You're engaged! You’re getting ready to say “I do” but before that special moment comes there’s (more than) a few things to do! You may have “take engagement photos” jotted on your seemingly endless wedding To-Do list, but now comes the big question: when should you take your engagement photos?
Here are three things to consider when picking the most optimal time to schedule your engagement session:
1. How will you be using your engagement photos?
Will you be using your engagement photos for a Save the Date card? On a wedding website? Or will they be more for you and your fiancé to remember this time in your life? If you are planning on using your engagement photos for a Save the Date, we recommend scheduling your shoot farther in advance. Save the Dates are generally sent between 4-6 months before a local wedding or 6-8 months prior to a destination wedding. In either case, having your engagement portraits taken between a month to a month and a half before sending your Save the Date cards is ideal to allow time for printing. If you want to use your engagement photos on your wedding website, you'll want to have the images in plenty of time to get them uploaded before you start sharing the website link with your guests. And finally, if your images are entirely for personal use, you have much more flexibility! You could take them at any time between getting engaged and tying the knot!
Click here for three tips to make your engagement shoot personal!
Here are three things to consider when picking the most optimal time to schedule your engagement session:
1. How will you be using your engagement photos?
Will you be using your engagement photos for a Save the Date card? On a wedding website? Or will they be more for you and your fiancé to remember this time in your life? If you are planning on using your engagement photos for a Save the Date, we recommend scheduling your shoot farther in advance. Save the Dates are generally sent between 4-6 months before a local wedding or 6-8 months prior to a destination wedding. In either case, having your engagement portraits taken between a month to a month and a half before sending your Save the Date cards is ideal to allow time for printing. If you want to use your engagement photos on your wedding website, you'll want to have the images in plenty of time to get them uploaded before you start sharing the website link with your guests. And finally, if your images are entirely for personal use, you have much more flexibility! You could take them at any time between getting engaged and tying the knot!
2. What season is best for your engagement session?
When you're scheduling your engagement photos, it might be important to keep the climate in mind! Here in Phoenix, that mostly means thinking about the HEAT! Because of that, most couples choose to have their engagement shoot during the spring or fall. In order to work with the Arizona heat, a summer shoot here may entail traveling up north to cooler weather or being up and ready at sunrise for the shoot. The weather is also a factor if you live in other parts of the country! We suggest imagining your perfect engagement photos (Playing in the snow? Walking through colorful leaves? Splashing at the beach?) and determining which season will best accommodate your vision. Considering your local weather during each season is a great way to narrow down a timeframe that will work best for you.
When you're scheduling your engagement photos, it might be important to keep the climate in mind! Here in Phoenix, that mostly means thinking about the HEAT! Because of that, most couples choose to have their engagement shoot during the spring or fall. In order to work with the Arizona heat, a summer shoot here may entail traveling up north to cooler weather or being up and ready at sunrise for the shoot. The weather is also a factor if you live in other parts of the country! We suggest imagining your perfect engagement photos (Playing in the snow? Walking through colorful leaves? Splashing at the beach?) and determining which season will best accommodate your vision. Considering your local weather during each season is a great way to narrow down a timeframe that will work best for you.
3. What is your availability (as well as your photographer's)?
Planning your wedding can create a busy schedule! Make sure to plan ahead to ensure your availability and your fiancé's, and then coordinate with your photographer to set the perfect shooting date. Communication as well as organization is key! We recommend booking your photographer well in advance so you can be sure you are able to find and book your ideal time and location for a dream shoot! When in doubt about any of the above, start by reaching out to your photographer. They will be able to help you with brainstorming locations and figuring out the best timing for your shoot.
Planning your wedding can create a busy schedule! Make sure to plan ahead to ensure your availability and your fiancé's, and then coordinate with your photographer to set the perfect shooting date. Communication as well as organization is key! We recommend booking your photographer well in advance so you can be sure you are able to find and book your ideal time and location for a dream shoot! When in doubt about any of the above, start by reaching out to your photographer. They will be able to help you with brainstorming locations and figuring out the best timing for your shoot.
We hope these tips help you to determine when your engagement shoot should take place! Before you know it your special day will be here ... so enjoy this season and all it has to offer!
------> If you are thinking about engagement photography, you should probably also be thinking about wedding photography! The engagement shoot is the perfect time to get comfortable with your wedding photographer! Click here to download a FREE checklist of 12 important questions you should be asking any potential wedding photographers you meet with! We've created a convenient form for you to print and take along as you talk with photographers. Make this big decision a little easier! Download your copy today!
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