Last month, my fiancé and I finally got around to talking our engagement pictures and they turned out so beautifully. Today, I’m so excited to share my pictures and my Top 5 Engagement Picture Tips! The day we took engagement pictures was crazy. I scheduled our pictures in the summer way before I finalized my fall semester law school schedule. A few weeks before our shoot I realized I class right before we planned to take pictures. I wouldn’t have much time to get ready. So I decided to skip the class (don’t judge me, we’ve all skipped 1 class or 2 lol). Then, the week before our shoot I found out I would have to give a speech in class. So, skipping class was no longer an option. And, It was too late in the game to reschedule the shoot. I had to choice but get it all done.

I ran to my makeup appointment, ran to the law school for class, gave my speech, and ran home to do my hair. And when I say I ran, I RAN. Your girl was making 25 minute drives in 15 minutes or less lol. Although my day was way more stressful  than it should have been our pictures were perfect! I definitely had a vision while planning our pictures and I’m so glad my vision came to fruition.  Below are my Top 5 Engagement Picture Tips!

5. Location, Location, Location. For my engagement pictures I wanted elegant black tie vibe that would similar to our wedding theme. One of the buildings downtown in my city ended up being the perfect spot. Do your research, on wedding websites, Pinterest, and even Facebook to find the perfect location for your engagement pictures.

4. Your Photographer is Key. Although you and your fiancé are the stars of the shoot the photographer is an necessary third party to the execution of a successful engagement shoot. While I don’t think you should have to break the bank for nice engagement pictures and the old adage, you get what you pay for is true. TheKnot has a great resource for searching for wedding photographers and even allows you to tailor your search to a specific price range.

3. Meet Your Photographer Before the Big Day. After looking for photographers I really recommend meeting with at least 3 before committing.  At first it really bugged me that every photographer I contacted wanted to meet with me in person before giving me a quote. With work, school and wedding planning didn’t think I had time for all that.  But meeting a photographer in person gives you the opportunity to see if you’ll work well with them.   Your photographer is  a third party in your engagement pictures and it’s important to pick someone you like. You’ll want someone who’s professional, understands your vision, and will give you good direction. My photographer was amazing and had just as much fun as we did on our shoot.

2. Be Yourself! My fiancé decided to take pictures in formal wear in a formal setting because that’s us. We’re sophisticated people (at least I like to think so lol) and our personalities called for sophisticated engagement pictures. My fiance had a three piece suit that he wanted to wear and I found a long dramatic dress here on rent the runway.  It really wouldn’t have sense for us to take pictures in jeans in a field, BUT if you’re a jeans in the field type of person go for it! Don’t force a photo theme or look that isn’t reflective of you and your fiancé. You’ll have these pictures forever and you’ll want them to represent your personalities.

1. Have Fun. Taking engagement photos has been the most fun part of my crazy wedding planning journey. I loved planning our outfits, picking a location, getting my hair and makeup done, and seeing my vision come to life. Take a deep breath, loosen up, and trust that your photographer will make you look amazing.

photos by Seedling Photography.

I hope you found my Top 5 Engagement Picture Tips helpful! If you’re looking for a dreamy dress for your engagement shoot, I highly recommend rent the runway. If you follow my link here you can get $30 off your first order.

For those of you who have done engagement photos or any other type of styled shoots, what are your top tips? Let me know below! And if you found this post helpful, consider pining it using the image below!