SET DATE, TIME & LOCATION WITH ACP
REVIEW GUIDE FOR STYLE TIPS
SCHEDULE HAIR & MAKEUP
CHOOSE OUTFITS
PICK A LOCATION MEANINGFUL TO YOU
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THE ENGAGEMENT SESSION IS ONE OF OUR favorite parts of our time together because it gives you both a chance to be in front of the camera before you get married, which is going to make your wedding day experience feel so smooth, seamless and comfortable. Not only that, but we get to create something so special together. You’re going to be married for over fifty years, but you only get to be engaged for this short period of time. We’re so excited to capture the only time in your life when you get to be each other’s fiances. We created this guide for you, and packed it with all our best secrets for getting the best out of your engagement experience, so let’s dive right in!
style guide
The engagement Session
a luxury experience
CHOOSING
TIME & DATE
I absolutely LOVE natural light, light from the sun and its reflections, creates photographs that feel fresh, timeless and true to you as a couple. You have two options for time. SUNRISE (don' t count this out, these session make the best ones) & SUNSET. We will begin all engagement sessions two hours before the scheduled sunset or directly following SUNRISE. Keep in mind when planning, the sun sets/rises much earlier/later during the colder months of the year and much later during the warmer months, so make sure to
factor that in when choosing your engagement session date, especially if you’re taking time off work or have evening plans afterward.
To get the most out of your session, please plan a buffer when getting ready so you can arrive a few minutes early. We will take most of the pictures with natural light, so we’ll want to take advantage of every minute we have together before the sun goes down. If you’re wearing two outfits, save your favorite one for the second half, and if you’re wearing only one, arrive in that.
THIS IS THE TIME TO THINK outside the box! We encourage you to brainstorm unique locations that you might have special access to that most people don’t. For example, maybe you, or someone in your personal or professional network, can secure permission to a location that would otherwise be off-limits, like a beautiful private estate, country club or resort. Maybe it’s a family ranch, upscale hotel or even an airplane hangar. The sky is literally the limit! Spend a few minutes thinking about it and checking around. You’ll be surprised with what you come up with. Plus, if something seems out of reach, just remember: you never know until you ask! Our couples have secured permission to some pretty amazing places in the past.
Secondly think about places that are meaningful to you & your fiance. Maybe the place you first met, the place you always go for ice cream, your first date location. We can always start at a location that is fun & end at that dreamy location you have always loved. Also feel free to throw some ideas at me & see if they are something we think would make for amazing photos. If you get stuck or need inspiration, check out the engagement section of our blog and keep browsing through this guide. We have some great go-to locations around town that we can always hit, too. Just let us know which session you love, and whether you’d like to feature the city or not, and we will go from there!
** I do love to travel & would love to do your engagement session at a Destination location. If you have questions about what this looks like & what our travel fee is don't hesitate to ask**
selecting the right
LOCATION
Who doesn't love an excuse to dress up?? This session can be as formal or casual as YOU want. Have you thought about rocking a sequined gown, tulle skirt or flower crown but just never had an occasion for it? This is your chance to do it up! Remember: There is no such thing as “too dressed up” when it comes to your engagement session, so don’t be afraid to have some fun!
"Give a girl the right shoes & she can conquer the world" - MM
one or two?
FOR HER
Most of our brides choose to have two outfits during their engagement session. One "wow" dress & one causal look. Either a dress or cute fun outfit! Long & flowy dresses & skirts look amazing on camera because they bring a little extra movement on camera. Dresses are also more flattering for women!
CHOOSING COLORS
When choosing colors for outfits we recommend selecting lighter tones and more muted shade but you can always make a statement by selecting bold colors! Some of our favorite dresses end up being Red dresses, white dresses, green or blue ones! We LOVE bold colors!
MANY OF OUR GROOMS LOVE TO MIX A SUIT COAT, BLAZER or sport coat with a different pant color. It adds some extra visual interest, and can be more fun than wearing a full suit. Have his outfit stay neutral to compliment yours. Pants are always the best option, try to stay away from shorts, they aren't the most flattering in sessions. Also, Shoes are important too for men. This is a perfect excuse to rock those accessories!
MOST MEN AREN’T OVERLY EXCITED TO TAKE PHOTOS FOR TWO hours, because they don’t have an expectation of what’s to come and why it’s so important to you. Take fifteen minutes to educate and empower your guy. Tell him why you chose us and our style of photography. Show him your three favorite sessions that we’ve done, explain why you love them and express to him how much it means to you. Trust us, once he knows it’s important, he’ll light up the camera for you! The most common thing we hear from guys before engagement sessions is this: because of a bad experience in the past, they don’t like taking photos or don’t think they’ll be good at it. By the time we’re done, though, they can’t believe how fast it went and just how much fun they had!
Because you can never have your man look too good
FOR HIM
Let's coordinate
the looks
AS YOU’RE COORDINATING your outfit with your fiance’s, keep in mind that your outfits will look the most cohesive on camera when the color palettes coordinate, but don’t
necessarily “match.” You should each aim to wear a different dominant color, but stay within a similar color palette family. So if you’re wearing a blush dress, soft blue earrings and nude heels (blush being your dominant color), then he could wear a navy coat with gray pants, paired with brown leather shoes and maybe even a blush pocket square. Now he has his own dominant color (navy) while still incorporating a few touches of your color palette. Most of our brides choose their dress first, and then put together their fiance’s outfit based on that. That’s why we have a section for each of you.
REVIEW GUIDE FOR ALL OF THE TIPS
SET A DATE, TIME & LOCATION WITH ACP
CHOOSE YOUR OUTFITS
SCHEDULE HAIR & MAKEUP - GET YOUR NAILS DONE
engagment session checklist
PICK A FUN POST-SESSION DATE NIGHT SPOT
PACK A BAG WITH
OUTFIT TWO
FLATS FOR WALKING BETWEEN PHOTO SPOTS
WATER IF ITS HOT
JACKETS FOR COLDER SESSIONS