engagement session tips
planning details:
Engagements average about 1-1.5 hours! We typically schedule them 1.5 hours before the sunset time listed on Google for your specific session date.
Sessions include 1-2 locations, within 15 minutes of each other. If you choose a park like Taylors Falls, we typically just do one location. If you choose a location like North Loop, we typically find a park nearby for a variety of city and nature photos.
We schedule engagements Monday - Thursday nights during wedding season (May through October). Outside of wedding season, there is a little more flexibility.
location ideas
URBAN:
- a favorite spot (park, coffeeshop, restaurant, etc.)
- loring park
- north loop
- northeast minneapolis
- mill city area
- lowertown st. paul
- st. anthony main
- parking garage / rooftop / skyline view
- linden hills neighborhood
NATURE:
- theodore wirth regional park
- stillwater / square lake park
- oakdale nature preserve (tall pines + fields)
- lake calhoun / lake of the isles
- taylor's falls
- boom island park
- lebanon hills regional park - eagan
- battle creek park - st paul
- hidden falls - st paul
what to wear
Here's a link to some engagement outfit inspo that does best with our shooting style!
We typically recommend one casual, one fancier outfit for variety. But if you guys are casual people, by all means wear 2 casual outfits! Just pick something that you feel like yourselves in. Go simple, comfortable, and something that you feel confident in!
The simpler, the better! No overly bright colors like neon or loud prints. If you choose to do this (like a red dress or a floral dress), try to just have one person wear it!).
Try to avoid logos.
Wear comfy shoes and an outfit you can move in (try to avoid super tight short dresses) cause we'll be moving a lot.
Our editing style does best with darker / fall-like colors, so try to avoid pastels if possible. BUT wear them if you feel most yourself in them! These are all just suggestions.
Dress up like you're going on a nice, fun date, or if that isn't your style, come in whatever feels the most like you!
Try to match your location if possible (don't need to stress too much on this, but a very formal look won't totally match an engagement session in a field. That doesn't mean you can't wear a cute dress to run in a field, though!)
Think about your outfit as one big total outfit... it all goes together but doesn’t match. Try to get patterns + colors to coordinate.
other tips
A lot of people use their wedding hair and makeup trial for their engagement session.
Go on a date beforehand! If you’re running from work or stressed out from your curling iron not working, you’ll be less connected to each other and most likely be arguing in the car haha. Take a half a day at work if you can, make it a date, and you’ll be a lot more comfortable/connected to one another!