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ENGAGEMENT SESSION
PLANNING YOUR
choosing the perfect time, location, outfit & more!
Welcome
A NOTE ABOUT THIS GUIDE
We’re so excited to be working with you and we can’t wait for our time together during your engagement session! It’s normal to be a little nervous about your session. We always tell people that we still get nervous before having our photos taken - and we do this for a living!
We’re big fans of engagement sessions for a few reasons. First, they allow you to get comfortable in front of the camera. It takes time for most couples to warm up to being photographed and understand how we pose. Timelines can be pretty tight on weddings days and 30 minutes may be all we have for bride & groom portraits - which is why we’ve found that wedding day portraits turn out so much better when couples do engagement sessions ahead of time.
Second, you can showcase your personalities in a more casual setting that is significant to the two of you (and even include pets!). While they’re great for save-the-dates, we’ve taken engagement photos anywhere from 18 months in advance to a few days before the wedding.
There is a lot to think about when it comes to planning a session, so we thought it would be the most beneficial if we put together a guide that walks you through everything you need to know.
We’ll cover what to wear, whether to bring pets & how to manage them, location ideas and more!
- Sarah kathryn d
Engagement sessions can take place anywhere from immediately following a proposal to just a few days before the wedding. We’ve found that there isn’t a “good” or “bad” time to take your photos. We normally plan sessions based on a particular “look” a couple has in mind, spring flowers for example, or based on schedules.
Sessions typically last about an hour and when we can — we love to begin sessions about an hour before sunset. We prefer to shoot when the sun is lower in the sky to avoid harsh shadows and bright sun patches.
We schedule sessions during what we believe will be the best light of the day - which means that it’s super important to be on time. If you’re late to an evening session, we could run out of light before we’ve finished shooting and if your session takes place in the morning, the sun gets more harsh as it rises.
Is there a "good" time to take photos?
TIME & LIGHT
If your wedding is local, save the dates should be sent about 6 and 8 months before the wedding. For a destination wedding, you’ll want to send them out about 8 to 10 months before the wedding.
If you’re hoping to use your engagement photos for your save the dates, we recommend scheduling your session at least two months before you plan to send out your save-the-dates. Between inclement weather, editing, designing, printing, and sending your save-the-dates two months is generally a safe amount of time to make sure your images and cards are ready.
Save-the-dates
Outfits
TIPS FOR LOOKING YOUR BEST
We recommend keeping in mind the word “complement” rather than “match" when picking outfits. For example, if the groom-to-be is wearing a blue and pink pastel plaid shirt, the bride-to-be may want to choose a long, white or grey dress. It can also be a great idea to choose “color-families,” such as pastel or jewel tones.
Generally couples pick two outfits for an engagement session: a more formal outfit and a casual outfit. We recommend saving your favorite outfit for later in the session, when couples usually feel more comfortable in front of the camera and the sunset colors are peaking. And don’t forget to bring a few accessories! Statement necklaces, cute shoes and classic watches are great ways to add detail to outfits.
find it fast
Choose an outfit you feel comfortable in, but don’t be afraid to dress up! Depending on your location, you might want to consider a fit and flare or a flowy dress! They look great in photos with movement.
Softer, pastel colors tend to photograph better than bright colors - especially since bright colors could reflect on your skin. We love bright, neon dresses, but we don’t love the neon reflection they add to your complexion.
Heels lengthen legs but if your heels aren’t comfortable for walking, bring an extra pair of shoes to slip into in between shots.
Outfit Tips
ACCESSORIES
WHERE TO SHOP
HAIR & MAKEUP
MANICURE
Outfits
for the ladies
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Statement jewelry is a great way to add flare to an outfit!
Accessories
ACCESSORIES
WHERE TO SHOP
HAIR & MAKEUP
MANICURE
Outfits
for the ladies
find it fast
Favorite Shops
VICI
Lulu's
Dillards
Nordstrom
ASOS
Morning Lavender
Joyfolie
Baltic Born
Shabby Apple
Vici Dolls
One Loved Babe
Jessakae
ModCloth
Hazel & Olive
Anthropologie
Free People
Francesca’s
ACCESSORIES
WHERE TO SHOP
HAIR & MAKEUP
MANICURE
Outfits
for the ladies
find it fast
Engagement sessions are the perfect time for a hair and makeup trial! We think it’s important that you look and feel your best for your engagement photos - and if you’re already planning to do a hair & makeup trial, the engagement session is a great time to test how your hair & makeup will look on camera.
Hair & Makeup
ACCESSORIES
WHERE TO SHOP
HAIR & MAKEUP
MANICURE
Outfits
for the ladies
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There will probably be times during your session when we’re shooting the engagement ring on your hand or your hand holding - which means it’s a good idea to clean up your nails before your session (this applies to the guys too!).
Manicure
ACCESSORIES
WHERE TO SHOP
HAIR & MAKEUP
MANICURE
Outfits
for the ladies
find it fast
You can’t go wrong with a dress shirt and pants! Layer with a blazer and a fun tie - you can even wear jeans with this look instead.
Bowties are always a good idea.
Be careful not to choose a pattern that is too small - it may accidentally make your photo look a little too busy.
Softer, pastel colors tend to photograph better than bright colors - especially since bright colors could reflect on your skin.
Cozy sweaters are a great way to stay warm and stylish during the cooler months.
Wardrobe
WHERE TO SHOP
Outfits
for the gents
find it fast
J. Crew
Dillards
Nordstrom
Urban Outfitters
Banana Republic
JoS. A. Bank Clothiers
Indochino
Suitsupply
Men's Warehouse
ASOS
Rent the Runway
Wardrobe
WHERE TO SHOP
Outfits
for the gents
Date Night
If you’re anything like us, you probably don’t get dressed up often. Which means that the day of your engagement session is the perfect occasion for a date night or brunch if your session is in the morning!
The engagement session is another part of celebrating your love and heading off to dinner or brunch is a great way to end the session!
Locations
New mexico ENGAGEMENT LOCATIONS
We love when couples choose a location for their session that complements their wedding. For example if you’re planning a chic and elegant wedding, it may be fitting to take your engagement portraits in a classic and elegant location. The best session locations are often meaningful places to the couple; however, we’re also happy to make recommendations. From the mountains to lavender fields, the options for engagement session locations are endless!
Level 5
Winery
classic & ELEGANT
Downtown ABQ
Old Town
ABQ BioPark - Botanic Garden
around abq
Your Home
Bar/Brewery
Coffee Shop
indoor
Sandia Crest
Sulphur Creek
Elena Gallegos Open Space
Sandia Mountains
Alameda Open Space
Rio Rancho Bosque Preserve
Coors Bosque Trails
Rio Grande
Jemez
White Sands
Tent Rocks
ADVENTURE
The above locations are all beautiful, but we also love exploring meaningful locations with our couples!
When it comes to posing for your engagement session, you don’t need to worry about a thing! We’ll guide you through the entire process beginning with poses that are super easy and natural. If we tell you to do something that feels a little funny, it’s probably because we know it’s going to make the two of you laugh - that’s the photo we’re actually looking for.
Throughout your session, we’ll keep an eye on your hair, makeup and outfits to make sure things stay in place. We want you to feel as relaxed as possible and enjoy your time together!
"What do I do with my hands?"
"What do I do
with my hands?"
POSING
We get it. Having your picture taken for an hour might not be in your top-10 favorite things to do during your downtime. And at first you might feel sort of awkward being in front of the camera but we think you’ll find that by the end of the session, it’s a lot easier than you thought and you even had a little fun. We look forward to it because it’s a great opportunity for us all to hang out a bit before the wedding day.
The Guys
A NOTE TO
While we shoot most of our engagement sessions between April and October, sessions can take place all year. Most of our couples choose a season based on the location where they want to shoot.
A few things to keep in mind during each season:
Seasons
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Winter
snowfall, hot cocoa and cozy coats
If you’re planning to take your engagement photos during the winter, keep in mind that if your session takes place in the evening, we could begin shooting as early as 4pm to catch the sunset. We recommend dressing in layers so you can warm up between photos. Make sure you bring a little extra makeup and tissues in case your nose begins running.
Summer
walks on the beach hand in hand
In spite of the heat, we’re big fans of summer sessions! Because of the later sunset, sessions sometimes begin as late as 6pm. If you’re taking your engagement photos during the summer, we recommend bringing extra makeup and some tissues to make sure you stay fresh throughout your session.
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Destination Engagement Sessions
While we take most of our engagement sessions are in Albuquerque, New Mexico, we’ve photographed sessions everywhere from Colorado to Oklahoma to Nashville, Tennessee. If you have a location in mind that is significant to the two of you, let us know because if our schedules align, we might be able to take your engagement photos outside of our normal area.
Travel fees may apply depending on the location and our availability.
When we can, we always try to take a photo of your ring during your engagement session - so it’s a good idea to have it cleaned or clean it yourself before your shoot!
Ring Cleaning
Inclement Weather
what to do if it rains
We’ll check in the week of your engagement session to confirm the time & location we’re meeting and the weather. We know it takes a lot of time to get ready for an engagement session and it’s the worst to get dressed up and drive out to your session only to have it rain.
Let us know what works best for the two of you - but if the weather looks like it won’t be great, we typically try to make the decision to reschedule at least 12 hours in advance.
We love when couples choose to incorporate pets into their session. Keep in mind that bringing a pet along means that we’ll need to choose a pet friendly location.
We recommend planning for your pet to be at the first part of your session and then focussing on you as a couple. We won’t incorporate the pet in every single photo so it’s nice to have a friend available to hold him or her in between shots.
If you’re going to bring a pet, we recommend exercising your pet before the session and bringing your pets favorite toy or treats! Depending on your pet’s fur type, it might also be a good idea to groom them before the shoot.
Pets
Props
champagne is always a good idea
If you’re planning to bring props to your engagement session, we recommend including them only if they’re meaningful to you. Shots of drinking coffee at a local coffee shop is super cute if y'all truly enjoy coffee or if that’s where you met. However, trying to fly a kite together when it’s not a part of your relationship may come off as contrived.
As soon as your session is complete, we’ll download and edit your session's photographs. Unless we have a holiday closure, you can expect to receive your engagement photos 4 weeks after your session.
When to Expect Your Images
We know that this guide is long, but hopefully it covers everything you need to know to prep for your engagement session! Please feel free to email
Hello@SarahKathrynDPhotography.com if there is something we missed or you need a recommendation.