Engagement Session Guide By White House Wedding Photography

I am Antonio, an award-winning wedding photographer and owner of White House Wedding Photography. I have been photographing couples love stories all across the US and abroad for over 8 years. Capturing the pure love and emotions as they unfold on your wedding day is my ultimate passion. And I’m super grateful and excited for the opportunity to create some unforgettable memories of you and your honey prior to your wedding day.

Your engagement session will set the tone for your wedding day photos. It gives you an opportunity to experience what it is like to have your photos taken by me. Plus, it also gives me an opportunity to get to know you both and to understand what is important to each of you and how to best direct you so you receive timeless photos that you will love.

This guide is full of information to help you get the most out of your engagement session. So let’s dive right in!

CHOOSING DATE & Time

The date and time of day you choose for your session are as crucial as your outfit. Be sure to select none holiday dates because venues are generally crowded for the holidays. Plus, parking can be tough to find, depending on where you choose, especially in South Beach. Also, whenever possible, go for a weekday. Try to avoid dark locations such as parks with lots of trees and tropical bushes.

My favorite times of the day to create beautiful photos are an hour before sunset and an hour after sunrise. The natural light during this time frame has warm colors and soft tones making it perfect for portraits. However, don’t worry if you can’t schedule a session within this time frame. I promise you, I will work with you to ensure you get beautiful photos that you will love.

QUICK Tips

- Do your best to avoid late morning, noon, and early afternoon. Finding quality lighting during these times of day can be challenging. Also, Fall through Spring are generally the best times of the year for outdoor sessions here in south Florida - humidity and rainfall are at their lowest.

SELECTING THE Location

After selecting your date, the next step is to choose a location. The type of location you choose will set the overall feel and aesthetic of your photos.

Take some time to consider what is important to both of you, and make sure to select a location that compliments your personality. For example, dark places with lots of foliage, such as parks with trees and shrubs, are great for creating dark, moody pictures. On the other hand, choose a bright and airy location if you want bright and airy images. For example, Vizcaya Gardens, Downtown Miami, Musem Park, etc.

If you are unsure where you would like to have your engagement session, please let me know. I would be happy to recommend a place for your session.

STYLING YOUR Session

Your engagement session style will depend on the theme you wish to portray. Perhaps, you may want a beach theme, an elegant upscale theme, urban, picnic, etc. Furthermore, your session style should align with the location you choose. For example, it would be tough to portray a beach theme in an urban area.

Some couples like to bring props to their session. If this is you, be sure to let me know ahead of time what props you plan to bring to the shoot. In general, I recommend that you keep it simple unless you are a pro stylist and comfortable working with props.

STYLE TIPS FOR Couples

What To Wear: Keep in mind that I want to capture the passion between you and your love. So, consider clothing that you love and feel confident wearing. The weather and the location will play an essential role in the best clothes for your session. The best fabrics for South Florida outdoor sessions are lightweight and natural materials such as cotton and linen. These types of clothing dry quickly and will allow air to pass through the fabric to keep you cool.

For indoor or colder outdoor sessions, you will have more options in the type of clothing you can choose. For these situations, formal attire can work well without having to worry about your comfort. Don’t forget to accessorize your attire but, don’t go overboard with it. Earrings, handbags, bow ties, sunglasses, hats, etc., are all appropriate.

Colors: Consider a color palette of three to four colors. Too many colors and you will get lost in your photos. Think of cool pastel colors in shades of blue and white or warm pastel colors such as orange, pink, red, yellow, etc. Warm colors work well against dark backdrops like gardens and parks with lots of greenery. On the other hand, choose bright, vivid colors such as reds and yellow if you want to be bold and make a statement. Be sure to select colors opposite your backdrop colors so that you don’t blend into the environment. If you are not sure, let’s talk before you select your outfit.

What To Avoid: Avoid clothes with logos, patterns, and pinstripes or plaids. I don’t object to pinstripes and plaids, some pinstripes and plaids may look odd in your photos - especially attire with smaller stripes. Additionally, some patterns can be very distracting. So, try to keep the distracting pattern to a minimum.

Eyeglasses To Avoid: Avoid eyeglasses that have an anti-reflective coating on the lenses that block blue lights. In general, these glasses are issued to people who spend a lot of time on their computers. If you must wear your eyeglasses for the session, please make sure ahead of time that your eyeglasses don’t get a purple or blue glare.

HAIR MAKEUP & Nails

When it comes to your engagement session, hair, makeup, and nails are equally important as your location and fashion choices. Most wedding hairstylists and makeup artists will have a trial session. This is an excellent opportunity for you to experience what your wedding day makeup and hairstyle will look and feel like. By the same token, don’t forget to schedule a manicure and pedicure too.

For Men: Engagement preparation may require less preparation for you. However, there are some things that your partner may not be able to do for you. For example, fresh and clean shaves and haircuts may be necessary and will go a long way in boosting your confidence and look in your photos. Make sure you take some time getting your hair and nails done up just the way you like them.

QUICK Tips

- Whenever possible, please consider layering clothes as opposed to changing clothes. This will allow you to dress up or down, reducing the time for changing and giving us more time to get to know each other and enjoy the shoot. Layering is the art of combining clothing pieces that compliment each other and look great individually or together. -Plan extra time for traveling to your engagement session and parking. Makeup and hair can take longer than estimated, so give yourself some extra time.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER Session

Delivery Time Frame: You can expect to receive your digitally enhanced highresolution photo files within 1 month from your session. Why so long? Because each of your photos goes through my signature editing process of culling, retouching, color correction, cropping, and much more. This ensures that you receive beautiful pictures that you will love forever. I promise I will keep you informed of the progress along the way.

Gallery Viewing: Your pictures will be delivered via a modern on line gallery. And you will be able to download all your photos, purchase prints directly from the gallery and share your photos with family and friends. When the images are close to being ready for delivery to you, I will contact you to schedule a date and time for a gallery viewing.

ENGAGEMENT SESSION Checklist

Select a date, time, and location for your session

Review this guide for styling your session and wardrobe tips

Schedule hair and makeup early

Be sure to schedule a mani and pedi

Choose clothing that you love

Pack a bag with: 1. Flats or flip-flops for walking to photo location 2. Shoes for photos 3. Touch up makeup kit

Water & sunscreen

Blotting papers for face and nose 6. Small towel or facecloth 7. Hairpins, clips, and bands Battery operated fan Umbrella

An alternate outfit in case of an accident

QUICK Tips

- Plan enough time to travel to your session location and find parking. Creating beautiful photographs requires good lighting and if you are late to your session the lighting will make a big difference.

FREQUENTLY ASKED Questions

HOW LONG WILL OUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION LAST?

In general, my engagement sessions are 1.5 - 2 hours long.

WILL THE PHOTOS BE WATERMARKED? Absolutely not!

HOW MANY PHOTOS CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE ENGAGEMENT SESSION?

I typically deliver between 75 to 125 digitally enhanced high-resolution JPEG photo files to my couples.

HOW ARE THE PHOTOS DELIVERED?

Your digital photo files will be delivered via a modern on line photo gallery. Unfortunately, I don’t provide photos on discs or thumb drives. The on line photo gallery makes it easy to download high-resolution photo files, share with family and friends, and purchase prints and photo products.

DO WE HAVE TO BUY PHOTOS FROM YOU?

No, you don’t! However, when you purchase directly from your gallery, I will take another look at your photos and make sure they are ready for professional printing. Furthermore, your prints and photo products will be made from the finest archival photo paper, ink, and other materials.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR US TO GET OUR PHOTOS?

Your photos will be ready within 4 weeks. I promise, I will keep you posted along the way. I will also contact you to schedule the gallery viewing approximately a week before the photos are uploaded to the gallery.