PLANNING YOUR

ENGAGEMENT SESSION

choosing the perfect time, location, outfit & more!

Welcome

We’re so excited to be working with you! We can’t wait for our time together during your new york engagement session (or wherever it takes place!). 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. Timelines can be pretty tight on weddings days. Thirty minutes may be all we have for 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. We thought it would be 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.

A NOTE TO

The Guys

We get it. Having your picture taken for 1-2 hours 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.

TIME & LIGHT

IS THERE A "GOOD" TIME TO TAKE PHOTOS?

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 a half and when when we can—we love to begin sessions about two hours before sunset. We prefer to shoot when the sun is lower in the sky to avoid harsh shadows and bright sun patches. The first two hours after sunrise is also an ideal time to shoot.

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. If your session takes place in the morning, the sun gets more harsh as it rises.

Seasons

While we shoot most of our engagement sessions between April and late November, 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:

Spring

fresh flowers and beautiful days

Spring begins in March, so even though the weather might still be pretty chilly, we’ll usually schedule Spring sessions for the end of the month and all of April. Once we see the pretty flowers bloom, we know it’s time to get out there.

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, cold water, and maybe even some portable fans to make sure you stay fresh throughout your session.

Fall

colorful leaves and crisp weather

Fall is one of the prettiest times of the year on the East Coast and because of the perfect weather, our schedules typically book up quickly! If you have your heart set on a fall engagement session, we recommend scheduling it as soon as you book!

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 2:30pm to catch the sunset. We recommend dressing in layers so that in between photos you can warm up. Make sure you bring a little extra makeup and tissues.

Save-the-dates

If your wedding is local, save the dates should be sent between 6 and 8 months before the wedding. For a destination wedding, you’ll want to send them out 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 your save-the-dates and printing, two months is generally a safe amount of time to make sure your images and cards are ready.

Locations

NEW YORK AND MIAMI ENGAGEMENT LOCATIONS

We love when couples choose a location for their session that complements their wedding. For example if you’re planning a chic, elegant wedding, it may be fitting to take your engagement portraits among classic architecture. A local park or flower-filled fields may be more fitting for a couple planning a more rustic affair. The best session locations are often meaningful places to the couple. However, we’re also happy to make recommendations. From ski slopes to lavender fields to apple picking and college campuses, the options for engagement session locations are endless.

CLASSIC & ELEGANT

New York Public Library (NY)
Belvedere Castle (NY)
American Museum of Natural History (NY)
Vizcaya Gardens (Miami)
Ancient Spanish Monastery (Miami)

Even more

Brooklyn Botanic Garden (NY)
West Village (NY)
DUMBO (NY)
Worth Avenue (Palm Beach)
The MET Cloisters (NY)

BEACH

Cape Florida Lighthouse (Miami)
Kismet Beach (NY)
Coney Island (NY)
South Pointe Park (Miami)

PARKS

The Mall and Literary Walk at Central Park (NY)
Bethesda Fountain at Central Park (NY)
Prospect Park (NY)
Fairchild Tropical Park (Miami)

the above locations are all beautiful but we also love exploring meaningful locations with our couples or even photograph at couple’s homes.

destination

ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS

While we take most of our engagement sessions in the tri-state area, we’ve photographed couples everywhere from The Florida Keys to Utah to Santorini, Greece and more! If you have a location in mind that is significant to the two of you, let us know! 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.

PETS

We love when couples choose to incorporate pets into their session. Keep in mind that bringing a pet along often 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 either dropping them off or having a friend take them home. We won’t use the pet in every single photo so it’s also 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.

OUTFITS

TIPS FOR LOOKING YOUR BEST

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 don’t forget to bring a few accessories. Statement necklaces, cute shoes and classic watches are great ways to add detail to outfits.

When picking outfits we recommend keeping in mind the word “complement” rather than “match.” For example, a neutral shirt, goes well with soft red dress. It can also be a great idea to choose “color-families,” such as pastels or jewel tones.

A good rule of thumb: pick 3 or so colors and spread them throughout your attire. Don’t be afraid to mix a few subtle patterns or textures (such as linen).

And always keep the location in mind. If we’re shooting in a green field, light green dresses might blend in too much with the surroundings.

WARDROBE TIPS

Heels lengthen legs but if your heels aren’t comfortable for walking or we’ll be in grass, bring an extra pair of shoes to slip into in between shots.

We love the way larger patterns and textures (like linen) photograph – just 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. We love bright, neon dresses, but we don’t love the neon reflection they add to your complexion.

WHERE TO SHOP/RENT

Rent the Runway
Asos
J Crew
Anthropologie
Free People
H&M
Luisa Via Roma
Lulus
Madewell
Zara
Mango
Sezane
Reformation
Nuuly
Christy Dawn
Scotch & Soda
Everlane
Banana Republic
Ralph Lauren
AllSaints

HAIR & MAKEUP

We think it’s so important that you look and feel your best for your photos. Investing in professional hair and makeup can go a long way towards creating photos you love for years.

Professionally done hair & makeup last longer than typical hair & makeup. They also tend to hold up better in humidity and wind.

If you go this route, we recommend staying a bit “classic”. Now probably isn’t the best time to try out that new contouring technique you saw on TikTok.

If you’re planning to do any spray tans or waxing, schedule those for a few days before the session to give your skin time to recover.

FOR THE GENTS

You can’t go wrong with crisp button up. Or consider layering a blazer or sweater with jeans with this look. 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 busy.

Softer, pastel colors tend to photograph better than bright colors – especially since bright colors could reflect on your skin. Cozy sweaters layered over button ups are a great way to stay warm and stylish during the cooler months.

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 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 call at least 12 hours in advance and reschedule for a more appropriate time based on our availability.

If you’re planning to bring props to your engagement session, we recommend including them only if they’re meaningful to you.

Shots drinking coffee at a local coffee shop would be cute if that’s where you met or coffee shops play a significant role in your relationship; however, trying to fly a kite together when it’s not a part of your relationship may come off as contrived.

“what do I do with my hands?”

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 funny, it’s probably because we know it’s going to make the two of you laugh – and 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.

DATE NIGHT

Do you dress up often? If you don’t, 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 is a great way to end the session!

Digital turnaround is 2-3 business days. If we include film during our shoot, as soon as possible after your session is complete, we’ll ship your film off to our lab. It normally takes them about 10 business days to send the digital files back to us – and then it takes us about a week to edit your images. Unless we have a holiday closure, you can expect to receive your film engagement photos between 2 and 3 weeks after your session.

Thank You!

We know that this guide is long and hopefully it covers everything you need to know to prep for your engagement session! However if there is something we missed, or you need a recommendation feel free to email
diana@bluesparkphotography.com