the blog

When you’re prepping for your engagement session, there are a few things to keep in mind. This is going to be FUN! This shoot is entirely no pressure. On the wedding day it can be crunched for time, your dress won’t be able to get dirty (within reason ;)) and there won’t be time to chat & get to know one another.  That’s why all of my wedding packages include a Complimentary Engagement Session. It is your chance to get to know me, get comfortable with how I work and have FUN in front of the camera.

Now don’t get me wrong, your wedding day will be a day to remember! But it’s so helpful to have a great engagement session before the big day so that you know what to expect! My couples that have an engagement session are PROS by the wedding day!

After you book your photographer, whether it’s me or someone else, you’ll need to start thinking about when you want your engagement session to be done. Lots of my couples choose to have their portraits done in the season opposite of their wedding. So if you’re having a spring wedding, it may be nice to have a fall e-session, or a winter one for a summer wedding. Now, you also have to take your photographer’s availability into consideration. I tend to book sessions 1-2 months in advance and typically only shoot engagements on weekday evenings. This will vary with every photographer and every season.

Here are some steps to make sure that you feel confident & prepared for your engagement session!

1. What to Wear

Some couples have one outfit they love & others have two outfits, one casual and one that is dressier. The BEST advice I can give about outfit selection would be to try to COORDINATE instead of matching. Try to stay away from really tiny patterns, they won’t show up in your images and leave out any major logos.  Also, bold jewelry, scarves, and coloured shoes photograph really well! Make sure you look like YOU and feel comfortable! One last thing is to TAKE ADVANTAGE of this opportunity to dress up! Don’t be afraid! Ladies, put on some heels, red lipstick & pearls. Men, get out your favourite suit!

 

2. Relax, Enjoy & Trust Your Photographer

As you’re preparing for your engagement session, remember that your photographer doesn’t expect you to be a pro at this. I work with normal, everyday couples ALL the time. I can’t speak for all photographers but I tell my couples that it takes a good 20 minutes to warm up at the beginning of their shoot. So relax and don’t be nervous! You’re going to be great at this! Trust your photographer, allow them to be creative & you’ll have an amazing shoot! And remember, the cuddlier the better 😉

 

3. When & Where

The best time to shoot any portraits is around 2 hours after sunrise or 2 hours before sunset. This rule of thumb can be applied to any time of the year. When it comes to picking the location for your portraits, I love shooting engagements in locations that mean something to my clients! I understand that this isn’t always possible but I like to throw it out there just in case! I always have back up locations ready to refer to you in a variety of locations around Vancouver (Maple Ridge, North Van, downtown Van, White Rock, Langley, Chilliwack, etc) in a variety of settings (water, mountains, cityscape, etc). The other thing to keep in mind is that it’s often nice to have engagement photos done during a different season than your wedding is taking place in. So if you’re getting married in summer, an autumn or winter engagement session might be a good fit and can be a great contrast for setting in images!

 

4. Be Punctual

Be on time, your photographer will love you. This is really important. What most couples don’t realize is that natural light photographers are dependent on the sun and if couples show up late, you can lose that amount of time during their session due to the lack of light. Now let’s realize, things happen beyond our control like massive amounts of traffic & more.  If at all possible, try to be on time so that you don’t lose any of your shooting time and pretty sunlight!

 

5. Hair, Makeup & Ring

Some brides opt to have their makeup trial done right before their engagement session so that they can see what their makeup will look like in pictures before the wedding day! I highly recommend this! It’s always fun when a bride gets her hair and makeup done for her shoot. If you want to do your own makeup, make sure you apply your eye makeup a little heavier than normal for your pictures. Guys, make sure those suit jackets are lint rolled and everything is ironed & clean. Last but not least, I love taking a ring shot! So if your diamond could use a little cleaning, that would make it really SHINE! Any jewelry store will typically do this for free for you.

 

6. Take Advantage… DATE NIGHT!

Now that you are all dolled up with your make up and hair done, what a great opportunity to go on a hot date! **GROOMS – if you want bonus points, make reservations for dinner afterwards, trust me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’d love to connect with you – let’s grab a drink, whether it be coffee or wine!

www.megkristina.com

Photography for the Authentic & Adventurous

 

Now Booking for 2018 & 2019 Weddings

 

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Just over two weeks ago, Karim & Michelle were wed on the beautiful sun-kissed beaches of Grand Bahia Principe Punta Cana, with the turquoise waters glistening behind them and the sound of the ocean waves just feet from them. I can’t even begin to put into words how much of a perfect match these two are for each other. Michelle is from Victoria and Karim is based close to me (Langley) in Surrey BC. They both have beautiful daughters and a shared passion for embracing the ups and downs of life and living every moment to it’s fullest. They brought together not only their family but those close to them, the kind of friends you consider family, and they had an amazing turnout! Over 40 (I lost count somewhere around 25 – haha!) of those they love most in the world traveled down to the stunning Dominican Republic to join in celebrating this love together.
As the week progressed, you could tell that the unique, passionate, rare love that Karim & Michelle held for each other was spreading joy & more love to those around them. One of the couples attending the wedding even got engaged in the days following (a big congrats to you two!). It was so special to be a part of not only their big day but their entire week as well. These two brought me in and made me feel welcome and comfortable amongst everyone and I can’t thank them enough that they let me be part of capturing and photographing their beautiful day, which may be the most perfect, touching destination weddings to date.

A big congratulations to Michelle & Karim, I wish you all the best going forward and can’t wait to catch up with a glass of wine soon!

Wedding Planner & Venue: Grand Bahia Principe Punta Cana

Vacation Planner/Airline: Air Canada Vacations

Photography: Meg Kristina Photography

Booking Now for All 2018 Weddings
www.megkristina.com 

photographer for the authentic & adventurous

SaveSave

Back in the spring, I second shot for the lovely Carla Elaine Photography at the stunning Swaneset Bay Resort & Country Club. From the amazing venue, to this gorgeous in love couple,  I couldn’t have asked for anything more! They ended the night with a killer dance party that left us both wishing we could stay (you can catch a sneak peek of the craziness in my BTS snapchat by clicking on the videos all the way at the end of this post!) and then they were off to start their new adventure in life together by moving down to Disneyworld! Check out more from their stunning day below…

A rainbow on your wedding day means good luck, right?