Happy Wednesday, friends! I’m back with another post to help you out as you work your way through your season of wedding planning! More specifically? We’re chatting about everything you can expect as we work together to plan your engagement session, what you can expect while you two are in front of the camera, AND what to expect after! From start to finish, I wanted to map out everything you can expect when you work with me!
Please note… this post primarily applies to the complimentary engagement session experience my wedding clients receive after booking their wedding day with me! To learn more about becoming a #CKPCouple, click here!!!
Now… let’s chat about what you can expect from your engagement session experience!
Pre-Session
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Reserve your date
- Once you’ve officially become a CKP Couple (YAY!!!), I’ll send you an email to begin planning your engagement session. Engagement sessions typically occur mornings at sunrise or in the two hours before sunset on a weekday because I spend my weekends celebrating couples on their wedding day or reserve the time for family and friends. I typically schedule engagement sessions 2-3 months in advance to give us plenty of time to plan.
- Pro-tip: If you are considering using an image from your engagement session for your save the date and have a specific date you would like to send them out, please keep in mind: it typically takes me 3-4 weeks to process your full gallery! Take a peek at the typical printing and shipping turnaround time for the printing vendor you will be using. Use these details as a guide when scheduling your engagement session date!
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Outfit planning and location selection
- YAY! We have the date, now it’s time to select a location! More often than not, I have couples that have a specific location or feel in mind for their engagement session! I love to hear any and all suggestions, and if you need a few suggestions from me, I’m here to help! All I need is a little bit of pretty light to make you two look your best!
- If you are feeling lost when it comes to planning outfits, I got you! I send all of my clients a style guide after they reserve their date with me! From coordinating colors, to the types of pieces I recommend wearing, coordinating with your environment, layering with intention, what to pack, and what I recommend you do after your session, I’m more than happy to share ALL my secrets with you as you work to plan your engagement session! Still have questions? Let me know!
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Pre-session coordination
- I’ll sync up with you just before your engagement session to make sure we’re good to go! We’ll confirm arrival times and meeting locations to make for an easy start to your session! I always recommend planning to arrive 5-10 minutes before our official start time to further reduce stress!
During Your Session
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I’m here to help you work it!
- When planning engagement sessions with clients, I often hear them say something along the lines of: “We’ve never done this before… will you tell us what to do?” “We can be a little awkward in front of the camera… do you pose us?” “I’m a little nervous! We don’t really know how to pose…” you get the point here! Chances are good, you’ve never done this before! It is normal to feel a little nervous when stepping in front of the camera, but do know that I’m here to help you along the way! At the very start of your session, we’ll run through a few “warm-up” poses to get you two into your session groove, and from there, I’ll guide you through a posing experience complete with all the giggles and snuggles. The rest of my posing during your session will be based on your initial warm-up poses! The first 15 or 20 minutes may feel a little out of your comfort zone, but I can nearly guarantee that by the end of it, you’ll feel like a pro or will at least have had some fun along the way.
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I can’t wait to get to know you!
- Yes, I love getting my clients in front of my camera before their wedding day (and can teach you all you need to know about posing!), but even more than that, I love getting to know you two as people. I can’t wait to hear about how wedding planning is going, what you’re up to and what makes you two, YOU!
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One or two locations?
- This is another question that I get a lot during the planning process! I’m lumping it into the “during your session” category though because it will have a larger impact on that portion of your experience! Complimentary engagement sessions include up to two locations. With that being said, some clients are only interested in working at one location. That is totally okay and more than normal! I would rather work at one location that you absolutely LOVE than visit two locations… one of which you are only so-so about. Sometimes, less is more.
After Your Session
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Sneak peek
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Full gallery and blog post
- Once your images are ready to go, you can expect to receive a link to your gallery via email! Keep in mind, my standard turnaround time is approximately 3-4 weeks. Through this link, you’ll be able to view, download, and share the images from your session. Your link will be active for 6 months following your session! For an in-depth look at how to download your images, click here!
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Love, use, and display your photos
- I have seen so many of my couples use the images from their engagement sessions in such unique ways! I wanted to share a few of my favorite ways I’ve seen couples use their photos, just in case you were looking for some inspo:
- Save the Dates
- Reception and Cocktail Hour Decor
- Wedding websites
- Printed guest book
- Home Decor
- Calendars and other printed gifts
- The options are literally endless!
- I have seen so many of my couples use the images from their engagement sessions in such unique ways! I wanted to share a few of my favorite ways I’ve seen couples use their photos, just in case you were looking for some inspo:
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