W E D D I N G
tincanphotograp hy.net 770.855.2538 erin@tincanphotography.net
G U I D E
E N G A G E M E N T
S E S S I O N
Why Have an Engagement Session
Aren’t you going to have hundreds of pictures from your wedding day? Why do you need to spend time on another day making engagement pictures? We love pictures so it’s second nature for us to want to have this special time with our couples, but we realize it’s not always obvious why having an engagement session is just. so. important. When we first started our wedding photography business, we quickly began to notice a trend. Couples who have an engagement session before their wedding day are more comfortable and confident once the big day arrives. A camera following you around is not a foreign idea anymore so you’re free to relax and enjoy the moment. In turn, we get the chance to capture some truly genuine expressions from one of the most important days of your lives. More than just a time to take a few extra pictures, the engagement session is a space created for us to get to know each other, for you to become comfortable in front of the camera and for your confidence to radiate once you see just how beautiful your love can be documented. But rather than hearing more about this time from us, we’ll let one of our amazing couples share their engagement session experience with you:
“I had scoured Pinterest for engagement pictures and saw other friends’ photos on my Facebook feed. I had this idea of what engagement pictures should be, and that idea included the happy couple in crisp matching clothes while looking longingly at each other or smiling for the camera in a pose that said, “We are in love.” Inside I had this fear that maybe our pictures wouldn’t portray that; what if my fiancé kept the stern face he often had whenever someone pulled out a camera? What if I looked sweaty or uncomfortable? So many things could go wrong, and I kept hoping that our photographers would like us. It was our first time to meet with Erin and Bryan in person since booking them for our wedding, and I hoped they would give us specific instructions so that our photos were perfect. My fiancé and I arrived early at our location, and as we sat on a swing waiting on Erin and Bryan, my heart did a little flip when they pulled up. Somehow, any fear or hesitation I had went out the window as I watched them walk towards us holding hands and smiling. I can’t quite put into words how the rest of the day went, but I can point out what I remember most. I never unzipped my make-up bag or looked in a mirror during the whole day; I was having too much fun to care. My fiancé and I never wore the outfits we picked out together (because we decided that they didn’t look like us at all), and all those shoes I packed? I winded up going barefoot most of the day, just how I like it. I don’t remember the snapping cameras, the poses, or any rushing. I remember cool water over my feet in the river, holding the calloused hands of my soulmate, gazing into the eyes of the person who makes me feel like a wildflower, and dancing as he laughed and pulled me near. I remember feeling free and loved, and I remember trusting Erin and Bryan, because their love for each other and their craft is so overwhelmingly evident. One can’t help but to second-hand absorb a love like that. Without Erin and Bryan there, it would have been another day with my fiancé, and that’s the beauty of their work; they make you feel like you and your fiancé are the only two people in the entire world. Their patience, kindness, gentle instructions, and keen eye not only made our day relaxing, but we ended up with engagement photos that have brought tears and smiling gasps from our family and friends.” —Julie & Matt Mangham
T I M I N G
Whether you love pictures that are soft + glowing or contrasted + edgy, the time of day we make pictures together has a lot to do with how your pictures will look.
Sunrise/Sunset No, we won’t sing an expert from Fiddler on the Roof to you (well, we probably won’t)—these are simply two of the best times for making portraits on location. We typically schedule engagement sessions for an hour and a half before sunset (using a nifty “golden hour calendar”). If you’re brave enough to get up extra early, certain locations can also be prime spots for making pictures as the sun is coming up.
Cloudy Skies Although you may feel bummed out by a dismal forecast, overcast skies can actually be a wonderful time for photographs! Clouds in the sky can create a little barrier between you and the harsh rays of the sun so there aren’t hard shadows and light on your face—just nice, even light. But never fear—if you’re ultimate desire is to have some warm, golden portraits the great thing about an engagement session is that it can easily be rescheduled. (But if it starts to go gray on your wedding day, just remember you’ll still be able to get some great pictures!)
Weekdays Just like the good folks over at Monday Night Brewing, we think “Weekends are Overrated” as far as engagement sessions are concerned. We encourage our couples to schedule their engagement session for a weekday. Our availability is greater and the likelihood of a gaggle of people gawking in the back of your photos is much less. This is especially relevant if your location is a popular weekend destination.
S T Y L E What should we wear? If you’re wondering how to dress for your engagement session, you’re not alone! It’s one of our most-asked questions while preparing for this session.
Style Boards While it’s ultimately up to you, we put together a couple of style boards to get your ideas flowing: one for the guys and one for the gals. But remember these are just for inspiration. You look your best when you feel your best! Whether it’s throwing on your favorite white tee and ripped jeans or using this time as an excuse to splurge on that flowy dress from Free People, if you feel awesome in what you’re wearing, it will show in your pictures.
Multiple Outfits Bring more than one outfit for each of you. In fact, bring several things if you’d like! As you’ll notice in the style boards we put together, different types of clothes photograph in different ways. We won’t give you a laundry list of what not to do because we think these pictures should show off your personalities. We will share one suggestion to stay away from when picking out patterns in your clothes: a tiny, repeating stripe or checkered pattern can cause a moiré effect on camera (just Google that phrase and tell us you’re not dizzy too!).
Accessories Items like hats, sunglasses, scarves and skateboards can serve as fun ways to spice up a few of your pictures. They add fun flair and share more about who you are. Don’t be afraid to bring a few accessories that speak to you!
L O C A T I O N After you fill out our short Engagement Session Questionnaire, we’ll be able to work together to find a spot (or two!) that speaks to who you are as a couple and will yield images you’ll treasure.
Matchy-Matchy Normally we’re against using the phrase “matchy-matchy” to describe an engagement session. Our goal is not to land you and your significant other on the cover of Awkward Family Photos in matching shirts and pants (or joggers…80s flashback anyone?) anytime soon. We do, however, think it’s a good idea for your outfits and accessories to match your location choice. For example, stilettos don’t really scream woodland wear. When you’re deciding on your location choice, keep in mind what you’re hoping to wear to your shoot and make sure these things complement each other.
P A C K I N G
L I S T
The most important thing to bring to your engagement session is the love of your life and a great attitude. After that, here are a few practical things we’ve found helpful to pack depending on the location and time of year: Water
Bug spray (hello, Georgia in the summer!)
Oil absorbing sheets
Lip refreshers (chapstick, gloss, lipstick)
Blanket
Hair brush
Small mirror
W E D D I N G
D A Y
G E T T I N G
R E A D Y
Light Lots of lovely natural light is really great for getting ready pictures. And your makeup artist will be thankful for this too!
Clutter Keep in mind whatever items are lying around in the place where you’re getting ready will most likely end up in the back of your images— especially if you’re in tight quarters. Try to keep things like trash bags, empty bottles and wrappers swept to one area away from the main getting ready space. Messy doesn’t usually say sweet and romantic!
Location When you’re deciding where to get ready for your wedding day, pick a location that can encompass everything you’d like for this time. If you’d like all of your bridesmaids doing hair and makeup together with light refreshments (a big plus!), you’ll want a space that can accommodate this along with the above-mentioned features. Consider renting from a site like AirBnB or a vacation home rental versus a hotel room. Many times, these home/condo rentals can be less expensive, provide you with more space and give you the option of picking out a spot with a style that matches your personality. You could go for an old Victorian Home, spacious modern loft or even a treehouse!
Details Once we arrive to begin photographing your wedding day, it’s helpful if you have all of your details gathered in one place. Anything that is important to you and that you would like pictures of is good to put into one place so that we don’t have to interrupt your getting ready time. You may want these items to be things like shoes, jewelry, a couple copies of your invitation suite and anything else we might not know to ask for (ie the special heirloom handkerchief you’re going to carry down the aisle around your bouquet).
Dress Order Unless you want the people buttoning you into your dress to wind up in pictures in their rollers and pjs, have your bridesmaids slip into their dresses before you get into yours. (And pro tip: If you do have tiny buttons down the back of your dress, bring a crochet hook to make fastening these delicate pieces a little bit easier!)
F I R S T
L O O K
What is it? A first look is a time set aside before the ceremony for you and your significant other to see each other and have a few moments to breathe in the day together as well as the opportunity to make some beautiful couple portraits with us!
How do we do this? We enjoy curating a private time for our couples to experience their first look. We’ll scope out a spot ahead of time and set everything up. All you have to do is tap your love on the shoulder and share some sweet time together!
Who all is involved? From our own wedding day, we found the first look was the only time we got a few moments alone together. Looking back on this time after the day was over, it became all the more sweet. With just the two of you sharing this part of the day while we capture these candid moments, it’s such a precious time.
Why do this? There are a handful of wonderful benefits that coincide with choosing to do a first look. A first look can be a calming time to see your beloved and shake off any anxious jitters as you anticipate the day’s activities. From a photography standpoint, the first look allows us to capture more relaxed couple portraits after you see each other, as you’re not worried about rushing to your reception. Making these pictures together before the ceremony also allows you to spend more time with your guests come celebration time. It’s your party and you should get to enjoy it!
Is it mandatory? Ultimately, whether or not to do a first look (or really anything on your wedding day) is up to you! We’re here for you and simply want to provide you with information that may help you enjoy your day to the max!
F A M I L Y
P O R T R A I T S
Timing If you decide a first look is a good idea for you on your wedding day, consider doing your family portraits before your ceremony as well. You could knock out all of your formal portraits before the ceremony and then head straight into celebrating! Or you can hide away after your first kiss as husband + wife and we’ll make these pictures immediately following the ceremony. Give your family members a heads up prior to the wedding day as to when they need to be present and bowtie ready!
Photo List The only list of pictures we’ll need for your wedding day is a formal family portrait list. In general, these are combinations of immediate family members and grandparents for both sides. As you create this list, keep in mind an average of 2-3 minutes to make each picture. Creating this list ahead of time will help keep you stress free on your wedding day. We don’t want you to worry about missing important photos or have this part of the day take up unnecessary amounts of time. We’ll lead this part of your day so all you have to do is smile and relax knowing we’re checking off each picture off your VIP list!
Sample Document We will upload a sample family portrait list as a word document to your personal client site after booking your wedding day with us. This way, creating a list can be as simple as filling in the names of your own family members.
C O U P L E
P O R T R A I T S
If getting more than just a couple of pictures of the two of you is an important part of the wedding day to you, we recommend creating space for a first look. Including a few minutes of you candidly seeing each other for the first time, we like to allot for 30-45 minutes of couple portrait time together. Other than a first look, there are also two other times during your wedding day where we can take advantage of making portraits together: after the ceremony + sunset. Depending on the time of your ceremony, you may want to include two 15-minute time slots at these times for couple portraits. After the ceremony, you’ll have that newly married spark in your eyes, and if the sunset is lovely and glowing at your venue on your wedding day, these shots are so warm and romantic!
C E R E M O N Y Location Your ceremony site can actually have a lot to do with your ceremony photographs. Know that often times certain venues such as churches have photography rules and/or contracts that keep wedding photographers in the back of the sanctuary, the balcony or even not in the space at all. When photographing at different locations such as outdoor ceremonies, we are generally free to roam around quietly and get more angles and faces. We’re happy to capture your vows wherever your heart desires! At the same time, setting expectations is important to us as we may be limited by venue rules during this time.
Multiple Angles Good news! Because we are always a two-photographer team, you will get multiple angles covered during your ceremony. Our hope is that when you’re flipping through your wedding album in years to come that you feel like your day is naturally unfolding in a genuine and beautiful way.
R E C E P T I O N Lighting No worries! Even if your wedding is in a windowless warehouse or at nighttime in your family’s backyard, we have lighting equipment to handle any situation. We’ve got you covered!
Dinner For mealtime, please list us as “guests” (not as “vendors”) to your caterer. Many times, vendor meals are given out after all of the guests have been served. Eating at the beginning of mealtime ensures we are fueled up and ready to make pictures of important moments that may happen near the end of dinner service like toasts and cake cutting.
W E D D I N G D A Y S C H E D U L E Planning Is all of this info making you excited for your big day…but also a little nervous at the idea of everything coming together neatly for one awesome day? No problem! There are these wonderful folks in the wedding industry who thrive at planning, tying up loose ends and making sure everyone is in the right place at the right time. We’d be happy to recommend a few names to you of wedding planners we love to work with and trust! At the very least, we can’t express just how amazing it is to have someone orchestrating your hard work and dreams on the day of. Even if you love planning your wedding, you’ll want someone there on that day to execute your plans. We want you to be able to enjoy your wedding day without having to answer a hundred phone calls or set out your own chairs. Plus, a planner will make sure we’re always ready for your big moments like your first dance and garter toss!
Timeline
After booking with us, we’ll include a sample photography timeline in your personal client site to help guide you as you create enough time for the photography for your day. It will help you wrap your head around how long you’ll need for pictures and when to start getting ready. (And we’ll help make sure we pad some extra time in there so those little things that come up won’t put a big dent in your day!)