engagement photos 101: who, what, where, when and why

Who [should take them]:

Your wedding photographer.

This may seem obvious, but I continue to be surprised by how many couples reach out to me for their engagement photos before they hire their wedding photographer. I include them as part of the full wedding coverage I offer since I believe it’s so important for us to get to know each other way before your big day — it really makes a difference, trust me. Read on to learn why…

Who [should be at them]:

You two… and your cat/dog, if you’d like (w/a buddy to help and take your #urbanrowpup home once done)! That’s it. No need to have an audience! While parents and friends have the best intentions in wanting to join in to help, most of the time, they can be a distraction and often prevent genuine emotion and authentic moments from unfolding naturally.

What [makes them so important]:

They help you get comfortable with not only your wedding photographer as a trusted friend, but having a camera in front of you prior to your wedding!

No one should learn those 2 things on a day that is full of so much emotion, importance and stress on its own.

PRO TIP: Schedule your hair and make up trial for the same day as your engagement photos, so you can not only feel the most confident during our time together, but then your hair/makeup trial won’t go to waste on a random weekday. 😉

Where [anywhere fun and meaningful to you both]:
Read this blog post for ideas… 36 engagement location ideas in Baltimore and then let me know what resonates with you! Even just knowing what kind of vibe you’re interested in is helpful to suggest more location ideas.

Think about… what you like to do for fun together // where you had your first date // your favorite bar / restaurant / garden / park / cute street // where you like to go on walks together // is there a new place you’d like to explore together // is there a location that is the opposite of your wedding venue vibe to allow you to have all the variety of backdrops in your photos (ie: a garden/park or waterfront if your venue is industrial and full of brick and other hard surfaces)…?

When [as soon as you are ready!]:
A lot of couples will ask me when they should take their engagement photos, and my answer is ALWAYS as soon as you are ready and we can find a date that works for both of us — because the sooner you take the photos, the sooner you will have them at your disposal to use on your wedding website, for save the dates, or even just prints to hang up around your house to make you smile during the stress of wedding planning!

The other bonus to getting them done sooner is the ability to reschedule if weather requires it and not feel stressed as your wedding approaches and you haven’t taken them yet. It’s also one more excuse to have to celebrate this exciting time in your lives and enjoy just being engaged – it’s a fleeting chapter that often gets rushed!

But… what day of the week and what time of day is best?
I’ve found Mon-Wed afternoon/evenings work best because that’s when all the parks, museums, public promenades, restaurants and bars are the least crowded! 😉 Waiting until about 1-2 hours before sunset (the famous golden hour!) is the most flattering natural light. If you’re envisioning a sunrise session or moodier after-dark photos, let’s do it… I’m game for anything!

Last, but not least, the sooner you take them, the more comfortable you will feel about working with your photographer on the wedding day. The couples that get to know me in advance of the wedding are always more confident and relaxed not only in their photos but at the wedding day as well, because we’ve had time to connect and develop a bond throughout the process!

Why [why not? and saying you’re awkward isn’t true… I promise you’re not!]:
If these reasons haven’t already convinced you, then please reach out and let me know your specific concerns… 😉 every couple and situation is different however, after photographing weddings for 10+ years, I’ve seen and experienced a lot!

But what it really comes down to is, having beautiful, professional photos outside of your wedding day that celebrate your relationship and love story is SO valuable and they will make your wedding photos so much more genuine because of how comfortable and confident you and your partner feel in front of the camera.

I know for a fact that all of our #urpcouples will tell you how much fun they had at their engagement session and that it’s not actually as awkward and stressful as you may think!

If you recently got engaged, reach out HERE to get your photos scheduled!