…even if you don’t like to be in front of the camera! I promise you, it will be the funnest thing you do during your wedding planning process!

I get the feeling. I know it’s incredibly intimidating to put yourself out there and be in front of the camera! I’m here to tell you why you SHOULD book that engagement session and why it will be the best decision you ever make during your wedding planning process!

When you are on the search for your perfect photographer, some may include a session and some may not. Part of this reason is because us photographers want to get to know our couples before the big day. To take it even further, we want YOU to feel comfortable when the big day comes since you’ll already know what to expect! When I photographed Claire and Anthony’s engagement session, I had SO much fun getting to know them. We first met at Barstool on Sansom street for a drink (yesss to the liquid courage.. if that’s your thing!) and while chatting with them, Claire told me that her wedding planning process has been a bit.. stressful. She was looking forward to doing something fun for a change and to be able to celebrate their relationship. Claire and Anthony will be getting married this December in West Chester PA. While I wont be their photographer, I was thrilled and honored to be apart of something really special for them!

I want to share tips and tricks to make your session is the funnest thing you do during the wedding planning process!

1) Your engagement session works better when you brainstorm with your photographer!

Your dont have to do all of the planning yourself! utilize your photographer to come up with the perfect plan, location, and even timeline from beginning to end! When Claire reached out, we came up with a few ideas but one thing she really wanted was to be in a bar scene. It’s the type of vibe she has always wanted, but on top of that its something fun that her and Anthony share their time with together. It’s the type of vibe that best represents them! There is no location or idea that is silly or limited — I am a firm believer that not only is anything possible but if its an idea that means a lot to you, we will make it work in some way! When you really get to work with something that understands your vision, it makes the experience that much better! Brainstorm with your photographer all of your ideas; share the Pinterest board, communicate with them — we really want to make it the best session ever for you!

2) Get a little dressed up!

There, I said it — normally I say wear what you feel most comfortable in but I dont think sweats would be ideal for an engagement session, lol! I find that when you take the time to get a little dressed up, you feel really good about yourself! When you feel good about yourself you end up exuding a confidence you dont realize you have! When it comes to your attire, dont be afraid to ask your photographers advice on what looks best! (I know I personally dont mind!) You should get a guideline to help prep for your session, and in that involves colors that work really well and textures that work really well — this is all part of the brainstorming process to ensure your session will go off without a hitch! When you feel good about what you’re wearing, you’ll end up strutting your stuff a little easier! We want to see that confidence shine!

3) PLEASE… dont rely 100% on your photographer to tell you what to do….

I know, it’s a bit redundant to actually say that because its our job to give you the cues, right? well, partly! We are here to be the eye of how you’re composed, but we also rely A LOT on the connection and interaction between the two of you! Candids, to me always reign supreme but I cant make the candidness happen - that’s on you! A trick I learned along the way is, imagine you two are the lead actors in a romantic comedy; envision how you want to be portrayed in your session! It’s okay if you aren’t the most ‘lovey dovey’ couples.. (psst.. not all are!) but for the camera, give it a little extra! I think its a great balance of giving cues and telling you where to put your hands but also snapping those in-betweens of you two to make a great gallery!

4) It’s really nice to have photos of you two without the wedding attire!

I’m telling you, you will appreciate having a photo session done with nicer clothes and the chances are high that you’ll still print these out and frame them on your wall! Your parents will love this too!! (this is a short tip, but an effective one!)

5) This is the time to get to know your photographer in a way that breaks the professional barrier

Yes, we should always be professional at all times (in my personal opinion) but I find when you establish a connection with someone, it makes YOU feel more comfortable and it also makes US feel more comfortable! I suggest using the first 15-20 minutes chatting and getting to know your photographer. We ask you a lot of questions about you as a person but get to know US as well! Ask us about who we are, what we like to do, see if there’s a common interest! I find getting into the ‘friend zone’ makes it a little easier for all of us, and we end up just having so much fun!

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What made Claire and Anthony’s engagement work so well, is we established communication right away. We discussed possibly options in detail, we both had a full understanding of the day, and Claire envisioned how she wanted her session to be. For them, liquid courage helps break the ice, so we took the time to sit and chat! Little did I find out that Anthony grew up in a town where I have family so we found that incredible! I got to hear fun adventures they’ve done together, I got to hear about the wedding planning process (she shared a bit of the stress as well)

When leaving their session, Claire said something to me that I dont think I’ll ever forget. she goes “Gosh, this whole process of the wedding has been really not so fun for me, I am so glad we booked this session with you because it was the absolute highlight of our whole year”

THIS IS HOW YOUR SESSION SHOULD MAKE YOU FEEL - 100%! It should be the fun part of the wedding planning and something fun you get to do together!

I’m happy to share Claire and Anthony were both thrilled to see the full gallery - which of course is always a goal for us photographers! I hope this helps you get the courage to book your engagement session!!