The 5 plus 1 best tips for engagement photos and couple photos
Engagement and couple photos are more than just fun snapshots - they are one of the first milestones on the road to your wedding together. This fun, stress-free photo session is like a trial run for the wedding day.
You'll learn how to perfect all sorts of flattering poses while capturing photos for the wedding invitations and wedding website. Plus, the engagement session is the start of the relationship between you and your wedding photographer.
It helps you build a relationship with your photographer so that you feel comfortable with them and vice versa. As a photographer, I value the time I can take to get to know you and your partner; this helps me to create meaningful and personal images.
How much do couple photos cost?
If you're hiring a photographer just for engagement photos - or any similar type of couple shoot for that matter - expect to spend at least €300 to €600 for a 60-minute session. My couples spend on average from €650 for their engagement photos.
When you should take your couple photos
Engagement and couple photos are one of the first milestones in wedding planning and once you've agreed on a wedding date, it's time to plan your engagement shoot. If you want to use the photos for the save-the-date wedding cards (which are sent out six to eight months before the wedding), you should take the engagement photos about 10 months or more in advance. This will give you enough time to look at the pictures again and design your invitations. If you have a longer engagement period or don't want to use the photos for the invitations, you'll have more flexibility.
The best time of year & time of day for couple photos?
As far as the time of year is concerned, I recommend avoiding the height of summer, because even here the heat can make you sweat. In my opinion, spring and autumn are best because there are no extreme temperatures and you can still see beautiful, colorful foliage - and no bare, dreary trees like in winter. But winter pictures in a snowy setting can also be beautiful and stand out from other pictures taken during the year.
In terms of time of day, evening or early morning is the best time to shoot for warm sunrise and sunset colors, but as a professional photographer, I can create beautiful light and mood at any time of day. However, the best time is an hour or two before sunset to take advantage of the favorable natural light.
The perfect place for engagement and couple photos
When choosing the perfect location for your engagement photos, you can either choose a place that is special to you or rely on my suggestions and expertise. If you have a special place in mind - the location of your first date, your favorite café or a park on your walk - then let me know and we'll find a suitable solution.
While it's nice to take engagement photos in a nostalgic location, as a photographer I love it when couples look to me for inspiration. I'm always driving around and discovering new or lesser-known photo spots. That's why I'm delighted when a couple chooses a location I suggest. I often have new spots in mind and am just waiting for an adventurous couple to try them out.
What you should wear for your engagement photos
Less is more when it comes to choosing the perfect outfit for engagement photos. Overall, I recommend understated, subtle and neutral colors for a classic, timeless look. Muted tones like beige, taupe, black and white are the most flattering. Avoid highly saturated or bright colors like a bold red or orange, as these colors will reflect on your face, especially in the sun, and give you an unwanted tint.
That said, reds and oranges aren't completely off limits for engagement shoots - you just need to get creative and use them in a different way that isn't so close to the face, such as a skirt or shoes.
While it's tempting to wear a brand new outfit, comfort should come first - but that doesn't mean you should dress in yoga pants and baggy sweatshirts. You can still buy a chic new outfit, but you shouldn't wear it for the first time on the day of the engagement shoot. Wear it to dinner, take a few iPhone photos with it and see if you really like it. There's nothing worse than finding out during the shoot that your shirt is wrinkled terribly, your pants wear out after 30 minutes or you just don't like the way it looks.
Hair and make-up for couple photos and engagement photos?
Engagement photo shoots are also a great opportunity to experiment with make-up for the wedding day. If you have a wedding day makeup provider in mind, you can use your engagement shoot as a trial run. It's great to see how the makeup looks in professional photos. What feels like a lot of makeup often doesn't come across as dramatically in front of the camera as it does in the mirror. It's often helpful if you can rework the make-up after the engagement session. That way, your big day will be flawless!
Interested? What are you waiting for?
If I could arouse your interest for couple photos and engagement photos, then contact me and we will make an appointment for your couple photos. We will talk about your photo shoot on the phone in advance to get to know each other.
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