Getting engaged is one of the most monumental events of your life. There is so much that will follow your engagement up until your wedding day.

One thing that will be sure to follow your engagement is an engagement session. An engagement session is whereby you get pictures taken of you and your future spouse.

It may seem like an easy task considering how many selfies you and your sweetheart have taken. However, having a professional photo session is a whole different experience that is nerve-wracking for most.

The following are inspirational tips that will make your upcoming engagement session much better:

Be Confident

There is simply no substitute for confidence when it comes to an engagement session. If you exude confidence it will jump right out of the pictures to those who see them.

The popular saying is ‘fake it till you make it’ and it might be your best option if you don’t feel genuinely confident. However, it is better to develop your confidence so that it feels and looks authentic in your engagement session.

The more confident you are, the better your photos will be. Confidence creates an unmistakable aura that makes everything from your facial expressions to your choice of clothing look better.

Professional Hair and Makeup

Your engagement photos will last for a lifetime so unless you are extremely confident in your hair and make-up skills, you should hire a professional. Moreover, you can use the engagement session as a trial run to test those who will handle the hair and make-up on your wedding day.

You should improve your skincare weeks before your engagement session is scheduled. It is the best way to ensure that you make up pops during the engagement session and in your photos.

The hair and makeup for your engagement session should be a bit better than your regular preparation hence the importance of hiring a professional. You will probably feel more confident during your session if you know that your hair and make-up are absolutely fabulous.

Comfortable Clothes

What you wear for your engagement session will be a significant issue for your engagement session. The most important thing is to wear clothes in which you feel comfortable.

Choose the outfit that makes you feel like a million bucks and we all have one. If you are willing to take a gamble, you can hire clothes for the occasion. However, you risk not feeling entirely comfortable in clothes you have never worn before.

The more comfortable you are in your clothes, the better the photos you will take during your engagement session. The photos should be representative of you as a couple and choosing comfortable clothes is a great way to ensure that.

Choose a Great Scene

A crucial component of every great photo is an incredible background. If you want to have amazing engagement photos, then you should choose a great scene to shoot your session.

Pick a location that you both know and love. You can then use a tool like Wedding Rebels to create an incredible photo story. Only having a fantastic location will allow you to do so.

You don’t have to go out of your way to choose a beautiful location to set the scene. You only need to ensure that it is a place you both have a connection to and will allow you to focus while the photography does their work.

Lighting

One quality that has a tremendous influence on the outcome of your engagement session is the lighting. If you want a great session, ensure that the lighting is amazing. A professional photographer will offer valuable help in this regard.

A great tip for great lighting is to have your photo session during the golden hour. The golden hour is the hour before the sun sets which offers beautiful lighting and background for your engagement session. The same goes for the morning hour when the sun is rising.

Natural lighting is the best option but if you choose to have the photos indoors, you should also be adamant about the lighting. You want all your best features presented in the best light.

Make a Day of It

If you want to have an incredible engagement session, then you should set aside an entire day for the shoot. You don’t want any distractions or scheduling mishaps on such an important day.

You want to have plenty of time to take as many photos as possible without feeling rushed. It will also allow you to take pictures in several locations for variety or so that you can find the ideal one.

Having an entire day for the engagement session should give you enough time to get into a photoshoot mindset which is difficult for many people. Only by being focused on one thing can you accomplish truly amazing results.

Shared Activity

Simply standing or sitting during an engagement session can make for great photos. On the other hand, if you want fantastic photos, you should do an activity that you both love.

There are many things that you and your partner probably enjoy doing together with other than the obvious. It may include going for a picnic, hiking, or dancing. It will take the pressure off having to pose for the photos and focus on the activity instead.

There is a different energy when you do an activity together that you both enjoy. It will certainly be apparent in the photos taken during the engagement session.

Have Fun

An engagement session is a significant event but that does not mean that it has to be a solemn one. You should remember that your engagement session is an opportunity for you to celebrate your love and you should treat it as such.

Therefore, whether you are only posing for the photos or doing something together, have some fun with it. Be creative and feel free to experiment as an engagement session might only happen once.

To finish, an engagement session takes quite a bit of planning to successfully execute it. The above tips should help you have a fantastic time and get some great pictures as well. The key is to remember it is a celebration of your love and relationship. Don’t stress too much about perfection—embrace the authentic moments that reflect your unique connection. Preparing for an engagement shoot can also serve as practice for the big day, especially if you’re exploring wedding planning tips on a budget to keep things stress-free and memorable. Ultimately, it’s all about cherishing this special chapter in your journey together.