PRESENTED BY RIVERS LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY
PLANNING YOUR DREAM ENGAGEMENT SESSION
PLANNING YOUR DREAM ENGAGEMENT SESSION
PRESENTED BY
RIVERS LIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY
- First, it's a break from the stress of wedding planning to have fun celebrating your engagement!
- You’ll have the chance to get to know your photographer - experience how they shoot, direct you with posing and how they work with lighting. This can add a lot of peace and confidence to your wedding day!
- You'll become more comfortable and confident in front of the camera. Engagement sessions can help calm nerves for those who have never taken professional photos and allow you to enjoy the moment during portraits on your wedding day.
WHY IT MATTERS...
ANNOUNCEMENTS | Photos have a special way of connecting us to those we love. Whether you post on social media, send via mail or text, your loved ones will cherish seeing your images!
SAVE THE DATES | You can use your images to add a personal touch to your Save the Dates or Wedding Invitations.
DECOR | Many couples display prints of their favorite images at their Engagement Party, Wedding Shower, and Wedding
Reception.
GUEST BOOK | Your loved ones will enjoy writing you a special message in an album or on a large print out of your
favorite image.
SLIDESHOW | Ask your venue or DJ if they can display a slideshow of your favorite images during cocktail hour and dinner.
WEDDING WEBSITE | Your wedding website is the hub for your guests to view your love story. They will love seeing photos too!
WALL ART | This is a personal favorite, but a house is quickly transformed into a home by adding your favorite images to the wall!
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR IMAGES
YOUR DREAM ENGAGEMENT SESSION
What 5 words would you use to describe your personality as a couple?
examples: playful, romantic, adventurous, homebodies, nerdy, easy going, chic, outdoorsy, retro...
What are the top two places do you enjoy going together?
examples: garden, beach, museum, rooftop, vineyard, barn, city, bar, library, ice cream shop...
What photography and editing styles do you prefer?
examples: vibrant, light, moody, dark, grainy, sharp, black and white, true to color, wide angles, candids, blurry
I love when my couples work through these questions and share their answers with me because I can suggest locations, time of day, and outfits that will help bring their vision to life!
THE CREATIVE CHATEAU*
THE OAK ATELIER*
THE CLOCK TOWER*
THE LUMEN ROOM*
HOUSTON WAREHOUSE STUDIOS*
FAVORITE ENGAGEMENT SESSION LOCATIONS IN AND AROUND HOUSTON, TEXAS
ROUND TOP - FESTIVAL HILL*
RICE UNIVERSITY*
NORTH BLVD
SAKS GARAGE ROOFTOP
MCGOVERN CENTENNIAL GARDENS*
OUT UNDER THE TREES*
HOUSTON BOTANIC GARDENS*
MERCER BOTANIC GARDENS
HERMANN PARK
KEMAH BOARDWALK
HOUSTON MUSEUM DISTRICT
HAVENLY FARM
POST HOUSTON
BUFFALO BAYOU PARK
*REQUIRES A RENTAL FEE OR PERMIT
- Most photographers do engagement sessions on weekdays since weekends are dedicated to weddings.
- Lighting can change quickly and if you get stuck in traffic (or searching for a parking spot) it could alter the look of your images. Consider picking one location with lots of areas to explore instead of driving to multiple locations.
- Early sessions are recommended for those who want portraits in very crowded areas.
- Some locations have limited hours for photography so make sure your photographer confirms and coordinates that with you.
ENGAGEMENT SESSION LOGISTICS
DECEMBER - MARCH
APPROXIMATE SESSION TIMES
3pm - 5pm
MARCH - MAY
5pm - 7pm
JUNE - AUGUST
6pm - 8pm
SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER
VARIES
What you choose to wear is a big decision that often causes a ton of stress for the bride beforehand. My hope is that with a little education, you will be able to determine style and feel you desire for your shoot and then that will make your outfit selection so much easier and less complicated!
PLANNING YOUR OUTFITS
BOLD or NEUTRAL
DRESSY or CASUAL
There are no right or wrong answers! Maybe you want one outfit to be dressy and the other to be casual. Maybe you want one outfit to be very light and neutral but you want to wear more color in the next outfit. These categories will hopefully help you determine what you’re hoping for in your engagement session. If you’re feeling stuck and can’t seem to determine what you prefer, that’s very normal! Here are some general “rules of thumb” when it comes to styling during an engagement session. Once you read through these, you may have a better understanding of what you prefer and you can start planning your outfits.
THINGS TO AVOID
- Avoid wearing colors that will blend into the background. If you're session is at a park with lots of grass and trees, avoid wearing green. If your location has a lot of colors and patterns, wearing solid colors will help you stand apart from the background.
- Alternate Heaviness: If one of you is wearing very dark pants, the other may want to wear lighter pants. If one of you is wearing a navy top, the other shouldn’t wear a dark/heavy colored top. To a certain degree, alternating the “heaviness” of your outfits can make your images look more balanced.
- Avoid one of you being casual while the other is more dressy: If one of you is dressed up and the other is casual, it can look a little odd in your images.
- Avoid drawing attention to areas of your body you are uncomfortable with. If you generally don't like seeing your arms in photos, avoid a sleeveless or tight sleeve outfit and consider wearing something with a loose sleeve.
Personal Note: As one who has personally struggled with her body image, I encourage you to kind to be kind to yourself and wear something you feel like a rockstar in! When we look at a photo, the first thing we remember is how we felt in the moment it was taken.
Don't wear an outfit that will distract you from being in the moment with your significant other. When you see your engagement photos, your first thought should be the joy you felt when that photo was taken of you and your partner. If we were worried about how uncomfortable our outfit was or how we looked, that's what we will remember.
If you have concerns about certain areas of your body, I encourage you to communicate those to your photographer. They will do their best to make you comfortable throughout the shoot, put you in flattering poses, and do editing touch ups as requested but they cannot change how you truly feel about yourself.
STYLE GUIDE
LIGHT & ROMANTIC
Neutral Colors: Blushes, tans, light pinks, faint blues and light
minty teals, creams, grays and whites will always result in more of a
light and airy look in your images. These colors photograph softer and
more romantically!
Khakis vs. Jeans: If you really want your images to be as bright as
possible, consider having your groom wear lighter pants instead of
dark dress pants or dark jeans.
Long, Flowy Skirts/Dresses: Dresses and skirts with feminine ruffles,
multiple layers of fabric and the ability to blow and move in the wind
will always photograph beautifully! You would be amazed at how impactful moving fabric softens an image.
BRIGHT & BOLD
Stick to ONE pattern: If one of you has a bold pattern, it’s very
important that the other doesn’t. The more bold the pattern, the more
important this rule is!
Bold Backgrounds: A lot of time, if my couples are going for a bold
and bright look, I will notice solid colored backgrounds to use for part
of their engagement session! It’s a double win if the background coordinates with their outfits!
Only one bold color: If you really want a bold and bright look but
you want to do it well and tastefully, I would suggest that only one of
you have a bright and bold colored outfit and the other stay in a solid
neutral to avoid over-doing it!
Large Patterns are Preferred: If you really want to wear a pattern, my
only request is that your pattern is on the larger side. Patterns that are
smaller than a quarter can be difficult to photograph. This isn’t true of all patterns but it’s a good general rule to go by!
PREPARING YOUR GROOM
"That was a lot of fun!" is one of my favorite things to hear from the groom at the end of an engagement session! Many brides feel nervous because their groom is not excited about having photos taken, but the truth is, your engagement session is supposed to be fun and authentic, not forced or awkward. Preparing your groom will go a long way into making your experience just that.
01. Take Off the Pressure | Reassure him that the most important part about these photos is having fun together and celebrating your engagement. Many brides make plans to go to his favorite restaurant afterwards to continue the fun!
02. Arrive on Time | Allow for plenty of time to get to your shoot. There is nothing worse than when a couple shows up late and they have been arguing in the car...we've all been there!
03. Show Him Examples | I highly recommend sitting down with your groom and showing him engagement photos taken by your photographer. Ask him what he likes (or doesn't like) about the poses he's seen. If he mentions a favorite, send that photo to your photographer and ask if she can help create a similar moment like that for y'all!
04. Breathe | Last but not least, remember to have patience with him. Give him room to be himself and don’t assume that he’s not going to have a good time... I think you’ll be surprised how much you will both enjoy your session!
ENGAGEMENT SESSION REMINDERS
01
POCKETS
Empty your pockets! Literally. You don’t want to have key chains or phones showing through your pockets. (This is for the guys especially!)
02
TIMING
The sun sets quickly especially if your shoot is not in the summer months. The later you arrive, the less time we have to shoot! Once the sun is set, the shoot will be over.
03
THE RING
Clean the ring! I love to shoot a few rings shots while you change outfits! The cleaner the better.
04
OUTFIT CHANGES
Generally, couples like to bring one casual outfit and one dressy outfit. As much as I would like to say that we always have restrooms for outfit changes, more often than not, our clients do quick outfit changes in their car if there are no other options!
05
PARKING FEES
This may not apply to your shoot, but you always want to plan in advance for a cash-only parking fee that we may encounter or any tolls. We’ve had instances where this has caused some stress and stress is what we want to avoid!
06
TOUCH UP SUPPLIES
You may need to apply more lip color after one outfit change and a few kisses. (If you have a bold lip color, try to have a matte finish so it won’t transfer to your groom as
intensely!). Hairspray and a brush will be helpful if your hair struggles in the humidity
07
FLIP FLOPS
If you’re wearing shoes that are difficult to walk in but looks awesome, bring some comfy shoes to change to while we walk to each shooting location!
TOP REQUESTED ENGAGEMENT SESSION POSES
If you haven't decided on a photographer and are interested in working together, I would truly love to capture these memories for you!
To learn more about my services and pricing, please introduce yourself by completing the form below.
Love,
Ashley
xoxo
