfit for a balanced and diverse gallery.
p.s. shape wear is never a bad idea 😉
Take the day and enjoy it!
3. Opt for a day off. The day of your session shouldn’t involve you rushing from one place to another, leaving work early to jump in the shower and rush through makeup. That’s all way too stressful and it will show in your images. I recommend that you two spend the day together, enjoy a glass of wine while you get ready. Hire a professional to do you hair and makeup and just allow yourself to be pampered. The more relaxed you are when we start, the better. Most couples favorite images are those that just happen because they are enjoying theirselves. So, if it stresses you out, leave it out that day! You’re only getting one engagement session, make it a memorable day!
Let the pros worry about it…
4. Hire a professional. Opt to hire a stylist to do your hair and makeup. You deserve to be pampered and just relax while letting someone get you ready. We offer a team of professional stylists that will come to your home. You can stay in your joggers, enjoy that glass of wine with your man and let them do all the work. Professionals have been trained in what to do and look for when styling for photography. This is a step you won’t regret investing in!
Hit the hay early!
5. Rest up. I can not stress this enough. Rest, rest and rest some more. You know that phrase, “beauty sleep”? It isn’t a joke. Getting a solid 7-9 hours of rest the night before will result in better moods and help you avoid those dark circles under your eyes. This applies to gals and guys. Skip the Netflix binge and turn in early the night before and you will not regret it!
Get in all those ounces.
5. Drink up. Water, that is. For the days leading up to your session, drink lots of water and avoid excessive amounts of soft drinks and alcohol. Doing this will result in glowing radiant skin. It will also help reduce bloat and puffiness.
Treat yourselves. You deserve it!
6. Go out afterwards. We recommend that you guys treat yourself to dinner or drinks after your session. A small way to remind yourself that through all the stressful wedding planning, your relationship is at the center of it all. You guys will be all dolled up and dressed to the 9’s, take this opportunity and treat it like a date night. It’s easy to get caught up in the stressors of wedding prep and you may need to just take a breath and relax.
We are so excited that you are a #JBCouple!
All in all, this session is all about you two and the love you share. This post is meant as a guide for our couples so that they achieve the best most amazing gallery that is possible. We hope that this was a helpful as you prep for an engagement session. We welcome your suggestions. Are you a past JB Bride and have anything you would like to share? Leave it below so that our future couples can benefit from your wisdom.
We are here to help you through this process and can’t wait for your E-Session!!
Need some advise on which type of engagement session is best for you? I break it down here in this post.
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