Preparing For Your Engagement Session.

What To Expect

We’ll meet at a pre-arranged location and walk together to the best photo spots. While we do our best to avoid overly muddy or buggy areas, nature can be unpredictable—so bug spray is a good idea during the buggy months. We recommend dressing up for your photos, but avoid anything that can’t handle a bit of dirt just in case. If you're concerned about your shoes, feel free to bring a change in a bag you can easily carry. And if anyone in your group has mobility or walking concerns, please let us know in advance so we can plan accordingly.

Wardrobe

DRESS TO IMPRESS!

Your engagement session is the perfect opportunity to dress up and have fun with your look—so go all out! Choose outfits that feel special and elevated. We recommend avoiding jeans, logos, or anything that feels too casual or everyday. If you wear it to run errands, it’s probably not the right choice for your engagement photos. Think new, exciting, and a little fancy!

COORDINATE WITH STYLE

Coordinate your wardrobe with your partner to create a cohesive and polished look. Solid colors that complement your skin tone work beautifully, and we recommend steering clear of bold logos or busy patterns that can be distracting in photos.

Keep the season in mind when choosing your color palette. Here are some seasonal suggestions to help guide your choices:

• Spring: Pale yellow, blush pink, lavender, light blue, sage green, white, cream (soft + fresh)

• Summer: Bright yellow, pinks, lavenders, blues, greens, white, cream (vibrant + sunny)

• Fall: Mustard yellow, burnt orange, navy, rose pink, burgundy, emerald, turquoise (rich + earthy)

• Winter: Ruby red, sapphire blue, emerald green, white, cream (cool jewel tones)

Neutrals like cream and white are timeless and work beautifully in any season!

PLAN YOUR OUTFITS AHEAD OF TIME

Choose your outfits well before your session day to avoid any last-minute stress. Think through your entire look—from hair accessories to shoes. Once you’ve selected everything, hang each outfit and place coordinating shoes and accessories in a labeled bag or attach them to the hanger. Having everything ready and organized in advance ensures a smooth, relaxed day and helps prevent any forgotten items.

OUTFIT CHANGES

Outfit changes are absolutely welcome! Just keep in mind that many of our shoot locations don’t have nearby restrooms. Most outfit changes may need to happen in your car, so please plan with that in mind. We recommend keeping changes simple—layering with a coat, sweater, or swapping accessories can be an easy and efficient way to switch up your look on location.

A NOTE ABOUT DRESS/SKIRT LENGTH

We move around a lot when we pose you (sitting, standing, etc). We have seen trends lean towards short skirts lately. Please avoid very short skirts when picking out wardrobe. It makes posing very difficult and short skirts don’t photograph well. Please choose skirt lengths mid-thigh or longer.

A NOTE FOR THOESE WHO WEAR GLASSES
Glasses that have anti-glare coating and are not light sensitive are the best for photos. If we see a heavy glare on your glasses or they are transition changing with the light, we may ask you to remove your glasses so we can clearly see your eyes. If you think your glasses will be problematic, consider an alternate pair without these issues, or a pair of glasses with the lenses popped out (we will not be able to see the lenses are popped out in the photos). Light-transitional glasses WILL appear dark and we will not be able to see your eyes well, even when shooting in shaded areas.

A NOTE ABOUT SMART WATCHES:

Please remove apple/smart watches before you arrive to your shoot (they never photograph well and date the photo). If you would like to wear a watch, please opt for a classic style watch.

Weather Concerns

Summer sessions…

Ticks and mosquitoes are nasty in the summer. We recommend spraying deet from your waist-down and natural bug repellant from your waist-up.

Winter sessions…

Snow makes for beautiful photos, so bundle up and let’s go make magic! But please dress everyone accordingly. Hats, gloves and scarves can be very cute in photos so please layer up!

If it’s raining…

We will connect with you to reschedule your session.

Makeup/Hair/ Nails

Arrive with your hair styled and your makeup done but bring your hair and makeup kit with you for any last minute “uh-oh’s”. Plan extra time to get ready to allow time if anything doesn’t look right. If it normally takes you 30 minutes to get ready, plan an extra 15-30 minutes to apply makeup and do your hair.

We often see hands, so make sure your nail polish is freshly manicured and not chipping. Men, your nails should be nicely manicured as well.

If you are interested in having professional makeup and hair done for your session, please check out our makeup artist recommendations HERE.

Prepare Your Mind

LEAVE YOUR ARGUMENTS IN THE CAR OR AT HOME

Too often have we photographed couples that argue through the shoot, picking at each other’s flaws. This makes for a very uncomfortable photoshoot process (for all parties involved). As best as you can, try to let go of any stress you have felt from the day and enjoy the fact that you are doing something creative! The moment you relax and just let the experience unfold is when the magic happens.

LET GO OF EXPECTATIONS

It’s not about having the perfect hair or the perfect outfit or posing the perfect way. It’s about capturing this special time in your life. If you are worried about your clothes, it will show in the photos. Your clothes may get dirty, that’s a normal part of the photoshoot process. Don’t wear anything that you care that much about.

Feeling Stuck?

If you feel stuck with your wardrobe or need additional suggestions, please feel free to reach out to us anytime. We welcome our clients to send over photos of what outfits they are thinking about ahead of time. We are here to help!

Email: BKRoseStudio (at) gmail.com