The Little Woman: Engagement Photoshoot

I was very antsy in my pantsy about engagement pictures. After obsessing over so many cute photos online, I had built my expectations way up. A month before our scheduled shoot I started deciding on a style and buying clothes! Does this mean I wasnt still buying accessories the DAY of my shoot? Of course I was. At the last minute I ditched my usual black/gray and spiced it up with some turquoise. Usually my impulse decisions dont work out for the best but this time it did.

My tips for engagement photos

1. Pick a photographer who's style is totally you. I originally wanted a more vintage look, but I decided it would look very dated in about 10 years when this trend goes away. I love love love my photographer, Alyse French, and everything she shoots. She has a vintage feel while still remaining timeless.

2. Pick outfits that are comfortable. I wore brand new teal pumps. MISTAKE. I dont regret them, but i reget not breaking them in first. Yikes. I was sweatin' like a you know what, it was very unbecoming. I did take a lot of time "styling" our shoot, and I think it made a big difference. I pictured the look I was going for and executed it pretty nicely.

See I took them off to walk, killer.

3. Practice dancing. Practice kissing in front of people. We don't ever kiss in public ever ever ever and we have danced together, one time I think. When Alyse wanted us to kiss it felt realllly awkward. As far as dancing goes--yikes we have a lot of work to do in two months-- here is us dancing so you can see how awkward we are.

5. Decide way a head of time if you want to use props are not. I did, but I thought about it the week before and just ran out of time. I think they turned out fine but a cute hat or pennant banner might have jazzed it up.

6. Go visit the location you have in mind. I had my heart set on Memorial Park and when we got there over 300 trees had been cut down because of the drought. BOO!!!!

7. Make sure your location has a place to change clothes, essential.

8. Most of you probably know this but just FYI. If you are going to spray tan do it two or so days in advance, I was unnaturally dark the day after I got my tan so luckily I had a few days for it to mellow out.

9. Leave yourself PLENTY of time to get to your photo shoot. Schedule hair and make up way in advance. My hair dresser had a set back and I found myself RACING to get to the location and ended up being 12 minutes late NO GOOD! Your photographer's time is very valuable, plus you don't want to be a flustered hotmess.

10. That is all my tips! Just try and be yourselves as difficult as that can be in front of a stranger snapping photos--you are in love and spending the rest of your lives together. Alyse was taking photos of me by myself, and she got the biggest smile by simply saying "You're getting married".

What tips would you add?