Engagement sessions are a great way to get to know your wedding photographer and for both of you to practice working together. A lot of times, it can be a nerve-wracking experience to be in front of the camera and during your engagement session, it can help put those nerves at ease.

Here are my favorite tips for having an incredible engagement session:

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1: Take A Deep Breath

It can feel intimidating to be photographed, but first things first is to take a deep breath and trust the process. If you have hired a photographer you trust, most of the work will be in their hands. Have fun and don’t worry so much about the little things. If a hair is out of place or something needs to be fixed, your photographer will fix it. If not, there is beauty in the wind-blown hair or little imperfections.

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2: Have Your Session Tell Your Story

Your engagement session should be fun and doesn’t have the constraints that a wedding day might. You can have fun with the details like location, outfits, the look and feel of the session, etc. I loved this Lake Michigan Sand Dune Session because it just felt like we were in another world and it was such a creative and beautiful way to showcase this incredible couple’s love.

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3: Be Open To The Process

Leighanne and Samantha’s field engagement session was one of my favorites because we were able to just relax the nerves away and be present in the moment. THIS is when the magic happens. In the middle of the session, Leighanne started to cry because she just couldn’t believe that she had found Samantha. There is nothing in the world more beautiful than the authenticity of this moment.

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4: Keep It Simple

Don’t get caught up in incorporating 5 outfits and finding multiple locations. I always suggest to keep it simple. I think that two outfits is perfect an when you change locations multiple times, you end up spending a majority of your session changing and driving than actually being photographed. Your interaction with each other should be the focus of the session and while outfits are very important, make sure to keep your focus on each other.

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5: Plan Classic + Beautiful Outfits

Outfits are definitely a huge part of your session and should be planned accordingly. I always, always suggest dressing up over dressing down and asking your photographer colors and patterns that they recommend. For me and my style of photography, since I’m more of a light and airy photographer, I suggest classic and timeless neutrals. Classic suits for men and beautiful dresses with a simple pattern or no pattern. You don’t want your outfits to be loud, but you want them to compliment your photos beautifully. I also always encourage you to make sure that you feel confident in your clothing.