He popped the question – yay! In the midst of all the cake tastings, venue searches, and seating-chart making, nearer to the top of the list is an eye-catching engagement shoot for grandma to magnetize to the fridge. To make the styling & planning easier, here are my 6 tips to get frame-worthy photos to commemorate this exciting chapter of your life!

6 Tips for Picture Perfect Engagement Photos

Tip 1: Establish a theme that represents your wedding style

Whether your nuptials will be on the beach, a rustic barn, or like us – a destination abroad, your engagement shoot is a great way to give your guests a little glimpse of what’s to come. Once you decide on the aesthetic of your wedding, you can narrow down the styling and location for this shoot so it is representative of your big day. For example, a barefoot sunset photoshoot would be a perfect teaser for your beach vows. Nick and I wanted our engagement photos to transport our friends and family to Europe since we’ll be getting married in Italy, hence the Italian Vespa we opted to use as a prop in our pics.

Tip 2: Style the bride-to-be in something she feels comfortable in

When it comes to what the couple should wear, I like to start with the bride-to-be’s outfit first. There aren’t many instances in which you can convince your partner to do a full-on photo shoot — I mean, even taking a pic at a nice restaurant during date-night feels like a battle.

To make the most of your engagement shoot, I recommend squeezing in two outfits, one formal and one casual. The casual look could be as simple as jeans and a white button-down blouse. Then for the dressy look that you will probably print out for Save-the-Date cards, I recommend a flowy maxi dress that looks dreamy blowing in the wind. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s something you feel comfortable in! When you feel confident and beautiful in what you’re wearing, it shows in your pictures.

Tip 3: Make your man feel special in a custom suit

After you’ve picked out what you’re going to wear, it’s time to find an outfit for him that is complimentary. Just like for the bride-to-be, I recommend your partner style one casual and one dressy outfit for the photographer to shoot. He can pick dark denim and white sneakers for the casual look, but when you’re wearing your flowy dress I think it’s wonderful to dress him up in something dashing as well.

With few opportunities to dress up, your engagement shoot is a wonderful time to customize a suit to make him look & feel his best. I highly recommend Balani Custom for beautifully crafted tailored suits. After I fell in love with my blue-and-white floral gown from Mestiza NY, Nick and I wanted a suit just as special for him to wear. Balani had thousands of fabrics for us to choose from and it felt like a date to go-in and design his suit together. We selected light linen fabric for an Italian coast-vibe and I absolutely LOVE how it turned out!

Tip 4: Research your location

Using Pinterest or Instagram, find a location that will be scenic but will also have multiple backdrops to give your photos some variety. For example, perhaps your local botanical garden has a cute café or water feature in addition to taking photos with the beautiful flowers. Do some research beforehand and come up with a vision you want to create with your photographs. The best thing to do is send your photographers one or two images of this vision so they know what you’re going for and be focused on getting a shot you’ll love.

Tip 5: Schedule your photoshoot around the sun

The time of your shoot can really affect the lighting and believe me, lighting is everything. For the dreamiest time of day, I suggest shooting around sunrise or sunset rather than midday when the sun is too harsh and bright. We had to work around Nick’s work schedule… so sunset it was 🥰

Tip 6: Come prepared with playful props

The most important thing to remember about this day is to enjoy & have fun! A prop is a fun way to add some dimension to the photo and also to show the playful side of your relationship. Maybe with a bicycle, taco food truck, or guitar – your prop can be unique & represent a memory you’ve made together or even how you met.

Another classic idea is popping a bottle of champagne at the beginning of the shoot to loosen everyone up and make for a celebratory image. For Nick and me, since we are going to Italy for our wedding, we thought a white vintage Vespa would be a cool way to give our photos in the Chicago suburbs an Italian countryside feel. Props can be elaborate like a vintage car or simple like flowers from the grocery store, but arriving to meet your photographer prepared elevates the experience and images to the next level.

History of Balani Custom Suits

Passed down from generation to generation, this family-run business holds a special place in our hearts. Nick’s parents have been friends with the owners for decades, and we are thrilled to have them be a part of our special day. With custom suits beautifully-made and tailored to perfection, use code: CAILA for $250 off your Balani custom purchase of $750 or more!