PLANNING FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION – Kae Marie Photography

PLANNING YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION

WHEN TO BOOK

"SAVE-THE-DATES"

If you are planning on using your images for Save-The-Dates, I recommend you book at least 5-8 months out from your wedding day. It takes me 4-6 weeks (at most) to edit and send over the images from your session so that will give you time to get the photos back, order save-the-dates and then get them mailed out.

GENERAL INFO

My weekends tend to book up quite quickly. If you can only do an engagement session on a weekend date, I book those 2-3+ months in advance. If you can make a weekday evening work I have a lot more availability.

WHAT IF THE WEATHER IS HORRIBLE ON THE DAY OF OUR SESSION

I will reach out a couple days before the date we have scheduled on the calendar and will be monitoring the weather. If the weather isn’t cooperating for an outdoor session, we can either find an alternate location with indoor options or reschedule to the next available date we both have open.

PICKING A DATE + TIME OF YEAR

CHOOSING A LOCATION

SETTING THE MOOD OF YOUR SESSION

INCORPORATING WHO YOU ARE
Picking a location can be the hardest part of preparing for your engagement session. Sometimes it’s beneficial to start off by thinking of locations that have some sort of meaning to you. Maybe you got engaged there, had your first kiss there, etc. Next, try thinking about ways in which you spend time together. Maybe you are both adventurous hikers or foodies who love being downtown. Maybe you spend countless hours of your free time together at coffee shops or you spend all summer camping in the woods. Maybe you love just spending time at home together. Let’s incorporate some of that into your engagement session so the photos tell a little bit of your story.

A NOTE ON LOCATION PERMITS
Please be aware that some places require me to have a permit to shoot professional photos at (Greenhouses, Indy Parks, etc.) A lot of the time that costs an additional fee which you will be responsible for covering (I’ll let you know what that is when we discuss location ideas etc.) and I will typically have to apply for it in advance. Most of the locations that require a permit have a set time frame we can be there for and little-to-no flexibility on changing the date in the case of inclement weather. We can discuss all of that in more detail if your location does require a permit.

TIME OF DAY

At your engagement session I want to make sure we have the best, most flattering lighting. In general, I try to schedule them two hours out from sunset and ending right around sunset for outdoor locations.

MAKING IT PERSONAL

I want to create photos that are super personalized to you and that show a glimpse into your lives. You know the guitar you play every evening when you get home from work, the living room you painstakingly remodeled and redecorated, the dog that is basically like your child – those things you pour heart and soul into. Let’s incorporate those.

Let’s do some really unique things- like have a charcuterie board picnic in the park, or build a giant bonfire in your backyard and roast some s’mores because that’s what you did on your first date.

A NOTE ON INCLUDING PETS

It tends to work best if we incorporate them for part of the session instead of the whole thing, so maybe have someone come along to occupy them when we don’t need them for photos. We could also start at your house and go somewhere else for the second half so they can be included. I’m the BIGGEST animal lover and if there’s ever a question of “can I bring my dog/cat/hamster for photos,” the answer is always YES!

INCORPORATING WHAT YOU LOVE

WHAT TO WEAR

CHOOSING YOUR OUTFITS

OUTFITS - I recommend two different outfits for your engagement session. For the first outfit, start off with something a little more casual that is something like what you would wear on a normal day but a little more dressed up. This outfit should be something you can move around in, sit on the ground in, and are comfortable wearing. The second outfit, I recommend something dressy for the sunset portion of the evening to lean into the romantic lighting.

SHOES - My engagement sessions tend to incorporate a LOT of walking around and moving around in general for photos. If you are just dying to incorporate your new sky-high heels make sure you bring along some comfier shoes for walking around in. I don’t want you to be super uncomfortable the entire time!

COLOR - Unless you are going for an ultra sleek + mod all-black or all-white look, pair colors that work well together. Colors that are complimentary to each other and to your skin tone, hair + eye color. I tend to suggest a more neutral palette (creams, whites, blacks, browns, tans, rust colors etc) muted colors, darker prints and patterns mixed in with pops of bright color.

KEEP YOUR LOCATION IN MIND - Pick your clothing colors intentionally. If your session is taking place in a green grassy field, you might want to pick colors that pair well with green (like red or neutrals) and skip wearing a green dress that will make you blend into your background.

WHAT TO AVOID - As a rule of thumb, avoid shirts with logos, being too “matchy-matchy” with your outfits (unless you are rocking an all black or all white look,) choosing clothing items with super bright neon colors, and carrying around a bunch of stuff during your shoot. I’m more than happy to carry around your keys or cell phones but try to leave anything larger than that at home or in your car.

IT'S GOING TO BE LAID BACK

I want you to get comfortable in front of the camera. We will do a LOT of talking and walking around. I’ll tell some terrible jokes, give you a little direction and by the end of the session you guys will be pros, I promise!

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME

We are going to explore, try out some creative ideas, and get to know each other. We can incorporate your pets, your hobbies, and any activities you two do together to take the pressure off of feeling like you are being photographed.

IT'S GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON YOUR LOVE STORY

These won’t be your grandmas photos or a whole evening of you two standing still and fake smiling at the camera until your faces hurt. I want to give you images that feel authentic, show real moments, real emotion, interaction and capture your personalities.

WHAT TO EXPECT

BREAK THE RULES

MAKE THESE PHOTOS WHATEVER YOU WANT THEM TO BE

At the end of the day, your engagement session can be whatever you want it to be. The most important thing that I want you to be is confident knowing that I’m going to be here to have your back and make you feel comfortable in front of the camera. I will guide you as much as I need to during the shoot so we can get authentic images. No matter what you decide to wear, or where we go for the shoot, we’ve got this. It’s going to be amazing!

FREQUENTLY

ASKED

QUESTIONS