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The single thing I hear every time I meet a new client is: I want really beautiful engagement and wedding photos but I hate having my photo taken and I’m nervous they won’t come out good because of that.

Welcome to the club. I’ve only ever met ONE person (holla at my groom, Vince Tozzo!) who enjoyed having their photo taken. It’s nerve-wracking and I worry that my brides feel they won’t live up to the photos they want after being immersed in pinterest and other wedding blogs. These are a handful of tips that I hope are helpful and leave you with a fabulous experience having your engagement photos taken!

Tip #1: Be on time. It sounds silly (and almost offensive!) but the timing of an engagement session for my clients is super important. I shoot at the end of the day and always timed around sunset. It’s super important that we make the most of the light and get all the photos in before it gets dark.

Ashley + Brooks were able to enjoy a day with FABULOUS light and backdrops … and because they were on time, we had MORE than enough shooting time and were ready when the sun started dropping.

Kara + Jeff took advantage of ridiculous sunset light on the beach.

Tip #2: Shoot your photos in a place or season that you CARE ABOUT. This sounds obvious but you’d be surprised! You might have a place that is meaningful to you, a town that holds special memories or a season that is extra special to you both. It’s ok if you don’t (and I can help you brainstorm places) but don’t disregard places that hold special meaning to you both.

For Michelle + Pat – they LOVE Stowe, Vermont. They vacation there with Pat’s family and it’s where they got engaged. I’m sure some people thought they were CRAZY for shooting in, ahem, -17 degree weather but for them, they wouldn’t have had dreamed of a more perfect setting and season.

For Ashley + Brooks it was Essex, CT. Their love of nautical, beaches, coast and all things preppy made this adorable town the perfect setting.

(One of my all-time favorite photos … I love snuggling.) And I love pretty, white wood fences, too.

Tip #3: Consider getting your hair and makeup done. A lot of brides consider getting their hair or makeup trial done earlier in the day when they plan to do their engagement photos. Maybe you only get a makeup trial but either way, having your hair and makeup professionally offers a few rewards: really beautiful skin and hair for photos and most importantly, EVERYONE feels fabulous when they’ve been pampered. Feeling fabulous = relaxing and enjoying yourself = great photos!

Kara’s hair and makeup was incredible and she was literally GLOWING from the inside out.

Noel + Jorge were a blast to work with at their engagement session and Noel got her hair and makeup done by the incredible team at Larissa Lake Hair and Makeup. Love those ladies!

Tip #4: Not all great photos are posed and perfect. ACTUALLY – most of my favorite photos aren’t either of those things. They are silly moments, laughter, snafu’s. Don’t be afraid to just have fun and forget about all the “stress” you’ve put on yourself to be ‘perfect’ for your engagement session.

Apparently, I say silly things and people laugh.

And more silly things …

And more silly things …

And sometimes (or so I’ve heard) I am SO funny that people actually face plant. NO LIE. This is HANDS DOWN my favorite photo series of.all.time.

Tip #5: Get snazzy and bring an outfit (or two). Wear a suit, pop on a dress, use a pocketsquare (go Andrew!) … rock some cowgirl boots. Wear something fun and fabulous but stay true to who you are. There’s nothing worse than playing ‘dress up’ and feeling uncomfortable.

Diane + Andrew … and a fab pocketsquare.

Alyssa + John … and her beloved cowgirl boots.

Tip #6: Keep a positive attitude (no matter what.) Sometimes on engagement sessions (and weddings) … it rains. Or something happens to the park you want to shoot in or … there are so many things that can potentially change the vision of what you had dreamed of. Remember to stay calm – your photographer (and if it’s a wedding then the whole team of vendors) is there to support you both and make the day work.

Kaelyn + Elliott flew in from Cali to NYC for their engagement session … and it was raining and freezing. Truthfully, the weather would have sent EVERY person I know back inside. Kaelyn was determined to not let it get us down. After all, they had flown in and this was their chance for an engagement session. We all put on our game faces and trekked through DUMBO Brooklyn. The result was a really fun day and photos we were all excited about. I told Kaelyn this and I will say it publicly here, too – her positive attitude is the SINGLE reason these photos came out amazing. She never let it get her down!