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
As much as I love summer, and trust me do I EVER love summer – it’s my favourite season hands down, there’s something so unique & refreshing about the arrival of fall. The crisp freshness in the air, the leaves changing colour to a golden hue, and yes, I’ll admit, those pumpkin spice lattes get me every time!
To celebrate the arrival of September, I’m throwing it back (& it’s not even Thursday!) to Misty & Cole’s engagement session at Deer Lake Park a couple of years back. I always love revisiting old sessions & weddings of mine, and this year my editing has taken a giant leap forward. Having made such progress in editing, my photos have a different look to them & so I decided to give some of my fav’s from Misty & Cole’s engagement a revamp & little update.
Check out their original blog post by clicking here.
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
Up on the blog today is the always stunning ever-talented Hannah of Hannah Cummins Photography! If she looks familiar to you, that’s for good reason since she is one of my closest photog-friends. A few brief years ago when I was just starting out in photography and getting my business established (fast forward to present and I STILL feel like I’m just getting established – small business owner problems!), she took me under her wing and I’m so lucky she did. What she saw in me & my lack of knowledge or experience at the time I have no idea but I feel so fortunate to get to work with this gorgeous lady week in and week out during wedding season. I photograph almost all of her weddings alongside her, and this August we get to trade places and she will be second shooting for me – I cannot wait to have her with me.
Building relationships with your peers and those in the wedding industry is always good but when you find a connection that goes beyond work, that stretches into a friendship, it’s pure gold. This girl has stood by me through life’s ups and downs and has always helped me find my way even when I didn’t want to admit where life was taking me. So happy to be located closer to her now in Langley! We try to sneak out at least once a year to exchange portrait sessions with each other – being business owners, updating your headshots and profile photos always helps keep you up to date & current with your clients! She always rocks it in front of the camera, and this session may be my favourite one of her yet!
All Photos by Meg Kristina Photography
Booking Now for September – November 2017 Portrait Sessions
Now Booking for ALL Remaining 2018 Weddings
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