An engagement session is one hour, one or two locations, and the single best rehearsal you will get for being photographed on your wedding day. Couples who have done one walk into their wedding portraits already knowing how we work, where to put their hands, and that the whole thing is less awkward than they feared. Here is how to make that hour count.
When to schedule it
Book the session at least thirty days before the wedding, and ideally three to six months out. That window gives you time to use the photographs: save-the-dates, a wedding website, a guest-book print, the slideshow at the rehearsal dinner. It also lands in a different season than the wedding for most couples, which means a second look and a second kind of light in your final collection.
If you are booking one of our Photography & Film collections the session is included; with any other collection it can be added at checkout for $200. Either way we schedule it with you after your date is reserved.
What to wear
The question we are asked most, and the answer is simpler than the internet makes it.
- Two outfits, not five. One relaxed, one dressed up. You have an hour; a third change eats a quarter of it.
- Coordinate, do not match. Pick a palette of two or three colours and let each of you wear a different part of it. Ivory, sage and a warm neutral photograph beautifully together. Identical white shirts and jeans do not.
- Movement beats structure. Fabric that moves (a midi skirt, linen trousers, an unbuttoned overshirt) makes walking shots look natural. Stiff fabric makes you stand still.
- Avoid tiny patterns and big logos. Fine checks and thin stripes shimmer on camera; logos date the photo to a season.
- Shoes you can walk in. Bring the heels in a bag and change for the standing shots.
Wear what you would wear to a very good dinner and you are most of the way there.
Where to go
The best location is one that means something to the two of you, provided it has decent light. In order of what works:
- Somewhere from your story. The park where you had your first date, the neighbourhood you live in, the trail you hike every weekend. These photographs age best.
- Open shade near sunset. The edge of a tree line, a covered porch, a downtown street with the sun behind a building. Soft, even light on faces without squinting.
- One big landscape. A beach, a field, an overlook. Lovely for the wide shots; plan on moving somewhere with shade for the close ones.
Skip the location that is famous on Instagram unless it means something to you. It will be crowded at the exact time the light is good.
What time of day
The last ninety minutes before sunset, almost without exception. The sunset tables on our city pages give you the exact time for your city and month. If the only time you both have is midday, pick a shaded location and we will make it work, but the golden hour costs nothing and looks like it cost a lot.
A few things nobody mentions
- Get a manicure a day or two before. Hands are in every ring photograph.
- Bring a dog if you have one. Bring a friend to hold the dog.
- Tell us about anything you are self-conscious about before we start, not after you see the gallery. There is an angle for everything.
- You do not have to know how to pose. That is our job. Your job is to talk to each other and ignore us.
Galleries from engagement sessions are delivered within two weeks, edited to the same standard as your wedding, and they are yours to print and share however you like.
Planning your wedding?
Olivia Layne Studios photographs and films weddings nationwide — travel included, dates limited.
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