Written by Bethany, PA To Luke Granger
As a Kent Wedding Photographer, it's important for us to get to know our couples as much as possible and there is no better way to do that spend time with them doing what we do best, taking photos!
When planning a pre wedding shoot there can be lots of elements to consider and we often speak with couples who are unsure about how they should plan their engagement photoshoot or whether they should have one at all.
In this Engagement Photoshoot Hints and Tips Blog, I will look at each point individually and share some photographs from our recent engagement shoot with one of our 2022 couples, Zoe & Jonny.
How To Choose The Best Location For An Engagement Photoshoot
We love the fact that all of our couples have such individual personalities and that means the style of every engagement shoot is slightly different. Some couples choose to visit their wedding venue, whereas others look to explore somewhere new or somewhere that means something special to them. As Kent wedding photographers, we are happy to head to the beach, on a country walk and are always happy to share ideas and help our couples find the perfect photoshoot location.
Zoe and Jonny selected the private gardens of Jonnys Aunt at her home near Tonbridge Wells, Kent; a much loved property that has been within the family for a long time, Jonny's parents married within the gardens themselves so it was a perfect choice for our happy couple.
Best Time of Day For An Engagement Photoshoot
The time of day chosen for an engagement shoot will depend on the style of photographs you as a couple are after. As a Kent Wedding Photographer, here at Luke Granger Photography we are flexible with our couples and are happy to meet for a sunrise engagement photoshoot, a sunset engagement photoshoot or anywhere in between. Every season changes a location so much and brings with it different elements to enjoy. A woodland walk with Autumnal leaves is one of my favourite choices for an engagement photoshoot.
We met Zoe and Jonny at 3pm in late July, the time was chosen to avoid the midday summer sun but as you can see it was a very hot day.
What To Wear To An Engagement Photoshoot
What to wear for an engagement shoot is again completely up to you as a couple, some choose to keep the photoshoot casual whereas others dress up a little more for the occasion. We are happy with whatever our couples feel comfortable in and if the location allows some even choose to have dress changes part way through to mix it up a little.
Our main piece of advice is to avoid clothing with large logos as these can be quite distracting but if this is your style then by all means go for it. Many brides opt for a smart casual dress and grooms can look great in a polo and jeans. Whatever works best for you, just remember these photos will be a fantastic memory of your life together before saying I do.
How Do We Pose For An Engagement Photoshoot
An engagement photoshoot is a great way to spend time with us in a relaxed and informal way, very much like we will do so on your wedding day. Our engagement photoshoots are a great way of creating a small collection of timeless photographs so we don't believe in stuffy or forced posing. We let our couples enjoy themselves with a little direction if needed but we keep our photography relaxed throughout.
Here Zoe and Jonny took a little break on a bench during their photoshoot (I think they were talking about having sushi for dinner) and as you can see the pair are blissfully unaware that they are being photographed.
How Long Does An Engagement Shoot Last
Typically, 45 minutes to an hour is usually enough time to gather a collection of engagement photographs but this will vary depending on the location you have chosen and also the weather. We enjoy spending time with our couples and an engagement photoshoot is a perfect opportunity for us to all get to know each other and for you as a couple to ask any questions about your wedding day. We will often spend time chatting and sharing stories along the way so setting aside a couple of hours will give us plenty of time together.
At Zoe & Jonny's engagement shoot near Tunbridge Wells, we spent around 45 minutes actively exploring the gardens taking photos along the way, before we sat down for a chat and to look through some different album options.
What Is Included In An Engagement Photoshoot?
What is included in your engagement shoot will vary depending on your booking as we personalise the shoot to suit you both as a couple. You may wish to choose a framed or canvas print to display in your home, a mini version of your wedding album made to keep as a special memento of your engagement or just a selection of digital photographs to share online.
As part of their booking Zoe & Jonny will receive one of our fantastic signature frames, this will be displayed on their wedding day for guests to sign or fingerprint; such a lovely memory to treasure.
Engagement Photoshoot in Kent
We thoroughly enjoyed our engagement shoot with Zoe & Jonny and as you can see from their photographs, they had a great time too. We are looking forward to photographing their 2022 wedding at The Oak Barn in Benenden, Kent so we will be sure to share more about their day but for now, here are a selection of images taken from their engagement photoshoot.
We would like to thank Jonny's Aunt and Uncle for hosting us at their beautiful home, for the refreshments on such a scorching day and the amazing flapjack. We had a great time.
