As wedding photographers serving the greater Cleveland area, we have photographed many engagement sessions all throughout Northeast Ohio. Engagement sessions are a great way for you to get comfortable in front of the camera, get a feel for how we work, capture some great images in the process, and for us to get to know you better.
Engagement sessions take place Monday-Friday since most weekends are spent capturing weddings and typically last between sixty to ninety minutes. Keep in mind we are also open to traveling to you for your session, even if you are out of state.
We recommend picking a place or activity that has played a significance in your relationship. This could be where you had your first date, got engaged, or a favorite weeknight activity you enjoy together. The more sentimental and creative, the better! We are also happy to help with location suggestions. There are plenty of engagement sessions posted on our blog that may help inspire you.
Planning your engagement session in a different season than your wedding is a great way to get some variety in your images. If you plan to send save-the-dates, your engagement session should happen at least 6 months prior to your wedding.
If on the day of the session the weather looks uncooperative, we can reschedule the session. If that’s not an option, we need to plan for back up indoor locations.
Preparing for Your Session
Your engagement session is a great time to showcase your personalities, be creative, and have fun! It’s probably one of the few times in your life, other than senior photos, and on your wedding day, that you have professional photos taken. Enjoy it!
The engagement session is a great opportunity to do a trial run with your wedding day makeup artist. A little more makeup than you are used to usually translates quite well in the camera. We recommend a hairstyle that you are comfortable in. Avoid trying a new hairstyle or getting a color a couple of days before the session.
We encourage our couples to bring clothing that is color-coordinated, but not too “matchy-matchy.” Stick to the same color family or complementary tones and pick clothes that have a similar style (i.e. earth tones, pastels, brights, casual or more formal).
You’re welcome to bring a change of clothes to have both a casual and formal look. Also, keep your surroundings in mind when selecting your outfits (i.e. don’t wear shorts and flip-flops in an elegant theater). If you are planning a formal and a casual look, we suggest you start formal than change into casual. That is usually much easier to do in the middle of the session than going from casual to formal.
Try to avoid bold patterns or shirts with large logos or words. If one of you has a patterned top that you really want to wear, have the other person stick to solids to avoid the possibility of clashing patterns.
Also, a bit of texture and layers in your clothes is a great idea. Suggestions include a scarf, jewelry, vest, cardigan other accessories. Lastly, pick shoes you are comfortable doing some walking in (unless this is an at-home, make pancakes, and coffee engagement session).
Several weeks after the session, we will have you back into our studio to view the images, pick your favorites, and decide what you would like to purchase.
Tips to Make Your Session the Most it Can Be
• Leave your purse in the car; you’ll spend most of the session looking for a place to set it down. James can carry your keys.
• If you are very nervous about the session, sometimes a drink before the session can help calm your nerves.
• The best time for us to schedule your engagement session is a couple of hours before sunset or first thing in the morning. This is when the light is the best.
• Be sure your engagement ring is sparkly clean as it may be getting a closeup of its own for a couple of photos.
• Most importantly, relax, be yourself, and have fun! Think of it as a fun date; these pictures are about celebrating your love for one another.
If you are interested in choosing us to photograph your engagement session, please contact us for more detailed pricing information!