Elili Brown Photography

Your engagement photography session encapsulates your relationship and your dynamic in a way your wedding is unable to. An engagement session can take place anywhere: the beach, where you had your first date, a coffee shop with sentimental value, a gorgeous mountainous trail, or even at your home. Whereas your wedding (if you choose not to elope) is more heavily restricted by guest count and venue. And to be frank is more costly to personalize. (granted some of these ideas won’t be cheap). So, without further ado here is a list of 13 things to do your engagement photos.

1. Engagement Photo Guest Signing Album for your Wedding:

This album will serve multiple purposes: it will be a keepsake and an interactive feature at your wedding. You can place this near the entrance, so as your guests arrive, they can leave you a little message. At the end of your wedding the book will be completely full of heartfelt messages. So, you’ll be walking away from your wedding with gorgeous photographs and precious words from those closest to you.

2. Save the Dates or Wedding Invitations:

What better to use for Save the Dates than photographs taken to commemorate the big step you’re taking with your partner. You can go through all of your photographs and choose your favorite that captures your personalities and sheer excitement. Or if you don’t want your wedding invitations to be a photograph of you both, you can use it as inspiration for your invitations. If you wanted to take it up another notch, you could even turn your Save the Date cards into little magnets, so people can stick them to their fridges.

3. Wall Art for your House:

I’ve said it once and I will say it again. Your engagement photos are completely customizable, so what else could you possibly want in your household. In your wedding photographs there are expectations around what you should wear, but those don’t exist for your engagement photos. So if you want to wear cargo pants or a flowy dress, you sure can. If it was me, these are the photographs that I would want to hang around my home. They will make your home feel like yours and add warmth. I know if it was me, I would walk around the house and smile when I saw them. So, you can choose a few of your favorites and have them professionally printed and framed. Most photographs will print them for you, so all you have to do is ask! I personally do reveal sessions with all my clients and show them what their wall art could look like!

4. Gift prints to your family:

Most parents and family members are super excited when their children or relatives get engaged. So, choose your favorite few family members and print your favorite one or two engagement photos to send to them. At least personally, I know they would be ecstatic and cherish them. If you have never had any printed artwork, I will tell you now, it holds so much mor meaning then a photograph sent over text! I know my cousins have prints of my grandparents in their homes!

5. Engagement Photo Album:

You could have an album dedicated to your engagement photos. My parents did not have professional photographer for their engagement photos or at their wedding, and I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve wanted to go through photographs from their engagement & wedding and there are NONE. An engagement album will capture your excitement for this next step and hold a different significance than your wedding photographs. And therefore, it deserves its own album. This will let you return to these memories and emotions anytime you want over the rest of your life.

6. Wedding Website:

Your wedding website gives your guests a glimpse into your relationship and your journey. You could incorporate your engagement photos in numerous ways: you could have a slideshow on its homepage or have a gallery solely of your engagement photos.

7. Thank you Cards:

You could use thank you cards when guests RSVP to your wedding or after the wedding itself. Most wedding photographs have a month (minimum) turnaround time, so you could utilize one of your engagement photos to create personalized thank you cards. These cards will convey you appreciation for your guests and also a permanent memento of your special day!

8. Make a Montage of your Engagement Photos for your Reception and/or Wedding:

This one might belong higher up on the list, because it is one of my favorites. But you can create a montage of your engagement photos to display at either your wedding reception, ceremony, or rehearsal dinner.  A montage of your engagement photos will add a personal touch to either event and allow guests to share in your apparent joy and love for one another. You could also set up a TV monitor with this slideshow on repeat at your wedding, so your guests can enjoy your engagement photos at their own leisure during your special day!

9. Create a Gallery Reception Wall:

This could be the first wedding feature your guests see as they walk into your wedding reception. One of the beauties of a gallery reception wall is that couples can enjoy it as their own pace. And it will serve as a conversation starter between guests. Your reception wall can include other photographs too, like if you are particularly outdoorsy, you can have photos of hiking adventures you’ve gone on.

10. Social Media:

Right after you get engaged, you will want to share the news with all of your loved ones and the quickest way to do so, is by posting on social media. So, what better than to use your engagement photos. By using your engagement photos to share the news, you will let other people feel like a part of your journey and feel equally excited for you.

11. Make a Calendar with your Engagement Photos:

I love this idea. You can take it into work with you or keep it at you’re at home office (if you work from home), but you can create a custom calendar. All you need is twelve gorgeous photographs. Every month you will appreciate a new photograph telling a new story about your relationship. Then even as work or life gets stressful and crazy busy, you will be able to smile through it, because every time you look at your calendar you see your partner.

12. Create a mini album to keep with you:

If you couldn’t tell I am super sentimental. But I love the idea of having a mini album that can hang out in your car or office at work. This way you can share your journey and love story with others as you go around and provide some grounding comfort. At least personally, it would remind me of the joy and positive things in my life as I am super stressed at work.