CONGRATULATIONS YOU’RE ENGAGED!

That means it’s time to start planning your engagement session with us!  We’ve compiled a list of our tips and tricks to consider when scheduling your session so we can help bring your vision to life in the best way possible.  We want to know what makes you most excited about the thought of scheduling your session so we can do our best to work with you to bring the magic to life.

WHAT TIME OF YEAR?

First thing to consider when booking the engagement into the calendar, is what time of year are you looking for.  Some of our couples want an aesthetic for their engagement session that is the complete opposite to that of their wedding day.  Maybe that’s the opposite season or simply just a location that you won’t be able to find on wedding day.  If you have a favourite season and want to take advantage of that for your engagement session let us know.  If that favourite season happens to be the spring or fall then make sure you tell us early so we can get you in the calendar right away.  We book up quickly, especially on weekends, so the earlier we get you in the more flexibility we will have.  Don’t overlook the potential for a weekday evening - many locations are less busy and it’s something to look forward to in the middle of your work week and the perfect excuse to celebrate Date Night.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Secondly, consider the location. You’ve probably guessed it, but we have a lot of opinions so if you need help finding the perfect area to explore for your engagement session just ask because we have compiled a long list of favourite areas to compliment the perfect session.  We have locations with views of mountains, trees, fields, lakes or the ocean. Whatever your heart desires of the pacific northwest we can help you find it.  We love shooting in the great outdoors, and the farther we can get away from the general public the better (this is our subtle way of telling you we should stay away from Stanley Park).  On the flip side if you’re looking for a more urban vibe, we also love running around the city as well. There’s many fun little alleyways to explore and brick walls to find, maybe even a cute pub or restaurant to grab a refreshing beer or cocktail (before, during or after we aren’t picky)!  If you’re a step ahead of us and have already been considering locations to explore for your session we want to know about it!  We always make sure to ask if there are any locations that are super special to your story or a location that is of significance to your relationship. Maybe it’s a first date location, your proposal spot, or even your favourite place to explore on a hike or walk the dog.  

VANCOUVER ISLAND ENGAGEMENTS

If you’re here as a client living in the Lower Mainland, we’ve gone anywhere and everywhere in between from the Fraser Valley all the way up to the stunning views of Squamish! If you’re a couple of ours living on Vancouver Island, we are more than happy to book a ferry trip over to run around your favourite views on the island. As Sam grew up in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island, we find ourselves making little trips over quite often! Alternatively, if you want to take an adventure over to the mainland, we will pick you up from the ferries and be your tour guides for the day!

BUT WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR FOR OUR SESSION?

Ok, now that we have the date and location sorted, it’s time to figure out what you should wear! We always say it’s best to wear something that you are comfortable in, and that you love! Our main rule here is to stick to a more neutral palette, and to stay away from any clothing that is super vibrant and neon coloured.  We’re a broken record, but from our experience we find that anything brightly coloured doesn’t photograph well, and it also doesn’t blend very well with the brand and vibe that we have created for ourselves.  Do us a favour and leave your tie dye at home, stay away from red and instead opt for something neutral.   We also find it’s best to wear something that you can easily move in because maybe you and your partner will end up practicing your dance moves or giving each other piggyback rides!  Yes, you can certainly bring more than one outfit, always good to have variety!  In terms of footwear we always recommend something that is comfortable, and that you don’t mind getting a little dirty.  We won’t be sticking to pavement and our favourite locations are often in the middle of nature.  Let’s embrace the mud and off road a little. If you planned on pairing a fancy shoe or boot to accompany one of your outfits, we will most definitely approve, but will take the approach of having a comfy shoe to walk around in, and then when we’ve situated you in the spot for taking photos then you can change into the fancier shoe.  

HAIR + MAKEUP TRIALS - THE PERFECT EXCUSE TO GET GLAMMED UP

If you’re planning on a hair and make up trial before your wedding now is the time to schedule that!  The engagement session is the perfect way to test out your beauty team before the big day! We can help you coordinate what time to schedule them and depending on your desired bridal look, we usually suggest asking your beauty squad to tone down your look, as sometimes a full blown bridal style doesn’t match the theme or outfits chosen for an engagement session.  If you’re planning on wearing your hair tied up on wedding day, opt to wear it down and more casual for your engagement.  

GOLDEN HOUR

Now that we’ve figured out the date, location and what you’re wearing, it’s time to figure out what time to shoot!  In most occasions we love to shoot in the evening around sunset.  We usually try to start 1-2 hours before sunset to make sure we can get some good light before we catch the desired golden hour glow.  This timing will greatly depend on what location we’ve all settled on.  Leave the timing of the session to us and we will make sure we have you in front of our cameras at the best possible time of day because everybody looks their best under the setting sun!

THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS YES, BRING THOSE FUR BABIES

One more thing, wanna bring along your fur baby? We LOVE all animals! We have had many dogs accompany us on sessions. It might just narrow down the location a little, as some areas aren’t as dog friendly as others! It gives you another prop to use (besides each other) and then you can get some adorable photos of your little family! We all know that one’s pets are always an integral part of anyone's relationship! 

WE WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOU

Most importantly, your engagement session is the best opportunity for us all to hang out, spend some time together and get to know one another.  It’s a great ‘trial run’ for the wedding day and you get to see how well we work together and understand how we work when we are shooting. The more comfortable you get the more authentic your photos become.

CHAMPAGNE COURAGE

Our #1 recommendation is to bring along a little ‘liquid courage’ for the session!  Perhaps a bottle of bubbly for that dramatic spray shot (although make it cheap because you’re going to lose some of it), or your favourite craft beers, etc.  We want you to make your engagement session is a reason to celebrate date night and the best dates include a drink at sunset! We never say no if you bring a little extra along for us! It never hurts to butter up your photographer! 

RELAX AND LET YOUR WALLS DOWN

Engagement sessions can be intimidating, but our best advice is to try and be yourself and to not worry.  We know photoshoots are the most awkward thing in the world, but our goal is that at the end of the session you feel a little less awkward about getting your photo taken, and more importantly we hope you have a lot of fun with us! 

We can’t wait to make you both flirt in front of the cameras!