5 Tips to Help You Prepare For Your Engagement Session

Fun, urban Engagement Session with Monica and Jhanisus at Angel’s Flight in Downtown Los Angeles

Engagement sessions are so much fun and we love photographing them because our couples are relaxed, they’re looking good, we’re at a fun location and the time we have together allows them to just be themselves and enjoy each other. Did I mention we get to have fun?!!

Kimi and Daniel in Switzer Falls for their adventurous, romantic engagement session

Tip #1: Why should you book your Engagement Session?

Yes, it allows you to get comfortable with us, in front of our camera and as nerve-wracking as it sounds, at the end of each session our couples always tell us how much fun they had. It’s also a really good time to test out your hair and makeup artist that you’re thinking of using for your wedding.

I may be getting ahead of myself, but if you think about it, most of our engagement sessions are finished by evening on a weekend so since your hair and makeup are done, you’re dressed fashionably casual, it usually makes for a really nice date night!

As with everything we do, whenever we photograph we look at our sessions and weddings like game days. We plan and prepare beforehand and then we rock it out and play as much as we can. We want you to look your best, feel the most joy and be blown away when we show your photos to you!

Silhouette of Sabrina and Leo for their wilderness Carbon Canyon Engagement Session

Tip #2: How should you use your engagement photos?

Sometimes couples ask us if an engagement session is necessary and I always let them know that a lot of our couples use their engagement session photos for Save the Date Cards to let their friends and family know ahead of time to set aside their wedding date. This always gets everyone really excited!

You can also use your engagement session photos for your wedding guestbook so everyone can sign in and leave their best wishes for you. This is always a good idea as you can use it as a wedding keepsake to look back on.

We’ve also had our couples create a canvas to use at the reception table and it also doubles as beautiful wall art to display in their home. If anything at all, we encourage engagement sessions to balance out their gorgeous wedding photos with some casual and fun engagement session photos.

Melissa and Adam in Santa Barbara for their romantic beach engagement session

Tip #3: When should I book my engagement session?

The best timeframe to book your engagement session is about 6 months before your wedding date. You can definitely book it earlier or later but if you’re planning on using them for Save the Dates you want to book your session at least 2 weeks ahead of when you’re planning on sending them out.

Jandy in her red dress and Wilson in Downtown LA for their urban engagement session near Vibiana

Tip #4: Where should we go for our session?

Ultimately we suggest booking your engagement session in a different season than when you’re getting married as it adds a different look to your wedding. If you prefer to use the same or similar seasons, we encourage you to think about holding your engagement session in a different location to balance your wedding day location.

Speaking of locations, if you ask us one of our favorite locations is in urban settings such as Downtown LA Art District, Downtown Fullerton, or Downtown Santa Barbara. If you love taking adventures, we can always head to the mountains or a wilderness vibe. And you can never go wrong with holding your session at the beach. Wherever you decide to hold your session we always encourage you to think about where you enjoy to hang out with your Love. Some might see us as being indecisive but ultimately, these will be your photos and we want you to be as comfortable as possible. You won’t be your best if we were to push a city vibe when you love walking barefoot in the sand. We want you to be as carefree as possible and just enjoy each other to the fullest so we can highlight your relationship in the best way!

Melissa and Adam at Arroyo Burro Beach in Santa Barbara for their beach engagement session

Before we give you Tip #5, check out more from Melissa and Adam’s romantic engagement session in Santa Barbara

Tip #5: What should I wear for our engagement session?

As far as fashion is concerned, we want you to look and feel your best. Think about what you would wear if you were going out to a nice dinner date. If a cute dress and heels are your thing while your love wears some slacks with a blazer then feel free to rock that out! If you like jeans and a cute top while your love is a collared shirt and jeans type, then show us what you’re working with! Haha! I think you know what we’re trying to say here. If you need some extra help, we always provide our Style Guide, so make sure to check it out once you book.

Lawrence just proposed to Melissa at the Hollywood Bowl Overlook in Los Angeles

How do I book our engagement session?

If these tips helped you out and want to check our availability for your engagement session, I encourage you to fill out the info below today and we can get the ball rolling for you.

We’re looking forward to highlighting your relationship and we’re excited for what’s in store!

Romantic engagement session in Pasadena with Michelle and Daniel

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Are you thinking about booking your Engagement Session?

Feel free to fill this out and get in contact with us to get the ball rollin’!

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El Matador State Beach Surprise Proposal | Katelyn and Andrew

It's always a surprise when we get an inquiry for a proposal and we absolutely love doing them. We don't always promote them, but we love them for the authentic emotions each one brings. 

When Andrew called us and let his know his plan, we couldn't happier for him and his soon-to-be fiance, Katelyn. They were actually visiting from the New York area and since they were out in Malibu Andrew wanted to pop the question in one of the most beautiful places in Southern California. We couldn't blame him and we absolutely loved his ideas. 

As a photographer, it's always hard to know when the question will be asked. We know how nervous the guy usually is and we're so anxious to see their reaction so we're patiently hiding and to be honest it feels a bit "stalker-ish". I mean we're running around, hiding behind rocks, bushes, etc trying not to blow our cover, yet be ready for "that moment". 

When Andrew texted me that they arrived, we waited for them to come down to the beach and since Katelyn had no idea who we were we still wanted to keep a safe distance so we didn't blow Andrew's plans. 

After about what felt like 20 minutes of running around the beach, quietly following them from a reasonable distance, we say Andrew get down on one knee and Katelyn's emotions broke through. She was so ecstatic and we couldn't be more happier for them! 

Andrew definitely knew how much his girl loves the beach and he picked the perfect spot to propose. We were so glad to be a part of their story so far and here are a few images to show how it went down. Simple, yet perfect. 

Have a wonderful day and enjoy their surprise proposal!

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Angel's Flight and Downtown Los Angeles Engagement | Monica and Jhanisus

I have to say, this year has been pretty amazing already and we couldn't have asked to be able to have more awesome clients as Monica and Jhanisus. They're so down to earth and as we started to plan for their engagement session, we knew we were going to have a blast. They chose to tame the tough streets of Downtown LA and incorporate their casual engagement session around the areas they were looking forward to the most.

We started in the Art District to get some of those cool vibes then made our way to the 1st Street Bridge. We had a quick change into their second look and they continued to rock it out around the Angel's Flight area. To finish off the evening, Jhanisus took us to a little spot where he really wanted to take some night shots with the Financial District as the backdrop.

No matter where we went, they both brought their 'A' game when it comes to styling and because they complimented each other, they definitely rocked it for the whole time. 

Although they told me they were a bit anxious before we started our Downtown LA tour, I couldn't tell at all and they seemed like absolute naturals in front of the camera. 

We can't wait for their upcoming wedding and if their engagement session is any indicator of what's to come, we know they're going to knock it out of the park!

So many blessings to you guys and we're looking forward to what's in store for you guys!

Engagement at Carbon Canyon Regional Park | Rachel and Aaron

If you missed Aaron's surprise proposal at LA Live in Downtown Los Angeles he got one knee on the ice. Once we photographed their engagement session, it was pure fire. 

The love the have for each other is so evident and we're so excited to have front row seats to watch their lives blossom together. On a personal level, Rachel is my third sister and as she becomes the beautiful young woman she is, And as far as we can tell, Aaron definitely brings out the best in her. 

They both have a promising road ahead of them and we're so excited to see them get married in a few months. As a lover of travel and living a bohemian life, they're going to do things their way and we can't wait to see what they will incorporate for their wedding day.

Enjoy these images from their session and make sure to send them your blessings!

Switzer Falls Engagement Session | Kimi and Daniel

Kimi and Daniel are one of the funnest couples we have met to date. And if you looked up Infectious Energy in the dictionary you would see their images.

Infectious Energy (adj): spreading energy from one to another.

And they absolutely Brought. It. ...all that and a red umbrella!

Kimi definitely brings out the love and energy out of Daniel as he came out of his shell and they were inseparable the whole time. You see, he was the one to pursue her with the idea of reconnecting via Facebook. Kimi obliged to accept his Facebook friendship and before long, they were going out and held conversations for longer than they realized. As their colleague turned friendship was in the beginning stages of a relationship, they realized how much they had in common and as they grew to know each other better Daniel had no choice but to propose for Kimi to marry him.

As lovers of the outdoors, hiking and nature they wanted to hold their engagement session at Switzer Falls as it's one of their favorite places to hang out and enjoy each other. And as avid lovers of the great outdoors ourselves, that's when we knew we clicked with them. If it wasn't for the cool temperature and chance of rain, we could have spent all day up there!

We're so excited for their wedding at La Canada Flintridge Country Club as we know they are going to infuse their own elements as Kimi did on her engagement session. With the love and support of their families, we're anticipating everyone to be celebrating Daniel and Kimi with the fullest of hearts. 

Check out their engagement session highlights and give them your blessings in the comments below!