Location, location, location. Up there with a photographer, a wedding venue is one of the first things booked. This shows the importance of a location. It will affect all the guests and also all of the photos. Picking a location for engagement photos can be just as challenging and important. A good location can make or break engagement portraits, so it’s important to look at several things before you choose.
Picking a Location for Engagement Photos
I really think deciding where to do your engagement photos can be more challenging than picking a venue. There are a limited amount of wedding venues out there, but locations for engagement photos is basically unlimited. You really can shoot them anywhere, and I think that can be overwhelming. Some options are to pick the location yourself, let the photographer choose, or work with the photographer to pick a location. I think the last option is probably the best.
Use a Wedding Venue
One easy option is to use a wedding venue for the engagement photos. Often, your wedding venue will allow you to use the location for engagement or bridal photos if you ask them at no additional cost. This lets you try out the place and find some good spots before the actual wedding day, and it connects your engagement portraits to the wedding photos. You can also choose to use another wedding venue. Just because your wedding isn’t there doesn’t mean you can’t use it. I’ve used St. Catherine’s at Bell Gable several times in this manner, and I believe it was only $50 an hour to use it. Other venues might even let you use it for free like the Stone Chapel at MattLane Farm. Just ask.
Style of Shoot
Another thing to consider is the style of the shoot. What do you want it to look like? What fits your personal style? Are you a bit rustic and want a barn or field to match that? Do you want something more casual? Do you want something classy? All of that would limit where you would go. You want to make sure you think about that because your clothing needs to match the style of the background, and if you don’t like that style, you probably won’t love the pictures.
Special Places
In relationships, there are always those places that hold a special place. Was it where you had your first date? Was it someplace you use to go together every week? These are also good choices because the location and the pictures will have an extra level of emotion. When you look at the engagement photos, you won’t just see that moment, you’ll remember all the special moments you had at the place previously.
Is it good for photos?
The last question is something that really needs to be discussed with the photographer. Not all places are great for taking photos. There might not be enough light or the light might be too harsh. There might not be enough space or anything of interest at the place. Maybe it’s too popular of a place and will be crowded with people. Good photographers can overcome these problems, but it can make life more difficult and limit some of the things you do during the shoot.
I hope this information helps with picking a location for engagement photos. Engagements are a fun start to the wedding experience, and they need to have a great location to make them perfect. When you’re making a decision, make sure to go through the different options and questions I have listed above to create some lovely photos.
