3 Short Rules to Remember When Taking Your Engagement Pictures

Our quick two (three) cents on what you really shouldn't forget when headed out for your big session!   

One of the things that makes Kadlee extra-qualified to write about weddings (besides being a business that sells bridal & bridesmaids robes to hundreds of brides and their bride tribe all across the country, and interacts with them every day) is the fact that we have a wedding photographer on our team - we have a unique perspective on everything photography-related. Especially when it comes to weddings and engagements!

Odds are you and your fiance have never had a formal shoot before (maybe senior pictures, but that may have been a while ago!) Engagement sessions function as a way to get sweet save the date pictures, a chance for you to meet and work with your photographer before the wedding day, and a practice run for your wedding day to learn what poses you do and don't like.

The idea of engagement photos can be intimidating to some brides and grooms, though. You might both feel extremely awkward in front of a camera. Or you might be a camera-hogging expert, while your soon-to-be spouse feels more comfortable quietly and compliantly photographing you, not being the center of attention. And while there are more thorough blog posts out there that you might find helpful about what you can do to make the process more fun and the photos turn out better, it can be a lot to remember. Once you meet your photographer at your location, you might get so excited or nervous that you forget everything you read about.

So we wanted to simplify it for you! Here are the three main guidelines, in our experience, that brides should follow in order for the engagement photos to turn out just the way you've always dreamed about. 

Rule #1 - Wear the Right Clothes

Your photographer can work magic with editing....but this is one thing that he/she can't fix. If you wear outfits that clash, or outfits that are wrinkled, or outfits that just don't fit the right way, they won't look good in pictures. You don't have to exactly match your fiancé, but definitely coordinate - stick to a color scheme or theme. You want to complement each other without looking too contrived. Check out Pinterest for inspiration or ask your photographer what they recommend! Generally, you want to avoid wearing white and black (save that for the wedding day!) Also, if you just bought new fancy clothes and they don't feel comfortable, your discomfort will show in the pictures. Make sure you love what you're wearing!

Rule #2 - Kiss With the Camera in Mind

(Unless you're one of those couples who doesn't want to kiss on camera. If so, you can skip this.)

Realistically, passionate kissing is not the most photogenic act, so you need to kiss in a way that may feel unnatural to you but that looks romantic in pictures.

Don't use your tongues (if that sounds obvious, you'd be surprised at how not-obvious that is to many others), and don't mush your faces together (don't squish your noses together, and don't pucker your lips, either  - keep your lips soft). Keep it light, and sweet - place your hands lightly, as well, but very intentionally. Ladies can place theirs on his arm or gently framing his face, guys on her waist or elbows or face (although make sure it doesn't seem too forceful). Consider going in for the kiss and then stopping centimeters apart. And get your share full of forehead kisses, cheek kisses, etc. 

The idea here is to get classy engagement photos. Save the real kissing for your own time! 

Rule #3 - During the Session, Ignore Yourself

You're already there, and there's not a ton you can do about how you look anymore - so stop worrying about it. It will make you appear stiff in the pictures! Seriously, the prettiest girls are the happiest. Focus on your guy and your love, and how much fun this is! YOU'RE GETTING MARRIED! You'll be surprised to see how much editing can fix little insecurities you're worried about, which you can communicate to the photographer. 

**Personal story - during my engagement, where my fiancé had our good friend and professional photographer hiding behind a bush to capture the moment, I had a moment of panic when we started taking posed shots. I obviously didn't know I was getting proposed to (thank goodness I had at least dressed up a little for date night!) but I was sure my hair was super frizzy, my makeup was a mess, and my nails (which were not done) were going to look so bad. But I made up my mind in a brief moment to just enjoy it and smile wide, and I'm SO grateful I didn't let my insecurity affect my enjoyment or participation. Those photographs are some of my most precious possessions, and I really looked fine, more so than I thought! 

So don't worry about yourself. Try to just have fun, get to know your photographer, remind your forever dude how much you love him, and we can guarantee you will really like the shots you get. 

Are there any rules you think we missed or that are more important? Do you have any questions about engagement sessions? We would love to hear from you! Leave a comment so we can get to know you better, and check out our website for the cute robes you can wear for the next round of professional pics!