ENGAGEMENT PHOTOSHOOT

L.O.V.E. is what makes a perfect engagement photoshoot (and of course a good photographer & good planning – wink wink). We had so much fun during this shoot, words cannot describe the feeling to be honest. Looking into each other’s eyes, holding hands & laughing brought us even closer together & it gave us a glimpse of what our wedding day shoot will look like – can’t wait!!! I’m honestly head over heels with how this turned out; even better than I had imagined!

Here are some tips on how to create the engagement shoot of your dreams – Pinterest style ;)

1- Choose the right photographers! Style & quality of pictures is important b/c you want to make sure you are getting professionals who share your vision, but what I find ever more important is how comfortable you feel around them. You will be spending hours with them and cameras will be on your at all times, so you need to make sure they put you at ease to capture those emotions on camera.

Photographers: Lightbox Studio

2-Choose an activity you like to do & select a theme (research is key here), this way you’ll feel a lot more comfortable being photographed. We love picnics & wine, so I knew right away that this would be our theme, but browsing Pinterest really refined my vision. The key is to find inspo pictures and then tweak the decor to match your style.

3- Choose the right location and visit it! I wanted a vineyard, that was key. Although we did consider a lavender field, we felt a vineyard was more “us”. Since we’re getting married at one of the Groupe Madison locations, I knew they had a vineyard, what I did not know is how beautiful the location truly was until I visited it. Rows on top of rows of vines, big mountains in the background – this was the place! Seeing the location also allowed me to plan out all the logistics.

4- Choose the right props, the right clothes & the right makeup. Picnics scream light summery drinks, snacks, blankets, pillows & flowers. It takes some planning to get it perfect but it’s worth the effort! After browsing Pinterest, I got inspired by pastels & bold colors to offset, so I went for light pink helium balloons, light turquoise pillows contrasting with colorful macaroons & fuchsia roses. As for the clothing, I always wanted this lace Azalea Dress from Self Portrait which is super romantic & perfect for a rustic look. Definitely did not regret my choice, it was absolutely stunning & it hugged my curved in all the right places. Ismael opted for white pants and a windowpane shirt that I think matched perfectly with my outfit. I kept my makeup natural to match the decor but also b/c I find less is more and my makeup artist (Elizabeth D’Amico) totally understood that – she’s absolutely amazing! Couldn’t be happier with the entire shoot :))

Outfit details: Dress: Self Portrait Azalea Dress // Shoes: Zara (old, similar: Vince Ria City Sandals) //

Makeup: Elizabeth D’Amico

Decor details: Flowers: Atelier Flora // Balloons: Haute Baloon

5- HAVE FUN! At the end of the day, you don’t just want nice pictures, you want a great memory when you look back at them :)