The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your Atlanta Engagement Session
Introduction
Being engaged is such a fun and exciting season of your life. You have found the one whom your soul loves; the one with whom you want to build a life and a family, and you’re ready to begin planning a shared future and a meaningful beginning to married life. It’s a time to celebrate and remember, and I am so excited to be a part of it!
I include Atlanta engagement sessions in all of my photography collections, because they help you develop a deeper level of comfort and trust with me. You have connected with and swooned over the sweet, romantic images that I’ve created of other couples, and now it’s your turn! This may be the first time that you’ve been professionally photographed, and it’s natural to feel nervous. But I don’t want you to worry! It’s my job to help you feel relaxed and at ease in front of my camera. I don’t expect you to be a professional. I just want you to hold each other close, smile your most joyful smile, and spend some time loving on each other. Trust me - your photos are going to be amazing!
Your engagement session can be scheduled any time in the months leading up to your wedding day. Because I shoot weddings most Saturdays, I photograph engagement sessions on non-Saturdays around sunrise or sunset. The light during this golden hour is soft and warm, and it gives your photos a romantic, radiant look. If you choose to schedule your engagement session in June, July, or August, I recommend having an early morning session. You will still have that warm, radiant light for your photos, but you’ll avoid the extreme heat and mosquitos that characterize Georgia summers.
Complimentary engagement sessions typically take place in Midtown Atlanta (M-F) or at Nash Farm in Hampton, GA (Sat & Sun). If you choose a mid-week session, I encourage you to choose a location that has meaning for you and your fiancé. The main focus of your engagement photos will be the two of you, but it’s always fun when we can incorporate a location that you connect with or that has played a part in your love story. If you don’t have a place like that in Atlanta, don’t worry! There are plenty of places around town where we can create beautiful photographs of you together, and I would be more than happy to help you select one.
Most Popular Engagement Session Locations in Atlanta
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
Serenbe
Summerour
Georgia Tech
Old Fourth Ward
Piedmont Park
Piedmont Driving Club
Centennial Olympic Park
Roswell Mill
Sope Creek Trail
Swan Coach House at the Atlanta History Center
Turnipseed Nursery
Note: Some locations require an additional fee to access the property for a photoshoot. These fees are determined by the location and may vary by time of year.
Wear outfits that make you feel classy and fabulous. Think about the kinds of pieces that make you carry yourself a little taller when you wear them. I want you to wear clothes that make you feel confident and comfortable. A flattering dress with a pair of stunning heels, a fitted sweater with your favorite pair of jeans, or a button down with a pair of slacks are all classic, stylish choices that photograph well.
The style and color palette for your outfits should coordinate and complement each other, not match. Don’t be afraid to be bold! Vibrant colors and patterns photograph well when paired with complementary solids, so one of you can sport your favorite plaid button down shirt or magenta cocktail dress as long as your partner chooses an ensemble that doesn’t compete for attention. Keep in mind how you want to use your photographs when you’re selecting your color palette. If you want to send out save the date cards or display your photographs at your wedding, consider selecting outfits that will complement the style and color palette of your wedding decor.
Most importantly - be yourself ! Your engagement photo session is an opportunity to create a collection of photographs that showcase who you are and what you love. Don’t choose an outfit simply because it is trendy this season. Choose outfits that make you feel like the most polished version of yourself. And remember: classic never goes out of style!
Outfit Tips & Inspiration
Wear something that makes you feel classy and fabulous! I want you to walk into your session feeling completely confident.
You and your fiancé should choose clothing and accessories that coordinate with each other. You want your outfits to compliment each other, not match.
Your engagement ring will be put on display for your session, so make sure to clean your ring and show a little extra attention to your fingernails.
Wear clothes that fit comfortably. You don’t want to be worried about adjusting your outfit while you’re being photographed.
Most of my clients choose to bring two outfits - one elegant look and one casual look. This adds variety to your photos and allows you to incorporate more of your personal style into the session.
Don’t forget to empty your pockets! You don’t want to have your cell phone or keys hanging out of your pockets while you’re being photographed.
Don’t forget to accessorize! Bring your favorite sweater, belt, headband, necklace, set of earrings, or stunning pair of high heels and get ready to show them off!
Get ready to snuggle. During your session, I will give you enough direction that you don’t feel awkward but not so much that you feel rigidly posed. We’ll chat about your love story, we’ll play a few games, and we’ll make memories as well as photographs.
Your engagement session is an opportunity to step away from the busyness of your day to day routine and spend some time really looking at each other and showing each other affection. Get ready to hold each other close and spend a lot of time looking into each others eyes. And remember - whatever feels relaxed and natural to you will look best in photographs!
Prepare yourselves to be fierce. And goofy. And fiercely goofy. Laughter is by far my FAVORITE expression to capture. There’s something about the glimmer it puts in your eye and the smile it puts on your face that you just can’t fake. I want you to have fun. Strut your stuff. Play along. Tap into your inner supermodel. Realize that your love and your connection to each other make you even more beautiful, and own it!
Trust me. Remember, you hired me because you connect with my style. So whether I ask you to lay on the ground, snuggle by a dumpster, or put your faces so close together that your fiancé looks like a cyclops, trust that I’m asking because I want your photographs to be amazing.
For me, engagement sessions are like mini-adventures with new friends. I have so much fun exploring locations, finding beautiful light, trying out new poses, and doing anything I can to make you look flawless, so I want you to trust me. Your photographs will be as beautiful as your are!
I affectionately refer to my dog Major as my puppy-child. He is very much a part of my family, so I completely understand why you want to include your dog in your engagement photos. I have quite a bit of experience photographing couples with their pets, so here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Be patient.
Dogs can require as much time and patience to photograph as toddlers do! They will be much more interested in sniffing out their surroundings than they will sitting still for a photograph, and it’s important to understand that it will take time for them to settle into the process. Dogs get anxious when we get frustrated, so make sure to take a deep breath and remember that they don’t always do exactly what we want them to, and that’s OK. I absolutely love dogs, and I have no problem slowing down and doing what’s needed to make them comfortable.
Take care of exercise and bathroom breaks first.
Plan to arrive a few minutes early with your dog so that you can take care of their bathroom and exercise needs before we begin shooting. If your dog tends to have a lot of energy, you may want to plan to take a walk or play a game of fetch before your session begins. If your dog is older or has a more relaxed personality, this may not be necessary. No one knows your dog better than you do, so it’s up to you to decide what is best for them.
Bring a friend
You probably want to include your dog in a handful of photographs, not the entire session. If this is the case, consider having someone come with you to handle the dog when s/he is not being photographed. This way you don’t have to worry about looking for somewhere to tie the leash as we move between locations.
Bring toys and treats
The best way for me to get a good photograph of your dog is to draw their attention with food or their favorite toy. The more tasty or interesting the treat, the more likely I am to get and keep your dog’s attention, so make sure to bring something good! Treats that have a strong smell or toys that make noise are the best kind for me to work with, so keep that in mind as you’re packing for your session.
Bring Water
We want to make sure that your dog is as comfortable as possible, so make sure to bring an extra water bottle and/or a water dish so that they can stay hydrated throughout the session. This is a good tip for you, too!
Coordinating collar & leash
If you’re dressed to the nines, your dog should be, too! See if you can find a doggy bowtie or collar design that compliments your outfits. If that’s too extra for you, consider picking up a clean matching collar and leash for your photos. As with all other elements of your photographs, you want your dog’s accessories to compliment the overall style and design, not distract from it!
Don’t forget the poop bags
Even if your dog goes to the bathroom before we begin shooting, they may need to use the bathroom during your session, and we want to be good neighbors while we’re visiting your engagement session location. We want to leave your location as tidy as we found it so that others will be allowed to bring their dogs in the future, so don’t forget the poop bags.
Miscellaneous
Does your dog drool when he’s excited? Bring a rag to wipe down his mouth. Is she a puller? Have her wear a harness instead of just a collar. No one knows your dog better than you, so think of what’s best for your best friend and bring it with you.