Since September, I’ve made a mental note to share my wedding tips on the 10th of every month (in celebration of another month of marriage- I promise not to celebrate monthly once we get past a year! Haha!), but it has yet to happen- UNTIL NOW!
With the engagement/holiday season behind us (I got engaged the day after Thanksgiving- our dating anniversary! That still counts as “engagement season,” right?), I KNOW there are plenty of bride-to-bes beginning to plan THEIR OWN BEST DAY EVER! My well wishes and excitement go out to each and every one of you! I would definitely say that I did not approach my wedding planning journey in the smoothest or most logical way, but I eventually figured it out and we had THE BEST wedding I could’ve ever dreamt of. Something I wish I would’ve done sooner is take engagement pictures, which is why I am sharing ONE (more on this later) look from our engagement photo shoot accompanied by my top 10 tips to think about before you take engagement pictures!
1. Wear something that makes you feel beautiful- Like i said earlier, my fiancé (TBT) and I wore two different outfits, which isn’t uncommon for photographers to offer in a package. I wore one VERY formal gown (pictured below) and one more casual white outfit. I have to admit that I wasn’t at my peak bridal physique when we took our engagement pictures (haha because I’m still waiting to get there!), but when I tried on my dress I felt like a movie star. I think that confidence helped me be comfortable throughout the whole shoot
2. Start Researching/Testing Make-Up Artists- You may not have to book a make-up artist for a long time, but your engagement pictures are a good time to begin looking up and pricing make-up artists. The MUA (KatEyed Beauty)that I used for my engagement pictures totally went along with my glam vibe, but gave me a look that would still complement my more casual outfit. She also picked colors that I would use on myself (I didn’t need to use the lipstick sample she gave me for touch-ups (EXTRA NICE) because I had the exact color in my own make-up bag!
3. Wear a Lipstick with some Color- Now you may disagree, but sometimes a NUDE lipstick just doesn’t cut it. When you’re taking pictures is one of those times. A lipstick with SOME color (pinky-nude, red, berry, peachy-nude- ANYTHING) is going to complete your look. It doesn’t have to be dramatic. If you wear a lipstick that is the same shade as your skin you will be the LIPLESS BRIDE-TO-BE. Trust me. BONUS TIP: Grab something with blue undertones for PEARLIER WHITES!
4. Incorporate a Special Detail- I’ve been with my husband for 12 years. We got engaged on our 10-year-anniversary in the home we were building together (cue the stomach butterflies, just me? It’s cool.). We both are so close to our families and essentially grew up together. When I graduated from The University of Texas at Austin, my boyfriend (TBT) gave me the diamond studs I’m wearing in these pictures. Upon graduating from graduate school, my boyfriend’s (TBT) sister gifted me the beautiful yellow Manolo Blahnik Heels that were featured in our photo shoot. A picture really does speak a thousand words with details like these.
5. Look after your Groom- If I had a dollar for every time someone told me that our wedding was MY “Big Day” I could’ve paid for Beyonce to perform at our wedding (okay, maybe not, but almost!). Engagement pictures are one of the first big things you and your fiancé will do as an engaged couple. Ask his opinion on what he wants to wear or if he has a spot he thinks might be nice for pictures. Our men can always surprise us!
6. Get Comfortable/Familiar with your Photographer- Documenting our big day was VERY important to me. I was so EXCITED when we got our engagement pictures back from the photographer because they were so versatile and the options were incredible. An engagement shoot is a great time to see if you like the work your photographer produces and if they’re able to work well with you and your fiancé! My husband is pretty shy and he did so well during our photoshoot!
7. Rent A Dress- “Where did you get your dress?!” was a constant question I got after posting a few pictures from our shoot. I hated to disappoint, but my dress was RENTED! I got to wear a gorgeous dress, but didn’t have to deal with storage of the new gorgeous dress. I also saved a considerable amount of money by renting! I rented locally with Rent A Dress (who gave my guests a discount if they rented with them for the big day!), but there are a lot of online options. Rent the Runway is VERY popular!
8. Determine your Vibe: These pictures can be used throughout the span of your engagement whether it’s 6 months or 1 1/2 years! I made sure that our photos would be appropriate for Fall (when my save the dates went out), but still light and airy to frame for later (which is more my home decor vibe- two outfits are key, y’all).
9. Don’t Be Afraid- I built up every part of the wedding in my head prior to. Everything was ALWAYS fine! Our outfits were great, we don’t look uncomfortable in the pictures (ha! This was a HUGE FEAR!), and we got some great pictures as a couple! Trust your photographer’s guidance- they know what they’re doing!
10. Plan for the Worst- I had several friends get married in 2018. As each photoshoot following mine came out I wondered why we didn’t sit on the ground for some of our pictures (ugh, so cute!), but then I remember it RAINED on the day of our photoshoot. HOT STICKY LEAVE-THE-AIR-STEAMY RAIN. I, surprisingly, was not prepared! I did not pack powder to touch up (although I didn’t need to…as you can see in the pictures, but WHAT IF?). When I changed out of one dress to the other my sticky bra SLID right off. CONCERN. TMI. Everything was fine, but I should’ve known better when it was sprinkling on the way home from my make-up appointment.
Well, there you have it! If your wedding planning has just begun OR you just came to peep some pics, I hope that you really enjoyed the pictures and maybe got some tips for your next photo shoot! Happy Thursday, y’all! (and happy 10 months to my HUSBAND!) Anyone taking engagement pics soon? Let me know in the comments below!
