Hey, I'm Meg, welcome to my little corner of the cybersphere!
I'm a Fraser Valley wedding & lifestyle photographer (est. 2014) based in Langley, just west of Vancouver BC.
Take a look around & I'd love to connect with you soon!
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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
Shania’s smokey & sultry portrait session in the waters surrounding Lake Country in the Okanagan is up on the blog tonight. I’ve been so in love with water sessions lately – you’ll be seeing Michelle & Karim‘s passionate day-after session in the OCEAN in Dominican Republic up on the blog very soon. Being in the water brings about a different depth and emotion into photos that I’ve been enamoured with lately. Anyone up for a session in the ocean around White Rock or Vancouver??
Enough of me raving about water portrait sessions though.. Shania contacted me a while back about doing a portrait session with her. Not only is this girl drop dead gorgeous (don’t you love all her colourful and artistic tattoos?!) but I’m also lucky enough to be her cousin. She was out visiting our grandpa in Lake Country, just outside of Kelowna, and I made the trip down from Langley for a quick family visit between weddings and to sneak in a couple photoshoots. This did not disappoint. My stunning cousin has some serious modelling skills and my camera loved her. I couldn’t resist sharing some of my favourites with you! Can’t wait to see you again soon my dear. <3
Congratulations! Your love proposed to you and now not only are you engaged but you have a whole wedding to plan as well! Getting engaged is such an exciting time for a couple, don’t get me wrong, but for many people this can also be a bit of an overwhelming time. From who sits where, who eats what, to what to wear and more. The decisions are endless and so are the possibilities. As you’re faced with all the different options that come with planning a wedding – choosing a venue, dress, photographer (hi!), videographer, florist, etc, it’s important to take it one step at a time.
- Break the News!
Whip out the iPhone, send out your texts, Instagram’s, tweets and shares – you get to celebrate with your loved ones. - Pick a Date
Do you want a long or a short engagement? Do you have a “First Date” or other sentimental date in mind? Are there any important friends & family that might already have commitments on certain dates in the future? These kinds of things factor in when choosing what date you want. - Wedding Planner – Yay or Nay?!
Many brides plan their weddings on their own, with the help of mom, or friends & other family members. But JUST as many brides plan theirs with the help of a wedding planner. If you want things done the right way without the fuss, or tend to get overwhelmed with the details, a wedding planner can be of great assistance and a valuable asset to you on your day - Prioritize
Figuring out what you can spend where can be tough. Deciding what’s most important to you on your day can take the tough work out of it a bit and help you focus in on what you really want. Is there one specific venue that you have always dreamt of, a photographer who’s work you love, that one dress you just have to have? This is where prioritizing can help you budget. - Make the Call
Once you have your budget in place and your date picked, you’re all set to start making those calls to your prioritized vendors and seeing if they have the date available. Most wedding vendors will need a retainer fee/deposit to book your date, so you want to make sure you’re making the right decision. Do your research – check online for reviews on their business. Or ask other wedding vendors that are already on your team – with all my couples I love extending my knowledge to you and I always have a list of preferred vendors ready to go to refer to you!
I hope this has helped you even a little bit. Getting engaged sends you into an exciting emotional whirlwind of activity and it can be hard to get your bearings straight. My hope is this blog post helps focus your hopes, wants & dreams for your wedding day and gives you a starting point.
photographer for the authentic & adventurous
Booking Now for All 2018 & 2019 Weddings
because it’s never too late for a “Best of..” blog! We may be almost 2 months (can you believe it?!) into 2017 already but in my mind it’s always better late than never.
2016 was a whirlwind of a year filled to the brim with big life changes, both expected and unexpected, but all for the best (you can expect a new blog post soon detailing one of those exciting changes!). After taking a few months away to regroup & spend some quality time with friends + family, I’m excited to be getting back on track again! You’ll notice over the coming weeks and months a different tone being set here as I transition Meg Kristina Photography into a more personalized experience. I want to get to know you, & I want you to get to know me! Let’s explore this crazy journey called life together, and what a better way to start than to look back on the highlights that this last year brought!
This is a collection of some of my favourite moments from the 2016 season (mostly weddings but you’ll see the odd portrait sneaking in there as well!)
I hope you enjoy looking at these images as much as I loved being a part of capturing them.
I still have select dates remaining for 2017 weddings but am currently booking for ALL 2018 Wedding Dates. Contact me at www.megkristina.com or message me at info@megkristina.com to reserve your date today.
Special thanks to all the amazing photographers I also worked with in 2016 as a second shooter including (but not limited to):
Hannah Cummins Photography
Carla Elaine Photography
Stacie Lynn Photography
All photos here taken by Meg Kristina Photography.
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