Engagement Photos Cleveland

Everything you need to know about planning your engagement session

There are so many things to consider after you first say yes it’s almost hard to know where to begin. You go from the happiest moment of ‘this is the best day ever’ to being dropped into the midst of your wedding planning with little or no warning and for some that can be a whole lot to take in. Some brides were born with a clipboard and spreadsheet in their hands it seems… while others (raising my hand high here) aren’t sure where to begin first. 

After you celebrate and take it all in, next come booking your top three essential wedding professionals. Soon after that or even during that process one of the first (and most fun things) you get to tackle is planning your engagement session.

Here you’ll find I’m going to share a ton of tips and tricks on planning the perfect engagement session. Both our brides as well as friends who are not working with us.

If you’re a Dragonfly Photography bride this process is going to be really easy and fun. First, we’re going to send over a few questions for your to answer. Some of them might seem kind of random: share about your favorite vacation… or things like we would rather: go see a show, stay in for dinner, or try a new restaurant? But there is a method to that madness for sure. Once we have your answers back I have a long look at them and connect with you both to share some ideas. 

What I’m looking for is a bit of your personality, the best engagement sessions are going to be ones that truly reflect you both are as people in some way. Planning a generic – let’s just use that location because that’s what I’ve seen done before approach. Or not stying some Pinterest crazy idea, simply for the sake of stying will, in the long run, produce much more classic long-lasting engagement images. Now, to be clear, I LOVE beautifully styled engagement photos. The bigger the better, and we’ve done some crazy styled engagements around here. But for me, I want it to connect with the two of you as a couple in some way or you’re missing part of the amazing potential. 

So if you are a Dragonfly Bride, basically not to worry, we’re going to walk you through every step of this process. I’m going to suggest all the fun Cleveland engagement photo spots that I think are the perfect fit for the two of you as a couple and we’ll custom tailor something just for you. 

If you’re local and you’re planning your engagement photos in Cleveland I would love to give you some tips and some of the best spots to take engagement photos in Cleveland so you can get a jump on the fun of planning your engagement. 

Do I Actually Need Engagement Photos?

Remember an engagement session is more than just a nice thing to do, it’s actually essential practice at being in front of the camera before your wedding day. Something I can’t recommend enough! That’s why all of our wedding collections come with an engagement session included. If you’re on the fence about whether you actually need an engagement session or what the real purpose of one is, read this post about the top 5 reasons engagement sessions are important here. 

Engagement Photo Style Guide

The other thing that can be a huge challenge for planning is figuring out what to wear for your engagement photos. This is so important because truly the right look can make or break your photos and 90% of the time if a couple chooses something that doesn’t work well in camera it’s not because they don’t have great taste, it’s simply because they didn’t know. You can read that full post and get all the tips here. 

When should I plan my Engagement Session?

There is also a massive difference in the look and feel of an engagement session based on what time of year you plan your photos. I talk in detail about how to plan a perfect engagement session for all 4 seasons here: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Each post has tips on the pros and cons of each of the seasons as well as what to plan for and what to expect. 

Protip: Professional Makeup!

One thing you’ll find I mention no matter what the season is that professional hair and makeup can make such a huge difference in your photos and is worth investing in. This article gives you a little glimpse into a conversation with a wedding makeup expert and she is talking about a concern I hear a lot, how to pull off a natural makeup look on your wedding or engagement day. 

Location Ideas + Engagement Inspiration

Below you’ll find a few fun examples of our beautiful couples and some of my favorite spots for great engagement photos in Cleveland. Plus, don’t forget to have a look at our Pinterest board if you’re hunting for more ideas. Hopefully, all of this will be helpful in pulling together some inspiration for your photos but remember if you’re a Dragonfly bride we’re going to walk you through all of this, and if you’re not, please don’t hesitate to reach out directly if you need help. We actually love what we do around here and are happy to point you in the right direction. 🙂