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How to Personalize Your Engagement Photos

You’re engaged! Now what? Oh, that’s right. You need to schedule your engagement photos, and you’re twelve steps down your wedding planning checklist, knee-deep (or neck-deep) in logistics related to the wedding day. You want your session to be memorable and unique, so what’s the best way to personalize your engagement photos?

Read on, and I’ll walk you through my top 10 tips to personalize your engagement photos.

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How to Personalize Your Engagement Photos: 10 Tips

#1: Dress Up

This may seem like a no brainer, but think about it for a second: How do the two of you feel when you put on a fancy dress and sport coat to go out to a special dinner at that new steakhouse downtown? If you find yourself working long hours wearing purely functional clothes during the week, taking the time to curate wardrobe options that make both of you feel and look great is one of the best ways to personalize engagement photos.

For more resources on how to prepare your outfits, check out my article on “How to Dress Your Best for Your Engagement Session.”

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Bring a Furry Friend

This one is for all of my fur-baby lovers out there! Personalize your engagement photos by bringing your pet to your engagement session! Learn how to make the most of your time with your furry friend right here.

Bring a Prop

Another way you can add meaning to your session and personalize your engagement photos is by bringing along a prop that’s special to both of you. Some options here might include a custom sign with your names and wedding date, or a family heirloom or custom gifts for each other. Need some ideas? Here are two of my favorites from the 2020 engagement season:

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Karli crafted a custom wedding sign with her new last name and wedding year.

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Rylee and Tom planned a small vignette featuring her custom engagement ring and the three family heirloom rings that would be melted and reformed to create Tom’s wedding band.

Toast It!

Pop some bubbly! Not only is champagne (or any other adult beverage) an eye-catching prop, it’s also a tasty add-on to your session! Once you’ve popped the bottle, be sure to spend a few moments enjoying it together. You can practice your wedding toasts, or just share a few words of appreciation and encouragement for your partner. No matter what you say to each other, taking time during this part of the session will give your photographer an opportunity to capture some amazing candid images of you together. Bonus points if you bring a bottle that’s special to you

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Celebrate Shared Interests

Do you have a hobby or sport you both love? Consider weaving elements of your shared life together into your session. Maybe that’s cooking, or a sports team or other fandom you both love!

Share Your Story

You can personalize your engagement photos by using them to tell your story! I see this most often when my couples ask me to personalize engagement photos by doing their session in the same spot as the proposal. If you’re like Katie and Scott below, you might want to recreate the whole proposal setup, picnic, and all.

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Go to a Meaningful Location

Finding a location that’s special to both of you is a great way to personalize engagement photos! This might be the location of your first date, your old neighborhood, or even the very spot where he proposed. You can be as creative as you like this one — I love shooting in new places and exploring locations that are special to my clients!

Incorporate Your Wedding Theme

Are you getting married around a certain holiday? Or does your wedding have a strong design aesthetic or color scheme? Consider tying the engagement session and wedding celebration together through the outfits and locations you choose for your engagement session!

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Relax & Have Fun!

But above all…take a deep breath and relax! The most important element of your engagement photos is the two of you as you really are, and the best way to share your true selves is when you’re focused on loving each other. Enjoy the time you get to spend with each other, and all the little details will take care of themselves, and your photographer will be there to help you look and feel your best throughout the session.

Communicate with Your Photographer

If you’re not sure how to personalize your engagement photos in a way that’s just right for you, then reach out to your photographer! He or she will be able to guide to location, wardrobe, and prop options that are unique and special to the two of you.

Conclusion

If you’re planning an engagement session in Chicago, I’d love to help you make it meaningful! Let me know how I can help you personalize engagement photos by getting in touch right here.