I was incredibly nervous for this photoshoot! I had just cut off all my hair (it used to be down to my waist) and my red lipstick didn’t seem to want to stay off of my teeth! In addition, we had to reschedule our engagement photoshoot.
Originally, we had planned to do it a couple weeks before we did, but Josh came down with the flu. We considered powering through it, but with Josh already being slightly camera-shy (I know, hard to believe!), we decided to do it another day. It just so happened to be Josh’s 23rd birthday on the day we did the shoot! Which was doubly exciting as it was Josh’s “golden” birthday (he turned 23 on the 23rd of July). He was feeling much better, but neither of us were sure what to expect.
Although I have had professional photos done before for family photos and senior portraits, I never had professional photos taken of us as a couple. We’ve been a couple for almost 5 years and have never had photos taken of us outside of our usual, everyday goofiness! Not to mention, Josh had never had professional photos taken outside of the yearly school headshot, so it was uncharted territory for him in many ways as well.
Here are some tips I have for all you out there getting married and getting engagement photos done!:
- Get something new, but be sure it works. Before the shoot, I realized the outfits I was envisioning in my head were nowhere to be seen in our closet! Of course, we wore some pieces that are classics for us (my jeans, his plaid shirt, etc.) that we know work well for us. But a photoshoot is a perfect excuse to snag a couple new pieces! Be sure they work together, though.
- Make sure your outfits work with your environment. As we were shooting up in the mountains of Arizona, our photographer advised us to wear warmer colors since we’d be in a mostly green background. You want to be sure you don’t get washed into the background of your photos. You can do this by wearing the complimentary colors to your environment (i.e. red in a forest, orange by the sea, etc.).
- Use a lint roller! Josh and I were just gifted a beautiful black-and-white canvas print of one of our photos by my mom. It’s amazing! However, the photo is such good quality that you can see a couple strands of dog fur on Josh’s shirt when you look closely. Oops!
- Have pose ideas in mind and practice in front of a mirror. Josh and I didn’t do this piece for our photoshoot because we forgot about it. While our photographer did direct us, we also didn’t stop to think beforehand what’s “natural” for us. Turns out, natural doesn’t come naturally when you’re in front of a camera. Do some research and think about some “must have” photos for you and your fiance. Be sure they work for you both by seeing what it looks like when you strike a pose!
- Go for the makeup look that makes your features stand out, even if it’s the more daring one! I wore bright, red lipstick. I don’t always wear bright, red lipstick, but when I do, it’s very bright and very red. While many wear red lipstick for the effect it has on their lips, I wore it to bring out my green eyes. Play to what makes your features pop. If you have blue eyes, wear a pinker eyeshadow. If you have amazing brows, pay them special attention and pull your hair back so nothing gets in their way.
- Have fun! Obviously. Forget the camera is even there. Pull out the inside jokes between you and your fiance and have a blast. Now is the perfect time to be more silly and less serious. Plus, when you’re having a good time, it’s harder for nerves to sneak in.
