From the moment a woman puts that sparkly ring on her finger after saying “yes!,” she becomes a bride. It’s a flurry of excitement, ideas, and planning. And in the midst of the whirlwind of considerations, it’s hard to know the way to accomplish everything.
For my Annapolis brides, hiring a Maryland wedding photographer that you align with is the first step. And once you’ve sealed the deal and set the date, figuring out the details of your engagement photo session is the next step. Keep reading for all of the best information on when to take engagement photos and how to best utilize them.
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you know that I love engagement sessions! I feel like they are a great way for me to get to know my clients and for my clients to get comfortable with me. It’s also helpful for them to get confident in front of the camera before their big day. Deciding when to take your engagement photos depends on few key considerations: season, background, and plans for utilization.
Season
Season matters for so many reasons. It’s always important to bring as much “you” as possible to your session, and choosing a season that helps bring out your personality will make it your session that much better! Are you a bright and sunny personality who loves sandals and sun dresses? A downtown summer engagement session might be for you! Or are you a relaxed and cozy couple that shines during the cold winter months? You might fare the best with a snowy woodsy season. Picking a season you enjoy with an environment you find joyful and romantic will help you love your photos even more.
Backdrop
Another important element to consider is what backdrop you prefer for your engagement photos. If you choose an urban backdrop, you will want to think about traffic and happenings around the city. If you would like a more natural setting, you will want to consider the foliage, blooms, and waterways during different times of the year. Although you’ll be the focus of your photos, you’ll want to pick the right time to show off the background as best as possible, too!
Plans for Utilization
The final (and arguably most important) consideration when deciding when to shoot your engagement photos is how you’d like to utilize them. Many of my clients choose to use them for save-the-date announcements; they make the perfect, personalized addition to them. Engagement photos make for perfect backgrounds on save-the-date postcards, and it’s so fun to see the way guests get even more excited about the upcoming wedding when they see the engagement photos! Wedding websites and wedding sign-in books are a few other great opportunities to show off engagement photos and preserve the exciting engagement memories.
Be sure to check out a few of my favorite Maryland engagement photo sessions: Alex + Christen, Zack + Rachel, and Maria + Dylan. Happy planning!
