Before the Wedding Photographer: 10 Fun Engagement Photo Ideas

Every year, about 2.5 million weddings take place in the US. While this may sound like a lot, each and every one of these couples is unique and important. If you plan to be one of them in the next year or two, congratulations! There's nothing quite as exciting as the prospect of sharing your life with the person that you love most of all.
Before that life can begin, though, you're going to need to plan and execute the perfect wedding day. And before that can happen, an engagement photoshoot is going to need to take place.

Luckily, this photoshoot can be a lot of fun! From serious to silly poses, there are so many kinds of photos that you can try taking. Read on for some awesome engagement picture ideas to talk about with your wedding photographer ASAP.

Location, Location, Location!
The first thing to consider when planning a photoshoot is where it's going to happen. With wedding photography, this is pretty easy- you're going to take pictures at the wedding venue. However, engagement photo ops have a lot more leeway. Read on for some ideas of where you can take gorgeous engagement photos!

1. Home Sweet Home
There's no place quite like home. Home is where the heart is. You've heard and likely rolled your eyes at all these cliches, but they're true. The home that you share with your significant other has meaning in that it's where you've started your long life together. It's your own little corner of the universe. Because of this, you may want to take some engagement pictures around your home. If you have a yard, that's perfect- you can pose outdoors in front of the house that you call your own. However, if you live in an apartment or other complex, it's still possible to do part of your engagement photoshoot at home. Curl up with your future spouse on the couch that you spend so much time together on. Snuggle up next to them with a (prop) cup of cocoa or other favorite drinks. Have the photographer take pictures of this scene of domestic bliss so that you can forever remember the relaxing times that you had with your partner while you were still young.

2. First Date Venues
It's important to note that most engagement photoshoots don't need to take place in only one venue. After taking photos at your home, consider moving to another place that has meaning to your relationship: the place where you had your first date. Whether this was a cafe, restaurant, coffee shop, or somewhere more unique, there are sure to be opportunities for a picturesque photoshoot. Try to go at a time of day where there may not be a lot of people around- you don't want a ton of strangers in the background of your images! Talk to your wedding photographer to determine what time might be a good one.

If you have another date that was more important to you, like the first place that you said those three little words or even the place where you proposed, these are also options that you can consider. The possibilities are limitless- the only point is to capture a memory!

3. Parks and Gardens
If you do want to do the entirety of your photoshoot in one place, a large park or botanical gardens is a good bet. These venues have many different picturesque places to take pictures. You can stand in front of or amidst a wide variety of plants and flowers while posing with your loved one. Most large parks and gardens also have pagodas and other indoor spaces where you can play with different lighting. Having a combination of photos with natural and unnatural light makes for a more interesting and versatile photoshoot. You'll have more options to choose from later when putting together your save-the-dates and wedding invitations.

4. Favorite Haunts
If you have a favorite place, you may also want to have part of your photoshoot there. Are you and your partner avid readers? If yes, there may be no place better than the bookstore to snap some engagement photos. Stand in your favorite section or before an author that you both love and shoot some pictures in bookish-chic poses. Of course, this is only an example. If you bonded over playing a sport, then take your photoshoot onto the field. Tea lovers? Then take some pictures of your drinking your favorite teas together at a cafe or as part of a picnic. Try to capture your passions and hobbies in your photoshoot- you'll look back on doing this and smile later.
Full-Body Engagement Photos

Now that you have an idea of what venue(s) you might like to take your engagement photoshoot to, it's time to talk about some full-body poses that will look amazing on your save-the-date cards and wedding suite items. Read on for some ideas of what you can do to express your love in a unique and engaging way!

5. What to Wear
When choosing what to wear to your engagement photoshoot, there are a few things you'll want to consider. The first is the level of formality that you want your pictures to convey. You might want to wear a nice dress and suit and tie, but this is what you'll be wearing on your wedding day, too. Instead, an engagement photoshoot might be a good opportunity to wear some nice but casual clothing for photos.

It's also really cute to wear something that matches with your partner's outfit. Wear something in a matching color with them or something that has a similar pattern. Better yet, invert the colors of what they're wearing. Your gold dress with blue accents will go amazing with his blue suit that has some gold touches on it. No matter what you do, make sure that you wear the most photogenic colors you can find. Darker colors look amazing in pretty much every picture, while pastels will make you look washed out. Just a tip to keep in mind!

6. Ruby Roses and Movie-Star Poses
While wedding flowers are of course important to have at the wedding itself, you also may want to have a bouquet in some of your engagement photos. A hand-tied bouquet made with a strong and some home-grown flowers is a gorgeous and low-key way to add some life to your pictures. Try taking some photos in which one partner is giving these flowers to the other! Additionally, you'll want to take photos where you're holding your partner. In some of these, looking at the camera is a good idea, but make sure to have some where you fix your eyes on each other, too.

7. Props, Pets, and Beyond
A unique way to spice up your engagement photos is to take some with pets and props. If you have a beloved dog or cat, take a few pictures while holding onto them or playing with them. If not, some props will go a long way. Take some silly pictures with outrageous hats or fake mustaches- this is a fun way to show that you're a couple that knows how to have a good time together.

Close-Ups of Loving Faces
While full-body photos are important, it's also good to show yourself and your lover in your own little world. After all, when you're as deeply in love as you are, it's important to capture the look in both of your eyes and the love in both of your gazes. Read on to learn some amazing tips on how to take close-up engagement photos of your faces!

8. Radiant Smiles
When you think of any close-up photograph, you likely imagine people smiling for the camera. This is certainly something that you and your fiance can do in your engagement photos. Make sure that the camera is at face-level with you and that you're in the appropriate lighting for a close-up. Ask the photographer whether or not there are any strange shadows on your face before snapping the lens!

9. Lost in Love
When you look at your wedding photo books decades from now, you'll want to see that you were just as in love back when you were first engaged as you are when you're 70. There's no better way to make sure that this is the case than by taking photos of the two of you looking at each other. When you're in love with someone, your eyes are sure to light up when you look at them. Smile at each other and lean in close while the photographer snaps the shutters. You're both sure to look naturally radiant, which makes for a great picture!

10. The Moment Before...
While you may be tempted to capture a photo of you and your fiance kissing, locked lips don't always make for the best photographs. Someone's face will always be covered no matter what you do, and both parties will be covered in awkward shadows. But that moment before a kiss? That's the perfect moment to capture. Lean in towards your fiance with your mouths nearly touching. When you look back at the photo later, you'll see the longing and love on both of your faces in the moment before your lips meet.

Talk to a Wedding Photographer Today
With the help of a wedding photographer, your engagement session can be an incredibly exciting time. Remember: you're not only taking these pictures for friends and family, but also for you and your spouse to look back and smile at fifty years down the line.

Now that you know some awesome engagement photo ideas, it's time to get started. Begin designing your save the date that features your favorite engagement photo. Whether it's something serious or silly, there's nothing quite like showing off the love that you and your partner have for each other on these cards. It will give your guests a greater understanding of what they're celebrating and get them excited to share the big day with such a happy couple!