Prepping for your engagement photo session seems like it should be super easy. But often, our Emerald Stone Photography couples have a few questions for us…

“What should I wear?”
“How many outfits should we bring?”
“How should I do my hair and make up?”
“What if it rains?”

After all, many of our couples have never done this before! So, we thought we’d gather our TOP 5 TIPS Emerald Stone shares with our couples on how to best prepare for your engagement photo shoot and what to expect.

Location

Emerald Stone Photography recommends picking a location for your engagement shoot that means something to you as a couple. Maybe it is where you had your first date or your favorite hiking spot; maybe it’s in Paris or in your backyard! No matter the location, Emerald Stone is ready to help.

It helps to jot down some ideas on possible locations and poses you would really love before your photo session, that was Emerald Stone can answer all of your questions ahead of time.

We are skilled in photographing both inside and outside, near crowds or in the middle of nowhere, with the couple’s children or pets.

We have suggested locations where we can shoot if you’re stuck on a location. Just make sure you arrive at your scheduled time for your shoot. (See “Be on Time” below!)

WHAT IF IT RAINS?!?

We always need to keep an eye on the weather. If the forecast is calling for rain and we’ve scheduled an engagement session that is entirely outdoors, we’ll need to consider rescheduling so that you can still have the session you were envisioning.

Indoor engagement sessions can still move forward as planned! But for locations with both indoor and outdoor areas, we might be able to take our chance with Mother Nature! If it ends up being a total washout, we can move completely indoors.

If you absolutely love the natural light look, we suggest rescheduling if it’s a rainy day. It all depends on the weather, what you’re personally envisioning for your final images, and your photographers expertise with the weather and how it may effect your photos.

We know Mother Nature can be a bummer sometimes, so it’s important to plan ahead!

Outfits

Emerald Stone Photography suggests planning for two outfits- a casual and a dressy outfit. Make sure that your outfits are ones you feel comfortable in and make you feel confident. They should make you feel beautiful! We never want anyone to feel like they need to squeeze into something that’s too tight and not be able to breathe for the entire session.

Feel free to dress it up as much as you like with your favorite accessories- earrings, scarves, bracelets- as long as they’re not too distracting. We suggest cute, stylish, and comfortable shoes well, particularly if there is walking involved (ballet flats are our favorite!).

PS – some of the links in this article are affiliate links. So, if you’re going to be shopping on Amazon, please click + shop through the links below so that I can earn a small commission on anything you decide to purchase.

It’s also always a good idea to polish up your engagement ring too! We love capturing fun shots of engagement rings during these shoots.

And always remember . . . unless you are really trying to be matchy-matchy, try to avoid wearing similar colors and patterns, if possible.

Hair and Makeup

Getting your hair and makeup done before a photo shoot definitely makes you feel like a movie star, and this shows in your engagement photos!

Many of our brides have a trial of their wedding hair and makeup before their engagement to test out their Big Day look. We love this idea because it helps you prepare for one important element of your wedding day AND it helps boost your confidence during your engagement shoot! (See below for Hair & Make Up Professionals we highly recommend!)

Emerald Stone just recommends getting hair and make up that is totally you. This probably not the time to get a dramatic haircut and wildly different hair color. But it is a time to play with styles that help you feel natural, confident, and oh-so-pretty (this piece makes us feel like this)!

Oh! And a manicure isn’t a bad idea, especially for those ring shots!

In need of a hair and make up stylist for your engagement session?

TOP HAIR & MAKE UP PROFESSIONALS WE RECOMMEND,
for your Engagement Session AND your Wedding Day! 

Contact Ashlie   |    Contact Rachel    |   Contact Soni

Be on Time

We don’t mean to sound like your teacher, but try to be on time for your engagement shoot. For outdoor photos, photographers have to rely entirely on the sun and its light. This usually leaves about a solid two hours of great light before it gets too dark or too bright.

If you are late to your shoot, this could eat into your session and leave less time to capture stellar photos. So make sure to set all of your alarms and keep your photographer in the loop if anything occurs that will delay you. It doesn’t hurt to have an adorable piece that will help keep you on time too!

 

Be Yourself

Worried about your lack of modeling experience? Don’t worry! We can count on one hand the amount of times Emerald Stone Photography has had professional models that we photographed. Seriously- our subjects are normal people with no modeling experience!

All we need you to do is act like yourself. We will help guide you on how to get the best shots. Relax, have fun, and trust your photographer. We totally got you!

We hope these tips help prepare you for your engagement shoot with Emerald Stone Photography. Here are just a few of our favorite shots from previous shoots, and we can’t wait to add yours to our collection!

 

 

Emily and Stevie

 

Devon and Eric

 

Joe and Denise

 

Anna and Brian

 

Megan and Steve

 

Brittany and Tre

 

Dana and John

 

Sammy and Lance

 

Corrine and Sam

Lauren and Andrew

 

Parker and Alex

 

Megan and Kevin

 

Andrea and Eric

 

Amy and Mat

 

Kayla and Jack

 

Diana and Bobby