Weddingbee Blog

We decided to have our engagement pictures taken last September in order to take advantage of one of the few months of nicer weather in Illinois and to get a major wedding task out of the way early. We wanted our photos to be relaxed and fun, but I was a super nervous since I had never had professional photos taken of me before (not even senior portraits). Luckily, we felt at ease with Jamie from the beginning and she was able to get some awesome shots of us, but I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Some of our favorites from the day all taken by the magnificent Jamie Grant:

Our very first photo—looking both nervous and sassy

Love shoe shots!

I love how awesome this photo makes us look

Starting to get the hang of the camera

Then we moved to a nearby lake

This one is Mr. Pony’s favorite

We hang out in fields a lot.

Contemplating our future

This one is my absolute favorite

I’m incredibly ticklish, which really shows in this picture

I had to throw in a shot with my car

Showing off my ring

We do this a lot. Not really.

We love how it looks like the grasses are swirling around us

I love pictures of clouds and sky, so I had to include this one

And, the end!

I’m definitely not an expert on engagement pictures, but here are some tips based on my limited experience:

• If at all possible, schedule your pictures when you’ll have plenty of time to get ready. Ours were scheduled after work, so I had rush to get ready once I got home and made me more stressed than necessary right before the shoot. If we planned better, I would have scheduled them on the weekend or taken a half day at work.
• Bring props! Mr. P was very opposed to the idea of props, but I did talk him into using a bench and my car in some photos, which we ended up loving. The bench was especially useful in the tall grasses.
• Don’t be afraid of the ’serious face’. When I try to act serious in pictures I usually just end up looking pissed off, but not this time! Some of the non-smiling pictures ended up being our absolute favorites and I’m happy I didn’t rule them out.
• Have fun! If you’re happy, it will shine through in your photos!

What tips do you have for successful engagement pictures?