OK… It happened… You said… YES!

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! Getting engaged is one of the most exciting milestones in your life and is meant to be celebrated!

Now that you are officially a fiancée (and are enjoying every second of your newly engaged life), it is time to start taking the first steps in the wedding planning process!

First, we want you to take a deep breath! Wedding planning can feel overwhelming! The good news is that surrounding yourself with wedding vendors to help you every step of the way will help make planning a breeze! And we are going to help you with that in this blog!

One of the first items you will cross off your wedding to-do list is having your engagement photos taken! Once your engagement pictures are done, you can send out save the dates, make a wedding website, and perhaps even find your wedding photographer at the same time! (But we will talk more about that later. We are getting ahead of ourselves.)

First things first, let’s talk about the importance of engagement photos!

Engagement sessions are so special. They help preserve this precious time in your life that deserves to be documented. You will spend years together as a married couple but just a few short months as fiancées. We always tell our couples to savor the months as an engaged couple!

Especially with wedding planning, those months will fly by!

In all the chaos this next year will entail, having some portraits to reflect on to remember this fantastic chapter of your life will be irreplaceable! But to get those gorgeous engagement photos, you must find a Lake Tahoe engagement photographer!

Let’s break down what to look for in a Lake Tahoe engagement photographer! There will be a handful of questions to ask yourself!

1) First, am I drawn to this photographer’s style?

This one may sound a little obvious, but the truth is that photography is an art form! And like all art forms, there are many variations of photography! Photographers can have different shooting styles, pose prompts, make certain lighting choices, and even have different editing flairs! That is why finding a style that YOU love is so important!

Your engagement and wedding photos will be framed in your home and passed down for generations! So, making sure you love your photographer’s images and style is vital!

Once you find a photographer and style that you love, try imagining yourself within the photos! If you can imagine yourself and your fiancé in the images you see on their website, you can be sure this will be a great fit!

2) Am I comfortable with this photographer? Also, will my fiancé be satisfied with this photographer?

Have you ever met a co-worker for the first time or even chat with a barista at your favorite coffee shop, and the conversation feels effortless? You can’t pinpoint what it is, but you feel at ease and comfortable with your speaking person!

You need to feel that when you chat with your engagement photographer!

Because if you feel comfortable talking with them, you will feel comfortable with them as they take your photos!

This may often mean meeting your photographer in person at a coffee shop or virtually on a video chat! As Lake Tahoe wedding and engagement photographers, we meet a large percentage of our couples via video chat because many of our couples plan a destination wedding or engagement session!

Whether we meet in person or via video call, we find it essential to chat with our couples. We want to know them personally and make sure they feel comfortable with our photography style and us!

Because when you are comfortable and at ease with your photographer – and ultimately in front of the camera – the photos they will take of you will be beautiful and effortless!

3) Location!

When looking for your engagement photographer, it is essential to decide if you will be staying local, choosing a destination location for your session, or even investing in having your favorite photographer come to you!

Try to remember that the sky is the limit! For engagement sessions, traveling can not only make for great photos but some genuinely fantastic memories during your time as an engaged couple! We have had couples fly as far as across the country or even just commute a short two-hour drive for a destination engagement session!

If you choose a destination location, such as the Lake Tahoe area, you will want to find a Lake Tahoe engagement photographer who captures the beautiful landscape you envision! Of course, the emphasis of your engagement session will be on you and your significant other. But let’s not forget to include the stunning backdrop you are traveling for!

Destination engagement sessions are popular with couples because they allow for a completely different landscape than your wedding photos!

On the other hand, if you choose not to pursue a destination session, think about switching up your engagement session location!

For example: If you are getting married by a lake with pine trees, try utilizing a location with a completely different terrain!

You could choose an open field with tall grass or even a barn for a more country-style vibe!

(Check out our blog featuring a country-style engagement session with a barn!)

4) Can I Imagine this photographer with me on my wedding day?

Last but certainly not least is the big one, guys! One of the most critical parts of choosing your engagement photographer is deciding if this is also the photographer you will use for your wedding!

There are exceptions, but most of the time, the photographer taking your engagement pictures will also photograph your wedding!

Couples use the engagement session to establish a connection and feel more comfortable with their photographer. This helps you get a sense of what it may be like on your wedding day!

We think establishing a relationship with our clients before the wedding eases their minds from any concerns and builds confidence in the bond between client and photographer!

We will be with you on some of the most private moments of your special day! So, feeling like you have a friend in the room with you instead of a stranger will ease your stress!

We hope these tips helped you!

As always, email us with any questions!

XO

Blanca & Brandon