Wedding Planning Advice
Preparing for your engagement shoot by
Wedding Photographer Gloucestershire
What should I wear?
Outfit choices on special occasions are a very personal choice. My advice would be to wear something that’s comfortable and makes you feel great! Sometimes that can be buying something new so you feel extra confident or it can be wearing your favourite item of clothing. I recommend dressing up a little more than you would on a normal day. The same goes for hair and make-up so that it makes the shoot feel like a special occasion. Heck, you can go all out when it comes to your outfit. If you’d like to anyway. I want to capture your personalities so don’t be afraid to be yourselves.
Do we need to practice any poses?
You can breath a sigh of relief. Absolutely not. When I’m not photographing weddings I also work as a fashion and lifestyle photographer. So I can give you all the direction you need. But I’ll only do so if you need it. I love natural interactions and often will give you a nice location with lovely light. I prefer to use the word guidance than poses. Posing sounds super staged and forced. My guidance will keep you both looking and feeling relaxed. Without having to worry about what all your limbs are supposed to be doing. My goal is always to create photographs that capture the essence of your personality and your relationship. That’s why I let your personalities lead the shoot. For example, if you’re both fairly introverted and shy, you might not love me getting you guys to act goofy and jump and dance around. Whereas if you’re really outgoing and lively, you might be up for doing something fun.
Where should we have the engagement shoot?
This is totally your choice! In the past couples have suggested having an engagement shoot at the wedding venue as a bit of practice. I’d only really recommend this if your wedding day is going to be jam-packed and you’ll have no time for portraits on the day. I always find it best to approach each wedding day with a fresh and clear mind. Free of any preconceived ideas so that I can work as creatively as possible.
Getting engaged is a really special time in your life. And how often do you have a chance or even an excuse to have some lovely and professional photographs of you both together. Wedding photographs tend to be some of the most natural and beautiful photographs of couples together. But you might like to have photographs which capture a bit more of everyday life.
If you’re getting married in a city, you could use your engagement shoot as a chance to get some lovely photos in a more natural landscape.
Another great idea is to have your engagement shoot somewhere that’s special and sentimental for you both. Revisiting a special place, or having your portraits taken in a place close to your hearts not only captures images that will tell a bit more of your story. But you’ll likely already be in a frame of mind that encourages you to take time for yourselves. To stop, cherish and celebrate each other and this special time in your lives.
What is the best time of day for a pre-wedding shoot?
My favourite time to photograph is during the golden hour. Which is the last hour of sunlight. Fingers crossed for a clear sky and you could be blessed with a beautiful sunset too! I would always avoid photographing at midday if you have the choice. Because the light is much softer and flattering later in the day. And we’ll have more flexibility in the locations we can use for your portraits. Here are two examples of how the golden hour can look with a cloudy sky or a clear sky. Pretty amazing right?
What days can we book for an engagement shoot?
Engagement photoshoots are booked in midweek as we need to leave the weekends available for our wedding clients. We can sometimes squeeze in the odd saturday during spring but spaces are rare so get in touch early if midweek is tricky for you both.
How long does the photo shoot take?
Shoot duration can vary but are on average around an hour. Allow yourself up to 1.5 – 2 hours if you have plans later in the day.
How much are engagement photoshoots?
A pre-wedding shoot is £300 and comes with a minimum of 20 edited photos sent to you via a private online gallery. Which you’re welcome to share with family & friends.
For any other questions when preparing for your engagement photoshoot, just let me know and I’ll be happy to add them to the list. It goes without saying that if you’re looking for a Gloucestershire wedding photographer, Gloucestershire engagement photography or a creative Cotswolds wedding photographer. We would love to hear from you. Get in touch to have a chat about your plans, or check out our wedding photography prices and packages to find out more about our work.
Editors Note: This blog post was originally published in September 2017. It has recently been updated for accuracy.