How To Plan Your Memorable Engagement Session
“Kai took his time and knew exactly what he needed to capture a variety of beautiful story telling shots - natural, candid, pure and warm. We truly felt like it was a date night and a friend was with us to be our hype man!”
- Diem and Ryan - 2020 - Joshua Tree Engagement Session
To me, your engagement photos are just as important as your wedding photos. Your engagement session should never be an afterthought and I’m here to help you make your session a fun and memorable experience!
Table of contents
Why You Should Have An Engagement Session
There are many reasons to have an engagement session beyond just getting a few photos for your save the date cards. Here are a couple of reasons why you should book an engagement session:
You get to know me before your wedding!
I love getting to know my clients on a deeper level and engagement shoots are a great way for me to do that. After our shoot, you’ll know my style, how I pose, and ultimately what to expect from me on your wedding day. That’s one less thing you have to worry about! Plus, not gonna lie I’m cool AF! We’re gonna talk about our favorite foods, music, places we want to travel to, and of course the latest drama on the bachelor (not gonna lie I’m really looking forward to Matt James’ season). We’re gonna have a blast!
Engagement sessions are a great way to deepen your relationship!
For most couples I work with, it’s their first time doing a photoshoot with their partner. Jumping in front of a camera is a very vulnerable thing to do and pushes most people out of their comfort zone. But what I love seeing is the nerves disapate when they realize they get to try something new with the love of their life. They’re spending intentional time together, playing in front of the camera and reflecting on what their relationship means to them. From time to time we can all use a container space to reflect on why we fell in love with our significant other, and engagement sessions are a great way of doing that!
You’ll feel like a pro in front of the camera.
What a lot of clients tell me is “I’ve never posed in front of the camera before and I’m hella nervous!”. Well fear not, I got you! I love helping my clients feel relaxed and comfortable in front of the camera. You won’t get rigged, stiff poses from me, rather direction and guidance on how to be your natural best selves inf front of the camera. I’ll ask you prompts and questions that will let you reflect on your relationship and hopefully fall a little more in love with one another.
My Approach
For me, I love nothing more than watching my couples relax and become their true and authentic selves in front of the camera. In order to get there that takes trust! Trust in me and trust in my process. I like to ground myself in a few values that allow me to get authentic and playful images of you.
I Care About Your Story
From our first phone call, I’m listening, excited to hear about your love story. I want to know what you love about one another, your favorite past times, and most importantly, why you’re choosing your partner to share the rest of your life with. I want to tell your story authentically, and in order to do so, I first want to understand who you are as a couple.
Good Vibez = Good Photos
You’ll discover pretty quickly that I’m an extroverted energetic person who loves having a good time. I love to banter with my friends, family, and clients. You should expect that the entire session I’ll be cracking jokes and trying to make you both laugh.
Leading With Enthusiasm
Like Diem and Ryan said above, I’m your hype man! You’ll find me shouting from behind my camera things like “oh! that’s incredible, hold that” or “yes! holy shit that’s an awesome shot!!!”. When I’m energetic and excited, I want to share it with the people around me.
What To Wear
Probably the question I get asked the most, and it’s an important one. There are guidelines that will help you dress your best, but more importantly you want to feel good in what you wear. Rules are meant to be broken, so in the end: wear what makes you feel you. That could be an epic cocktail dress, or your favorite pair of jeans. Just remember to be yourself!
Some helpful tips:
Wear colors that compliment each other and avoid colors that clash.
Choose colors that match the colors in your environment.
Coordinate your outfits but don’t wear matching outfits.
Avoid bold patterns. Trust me, I love a good pattern, but most of the time patterned clothes clash with backgrounds. We want to clearly see you in every shot!
If you choose high-heels or dress shoes, bring backup comfy shoes that still look fresh.
Bring multiple outfits! I’ll even bring a portable changing room so you don’t have to struggle changing in the back of your car.
Location Location Location!
Remember to have your engagement shoot at a place that has some sentimental value to you or is a place you’re excited to shoot at! Danielle and Travis told me that they love just getting drinks at a bar and chatting for hours. We found a swanky bar in Portland called Rontoms and got some incredibly playful photos. Travis kept apologizing because he kept making Danielle laugh, but I loved it! You could really see that because they were in a familiar environment, they were able to relax and be themselves in front of the camera.
But if you need some help planning. Here are a few of my favorite spots in the Portland and greater Portland area
Bring Props or Share and Activity
A great way to wrap a shoot is with a champagne bottle pop! It’s exhilarating to open a bottle of bubbly and let it fly everywhere. Plus who doesn’t want to feel like a kid again, jumping up and down with the love of your life. Don’t worry, my cameras are weather-sealed, so go wild and I’ll capture every moment.
Alternatively, you can share an activity you both love to do together! Eric and Emily (above) met and fell in love as partner dancers. Naturally, I brought my Bluetooth speaker and I captured them dancing to a few songs together. It was so romantic and sweet to watch them dance together and connect over something they were passionate about.
Whether you choose to pop a bottle, read your favorite book together or do something active like toss a frisbee, it’s important to remember less is more! I’d recommend sticking to one prop or activity for your session in order to keep things simple and streamlined. It will mean fewer things to carry and prep for your shoot as well!
You Won’t Feel Like A Poser (I Promise)
Most clients tell me right off the bat “I’ve never posed in front of a camera before, how do I do it???”
It can be nerve-wracking when you first get in front of the camera. But I’m here to help soothe those nerves and guide you through the shoot. (sometimes that includes a pre-shoot shot like at Danielle and Travis’ session, which i loved)
Instead of leading with posing directions, I love to lead with intimate and personal questions that you’ll answer with your partner. “What are you looking forward to celebrating the most on your wedding day?” “Do you remember the moment you fell in love with your partner?” “What does sharing the rest of your life with your partner mean to you?”
When I ask my clients these questions I immediately see their nerves fall away as their attention moves away from my camera and focuses on one another. These intimate questions matter to me because they allow you to be your most authentic self in front of the camera.
Feel Celebrated!
We understand planning your wedding in today’s climate is incredibly difficult. So many couples I’ve talked to are postponing or canceling their weddings and elopements and it breaks my heart. More than ever I believe your love deserves to be celebrated. Even if you can’t have the wedding of your dreams, you can still have a safe and magical engagement session. Get the date-night-photo-shoot you’ve been wanting now even if your wedding has to wait.
You and your partner deserve playful, energetic, and wholehearted images. I’m here to make that magic happen!
