I’ll be honest with you guys, I’ve never been fond of Save the Dates that have the couple’s picture on them.  Not all the time, but typically, I find myself thinking the entire Save the Date is too cheesy and “Hallmark-y” (it’s a word) and doesn’t show the couple in the true colors that I know and love.  Unless it’s my girlfriend swigging a glass of champagne with a gaggle of gals while her significant other plays darts in the background with his bros, that’s not my buddy.  I’ve never seen my friends each lying opposite directions staring at the sky while on a blanket in a magical field in timbuktwo.  But maybe that’s what they do on their date-nights, I dunno.

Anyways, but here Ray and I find ourselves, prepping to take engagement pictures so that we can plaster them on our Save the Dates.  The more we looked at the stationary options without pictures, we couldn’t find one that elicited the “Colorado” feel we’re looking for.  We want our friends and family to be excited to take a trip out to the mountains.  Since we live in the mountains, this is the perfect opportunity to basically take a picture of our backyard, which will give us the mountain feel and will, hopefully, relate to this exciting phase in our life as a keepsake in future years.

While Engagement pictures definitely won’t be as prominent as Wedding pictures, these are the first foray that our guests will have into what mood and feeling we’re going for on our wedding day.  While not every tip below will be relevant to whatever mood you select, at least one should be relevant to all.  So here’s what I’m considering going into our Engagement photo shoot.

 

Plan for two outfits – casual and more “dressy”

This is a personal preference, but we’re planning two outfits.  We’re thinking that we’ll likely use the casual on our Save the Dates, because that’s more “us,” but the dressier picture will come in handy should we consider framing them in future years.  While heels and tulle skirts don’t make much sense in the mountains, I always adore the elegant look of snappy-dressed couples.  A little Old Hollywood flare never hurts!

 lover.ly

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Lean towards traditional/classic tailoring

Yes, wild fringe and kaleidoscope stripes are all the rage today, but I’m not expecting those to stick around forever.  Even if there’s a trend that you adore today, I recommend leaning towards the more traditional side to help your pictures live on forever, rather than looking dated by the time you want to send out Christmas cards.

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Wear something comfortable

For many couples, this may be their first photo shoot (beyond Senior pictures and sorority/fraternity head shots, at least.)  It’s kind of an awkward experience in the first place, so the last things you need are a sequin top giving you an under-arm rash or sky heel stilettos keeping you from walking naturally!  Wear a favorite outfit that you’d normally wear to allow yourself to be comfortable and carefree going into the session.  This tip is also helpful if you randomly decide to hop into a canoe, allowing you to paddle away without any issues!

lauramurrayphotography.com

If possible, include a family heirloom or an item with history to it

Similar to the first suggestion, this is less of a tip than it is personal preference.  With these pictures planned to last a significant period of time, I’m hoping to incorporate at least one piece that is family-oriented, or that has a bit of history to it, rather than purely purchasing everything new.  At least in my mind, that will make these pictures more of a treasured keepsake and part of a broader story, rather than just nice pictures of Ray and I in the mountains.

praisewedding.com

Let the pictures speak to you, even if it means forgetting all the rules

When Ray and I were looking through engagement pictures on Pinterest (obviously), we instantly fell in love with the couple in the picture below.  They are wearing attire I wouldn’t select, they look like they’re freezing cold where ever they decided to take these pictures, and the website they’re on is terrible technologically.  But you can tell that the pictures are so them.  Just how they naturally feel and look while enjoying each other’s company.  And, at the end of the day, that’s what is most important.

greenweddingshoes.com

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Are you a fan of Engagement pictures on Save the Dates?  What recommendations do you have for a couple planning their Engagement picture ensembles?

Create a great life!